BigBendFishing.Net

Some folks are a sucker for stray dogs. I guess I'm just a sucker for old boats ready for the burn pile. Seems just as I finish one, another one falls out of the sky into my yard, (much to the displeasure of my poor but understanding wife.)
This ones a 1983 Bradford 14 foot skiff. Been painted with brown house paint, wired with 14/2 romex used in a house. Not a stainless piece of hardware on the boat, just rusty nubs where screws used to be. Foot and a half of oak leaves piles inside.

However, I see a nice little boat for fishing the shallows underneath all that crud. Got a little 35hp Evenrude that will work fine on her. So here we go again.

Well, I hope they at least used exterior house paint on it that should make a fine flats/river boat

First update. Down to the original gelcoat on the outside. Lots and lots of sanding. Tried heavy duty paint remover. Didn't phase it. Have a stick steering system to use with it. STAY TUNED!

Hull looks similar to a Dixon Bateau

Oooh Rah!

Sure does remind me of my STRIKE TWO Dixon!

I like it.

Update????

O:K, update. Outside ready to paint. Started on inside and ran into a nightmare. Front deck is raised about nine inches above the main deck. It is sealed with floatation underneath. PROBLEM: It leaked somewhere and the cavity filled with water. I had to cut an access hole in the deck to pump the water out. 9" high x 48" wide x 54" long filled to the brim with water. Floatation consisted of packing popcorn! Removed all that crap, dried it out, replaced one stringer, (other two were fine.) Deck wood rotten, needs to be replaced.
Same thing with the back seat area. Underneath where the back set is was supposed to be sealed with floatation. It was full of water and wood framing was rotted. Also full of starfoam shipping popcorn. Drained about seven gallons of water from there also. Now I'm rebuilding front deck and rear seat area and pouring two-part expandable foatation in both area's.

Man, that is going to be a very col littl boat when you finish.

I know. It's rated for 4 people or 850 pounds. Big compartment on right is livewell, one on left is storage, one in the back is a built-in insulated ice chest. Even with all the water under the deck, I put it in the water to see how it floated. I had three people in it and it sat high in the water. Going to be a great salt water creek and shallow water boat. My 35hp Evinrude with stick steering ought to work great on it. It's rated for a 35hp.

I bet it is a ton lighter with all that water and soggy popcorn removed. Are you going to replace the popcorn with expandable foam? Looks like a fun and rewarding project. Did you ever fix the steering problem with the motor?
Keep moving,fast slow and at odd angles,
FF

Hey FF,
I poured two part expandable foam yesterday. Laid the plywood down for the decking with screws and 3M 4200 adhesive on the new stringers. Should be fiberglassing tomorrow. Havn't worked on the steering yet for the 35. Got all my cables set up and control mounts fabricated out of aluminum. I'm guessing 75-100 pounds less weight now. I'm looking forward to getting in the water, hopfully in the next two weeks. Already got my paint in. It's Easypoxy platinum gray.

Nice