Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Power Equipment & RV => Topic started by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 01:03:58 PM

Title: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 01:03:58 PM: I just picked up an '87 Hewescraft River Runner 18'. The problem- There's no storage except the open space under the bow. I've searched the internet for pictures to get ideas and all the website for different products but have come up empty handed. I need to put something in there for pole storage and such. I can fabricate just about anything as long as it's stainless or aluminum, the only thing I'm capable of doing with wood is burn it!
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: huntnphool on November 29, 2012, 01:13:29 PM: Post up some pics of the inside
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 02:02:02 PM: What I have to work with:
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: huntnphool on November 29, 2012, 02:07:05 PM: Looks like there is plenty of room to mount rod holders just about the anchor light, should be able to mount them on both sides.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: KFhunter on November 29, 2012, 02:11:24 PM: if you got the time and $, and a small amount of handiman skills....

I'd gut it, yup. Pull out the floors, they are just screwed onto the stringers and the "floatation" will be wall board insulation that'll be so broken down and degraded it won't do much floating but adds a ton of weight to the floors.

yanks everything out of there, then do a good inspection of the fuel tank and put on new hoses/clamps and make sure the tank is seated very well so it doesn't move and rub holes.
also do a close inspection for cracks.

clean it all up good!

When you install new floatation there are some nice options, go with closed cell foam though.

Then install new flooring, I'd go with diamond plate. But marine ply is good you can use your old floors as a pattern.

once you got new floors then do new seats, gobs of options there according to your $

I used to build those things in the early 90's
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 04:01:04 PM: I'm assuming that it is foam behind the panels, under the light in the pic, also. What kind of foam is best? This is what I've found-

Flotation foams are available in rigid billet; flexible sheets and rigid two part urethane spray-in / pour-in forms. Flotation billets are utilized to build floating docks and decks. Flexible foams are utilized for adding buoyancy to personal watercraft, seat cushions, and sound reduction. Two part urethanes foams are commonly use to increase buoyancy, add structural integrity, fill voids and reduce noise transmission. All of the flotation foams are closed cell and offer excellent thermal insulation value.

Handi Spray-In Foam
•excellent for building floating docks & increasing buoyancy
•multi-purpose, two-part polyurethane foam
•tack-free in 60 seconds and cures in 2-5 minutes
•60 lbs. of buoyancy per cubic foot

Pourable Foam
•excellent for filling voids & increasing buoyancy
•multi-purpose, two–part urethane foam
•resist the absorption of water
•available in 2 qts., 2 gals., and 10 gals. kits

Buoyancy Billets
•excellent buoyancy performance for floating docks
•lightweight extruded polystyrene
•each billet floats 220 lbs.
•7 in. thick x 20 x 48 in. billets

ULTRA FOAM™
•excellent buoyancy performance
•superior thermal insulation
•fills voids, insulats bulkheads & cushions surfaces

Polyethylene Foam
•closed cell foam used for flotation
•in-stock colors: white, black & pink.
•1.7 lb. density
•available in 1, 2 and 3 in. thickness
•2 x 4 ft. sheets
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: huntnphool on November 29, 2012, 04:05:25 PM: What is that that the light is mounted to? Is it hiding something?
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 04:11:37 PM: I haven't had it apart yet but I think it is foam. There is one on each side. You can kind of see in the pics that there was something attatched to them at one time.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: KFhunter on November 29, 2012, 04:15:49 PM: There should be flotation under those panels, the boats are required to float the max rated horsepower + occupants as indicated on the coast guard plaque. It doesn't have to float high up in the water though, think semi submerged.

I can't help you on foam suggestions, I've been out of it so long I don't know about the new stuff or how to apply it. Any boat repair and supply shop would be able to give you a run down. I'd stop by a shop that sells that stuff or give some distributors a phone call.

There are also online forums giving some nice run downs, just have a plan before you gut it or you'll be sitting there with a boat you can't use for an extended period - make sure your ducks are all in a row :chuckle:

Dang, I should follow my own advice more :bash:
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 04:28:36 PM: Quote from: KFhunter on November 29, 2012, 04:15:49 PM
Dang, I should follow my own advice more :bash:

Yaaaaaaa, I've got the same problem........ :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

I sure wasn't looking for another project, so if I don't do this right away, I'll use it as it is for a year.

Thanks for the input guys!
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: KFhunter on November 29, 2012, 04:36:54 PM: ya, I'd use the heck out of it before I tore it down.

before you do though -and I hope you did this before you bought it- check the transom for wood rot.
It should have 2 layers of marine plywood sandwiched together with aluminium screwed to it.

