Building out duck boat

[Wetwoodshunter]

I acquired a duck boat from a good friend on this site. This weekend I started in Ernest getting it ready for this season. At this point I’m taking it down to base patching holes, removed the waterlogged foam and am going to build it back up to the boat it was made to be.

The boat is a 17’6” (I think) PolarKraft with a tunnel near the prop.

[Wetwoodshunter]

The transom came out yesterday. I kept it intact so I can use it as a pattern and will be inserting new marine grade ply after epoxy seal it.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Foam is out, and the inside of the hull has been hit with a strip disc to remove flaking paint.

I’m not sure if I’ll patch with marine Tex gray or 5200 yet. A few areas of larger damage. I’m going to sandwich aluminum plates and 5200.

My plan is to strip and apply glove-it to the entire bottom.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Few more, the transom had some dissimilar metal screws in it. It is going to require some plates/patching.

[ghosthunter]

Wow

That’s a job. Good luck.

[wadu1]

Big job, looking good so far. I would use a zinc chromate primer before painting because of its corrosion resistance.

[Wetwoodshunter]

More progress tonight. I flipped it and am half way done taking paint off the bottom.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Ouch, that one left a mark. The hole on the top is the size of a quarter.

[Wetwoodshunter]

I traced and cut the new transom out this morning. Hopefully my resin gets here tonight and I will start encasing it. I used a 1.25” sheet of underpayment.

[h2ofowlr]

Quite the project.  I did one similar back in the day.  It worked, but I chased leaks constantly.  If you have a good welder and can weld on thin medal, you can slow some of them down.  I had welds, patches, JV Weld and all sorts of paint.  I think a good heavy coat of paint did the most sealing for me when all said and done.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Thanks for the pointers. I may be chasing leaks on this one. Im hoping in the end I may have $1k into the entire project. Prep will hopefully be done this weekend the. I can start putting it back together.

Quite the project.  I did one similar back in the day.  It worked, but I chased leaks constantly.  If you have a good welder and can weld on thin medal, you can slow some of them down.  I had welds, patches, JV Weld and all sorts of paint.  I think a good heavy coat of paint did the most sealing for me when all said and done.

[Special T]

Are you thinking of using Gator Glide on the bottom?

[Wetwoodshunter]

I haven’t decided what to coat the bottom with. I was thinking super slick but gator glide looks like the same thing for 1/2 the price. I also have used gloveit on other boats but it flakes off and isnt terribly slick.

[metlhead]

TremPro

[Special T]

Was that a carp shooting platform/blind in the first pic up by the bow?