I sold my 16' Carolina Skiff last year because I find myself in the marsh and swamps more than offshore nowadays. I wanted to build something compact, light and tough so I went with a welded 1448 jon.
Picked her up at Hanko's Metal Works in Berwick, LA.
Hanko's Aluminum Boats For Sale. Berwick, Louisiana They build absolutely awesome custom aluminum rigs, but they also sell little ALWELD aluminum jons manufactured in Arkansas. I picked up the 1448 high transom on the bottom in the pictures...
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Got her home, ran the main power feeds and navigation light wiring from bow to stern. Used silicon to secure the lengths of PVC under the braces to protect the THHN wires. The battery will be placed up front under the front deck once I have it extended.
I had a 1/8" aluminum deck welded full length on the floor and the bow deck extended back about 1'. I then put down Hydro-Turf on the flooring, bow deck and rear seat top and front. Also had the front deck and rear seat cut and welded in the seat bases. You can see the two small cut-outs in the flooring for the bases of the pelican hooks that will hold the ice-chest in place.
Also had a trolling motor platform fabricated on the bow deck for the Minn Kota Edge.
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Battery is in place under the extended deck and the fire extinguisher is mounted.
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Next I build a small and very simple control and power module within reach of me while underway. It has two USB ports, a 12V cigarette lighter port and a small battery voltage display. One switch is for the nav lights, the other switch powers up the battery voltage display and the two outlets.
Also in the pictures is the 13 gal fuel tank I installed along with the little water filter mounted on the transom. Near the fuel tank is a tachometer that I also installed...I know that's kind of overkill, but I used the tachometer to size the SS prop properly and so I just installed it permanently. I tried a couple of different tiny-tachs (inductive types), but they didn't give me a steady enough reading and I didn't trust them so I just bought the factory tachometer.
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Attached a few rod-holders on the outside of the ice-chest, which is held securely in place with the stainless pelican hooks attached to the flush bases in the deck. When not needed it's easy to remove the chest and not have anything on the deck to trip over.
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Finally, had 4 extra rod-holders welded on the outside of the transom. Keeps the rods out of the way when not needed...my boat is only 14' so storing the rods along the side was too tight a squeeze and used up too much space for me.
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Here are a few more of the completed setup. Having the battery up front really helps with the weight distribution when I'm by myself. Enjoy and let me know if anyone has any questions...
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