You don't want a transom failure
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: HORSEPOWER on November 29, 2012, 04:40:08 PM: It's in excellent condition.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: Grit dog on November 30, 2012, 03:07:10 PM: From experience with heavier fiberglass boats, I see no reason you can't get the required amount of flotation completley under the floor. That could allow you to build secure storage where the gunnel flotation is, or keep the gunnel flotation and build some under floor storage in lieu of some of that foam. Under floor storage not as preferrable since it wnt dry out nearly as well as something up high and dry.
Is it not practical to build some sort of secure hatch or door behind the bow storage? That's a fair amount of storage volume in itself.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: Special T on December 03, 2012, 11:20:37 PM: not storage, but you need a Macs Skeg protector. :twocents:
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on December 05, 2012, 12:25:59 PM: I had a Macs Skeg protector. Its at the bottom of the Nootch with my Skeg! :tup:

Skip it IMO. Its just more money you'll end up loosing.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: lokidog on December 05, 2012, 02:03:47 PM: The skeg protector is more for your prop. If you hit something hard enough to break off the skeg, it won't matter what else is on it. Skeg protectors are well worth the money to protect your prop at $60-90 for a rebuild and $90-140 for a new one, and that's aluminum not stainless.

My 19' Alumaweld with windshield only has flotation under the floor and maybe four cubic feet in the back. Rated for a 120 I think. You could probably get away with cleaning up/adding insulation under the floor and maybe just attached to the top or bottom of those side spaces.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: BigGoonTuna on December 06, 2012, 08:59:37 AM: Quote from: wildmanoutdoors on December 05, 2012, 12:25:59 PM
I had a Macs Skeg protector. Its at the bottom of the Nootch with my Skeg! :tup:

Skip it IMO. Its just more money you'll end up loosing.
you tried running a prop on the wynoochee? :yike:
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: snocohunter on December 10, 2012, 08:25:14 AM: Quote from: BigGoonTuna on December 06, 2012, 08:59:37 AM
Quote from: wildmanoutdoors on December 05, 2012, 12:25:59 PM
I had a Macs Skeg protector. Its at the bottom of the Nootch with my Skeg! :tup:

Skip it IMO. Its just more money you'll end up loosing.
you tried running a prop on the wynoochee? :yike:

That's what I was thinking!
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on December 10, 2012, 10:11:22 AM: All the time! Its an 8 horse Yami sitting next to a 175 jetted Etec....

But yeah, thats why the skeg protector dident work good. The boat is going backwards when the 8 horse is running. Its simply a gravel shovel at that point.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: lokidog on December 10, 2012, 10:22:49 AM: Quote from: wildmanoutdoors on December 10, 2012, 10:11:22 AM
All the time! Its an 8 horse Yami sitting next to a 175 jetted Etec....

But yeah, thats why the skeg protector dident work good. The boat is going backwards when the 8 horse is running. Its simply a gravel shovel at that point.

FYI, there's a little button that tilts the big motor up somewhere around there. :chuckle: Says the guy who just sent five props to the shop to be rebuilt..... :bash:
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on December 10, 2012, 10:31:05 AM: Its the little motor! ;) Use it all the time. I know when my sonar says 1.75' its time to start tilting up.
This time there was something sticking up. The boat just stopped suddenly, then began drifting again. Did not notice the skeg gone till I parked it at home.

Funny cause I have drifted this same drift thousands of times.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: BigGoonTuna on December 10, 2012, 10:45:18 AM: ah, i was thinking something more along the lines of the guy that tried taking his trophy down to blue creek a year or two back.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: snocohunter on December 10, 2012, 10:49:20 AM: Quote from: BigGoonTuna on December 10, 2012, 10:45:18 AM
ah, i was thinking something more along the lines of the guy that tried taking his trophy down to blue creek a year or two back.
Hadn't heard that one yet. I'd pay to watch that.
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: Wacenturion on December 16, 2012, 02:47:58 PM: Quote from: snocohunter on December 10, 2012, 10:49:20 AM
Quote from: BigGoonTuna on December 10, 2012, 10:45:18 AM
ah, i was thinking something more along the lines of the guy that tried taking his trophy down to blue creek a year or two back.
Hadn't heard that one yet. I'd pay to watch that.

Here's a picture of the Trophy...........enjoy. :chuckle:

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi98.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl241%2FSS30ANV%2Fboat-1-1_zps1ace6048.jpg&hash=2a107974dd4862cf2281701143f981f880fad8e5)
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: huntnphool on December 17, 2012, 07:49:44 AM: Quote from: BigGoonTuna on December 10, 2012, 10:45:18 AM
ah, i was thinking something more along the lines of the guy that tried taking his trophy down to blue creek a year or two back.
:yike:
Title: Re: I just bought a river runner- I need ideas!
Post by: Special T on December 17, 2012, 10:37:30 AM: :fishin: :bow: Mr One Hung Low!