my "little boat"

[fishinRod]

Here is a picture of our “little boat”. I bought it 24 years ago and we still use it when fishing “trollingmotor” only waters. It is 12’ long, made of plywood, has a built-in-live well and was very popular around the eastern parts of the Carolinas, and was commonly referred to as a “carolina boat” and they were always that dark green color. I haven’t seen one besides mine in a very long time. The livewell is nothing more than a box in the middle of the boat with holes drilled in the bottom, the water level rises inside the box to what it is on the outside of the boat. A couple years ago, I had to make a decision; part of the bottom was rotted and needed to be replaced. I thought maybe just taking her out to our favorite hole and sinking her and buy a jon boat for small waters. Instead I did my best attempt at a repair and it worked for a pretty long while. It started leaking again in several places on the bottom and around the edge; I figured that was the end of a long relationship. Then one day I had idea, I learned through buddy at work that they made this stuff called Herculiner, a brush on bedliner for pickup truck beds. Off to Auto-Zone I went, it cost $30 a pint but I took the chance. I painted it on the bottom and about 2” up the side. You can’t beat that stuff off with a hammer, and she stays dry as a bone all day.

[fishinRod]

here is a pic of the livewell

[stumpbumpers]

Very interesting fix. I will keep that in the memory bank. Bet it would work good for those loose riveted Jons as well... hmmm! I like your boat as i posted on your test page. I have riden in a lot of "carolina boats" in my live, worked on a few and helped build a few.

I plan to build a few for sale. The first one is going to be a free bee to my granddad!

[badbrad]

That's a dandy little boat. I don't blame you for trying so hard to keep it a afloat. No telling how many good fishing memories you've made in it. Thanks for sharing.

[father of 4]

Now that pretty neat I like that little critter

[stinkies daddy]

H*ll of a lil boat, better than the first boat i ever had. gotta tell ya tho the memories in a first boat

[tnvol]

Fishinrod...how many pints did it take of that to paint the boat? I have
a leaky riveted aluminum 12 footer that may get that treatment soon!
Its really handy to have a "little" boat for those days when the "big"
one just won't work...or is too much trouble to launch.

[fishinRod]

Thanks for the complements guys. Oh the stories I could tell about times in that boat!
Some funny, some sad, and some unbelievable, but all true. I caught my biggest bream, crappie and bass out of that boat, (the bass is on the wall over my recliner). Currently I have a 40lb minnkota to move it along and an eagle fish ID locater (which will be replaced soon). At one time it sported a 7.5hp Ted Willliams outboard.
Our “big boat” is a 16’ tracker with a 40hp merc, but the “little boat” in its own right is special and gets used about just as much. I hope to keep it another 24 years!


Hey stumpbumpers, if you want some close up pics I’ll take some and e-mail ‘em
to ya, if you want, just let me know

tnvol, it took three to do the whole thing, but I really over did it on the first time, so I could have done it with two. but my boat is narrower
than an aluminum, so three?..........I like your screen name, my roots are in Maryville............go Vols

[tnvol]

Thanks, Rod! The Vols did a bit better tonite against UGA
than on Tues vs the Kats. If you overdid it with three..then
I think I will go with four ! I wont know til July if it works for me,
but I will sure give it a try then.

[CrappiePappy]

Fishinrod...how many pints did it take of that to paint the boat? I have
a leaky riveted aluminum 12 footer that may get that treatment soon!
Its really handy to have a "little" boat for those days when the "big"
one just won't work...or is too much trouble to launch.

A cheaper alternative to sealing leaky rivets with bedliner, is "Selley's Knead-it" : http://www.selleys.com.au/Selleys-Kn...a/default.aspx

My partners Tracker TX17 had some leaky rivets, well ... actually "many" :p ... and we patched them all with Knead-it. This was done over 10yrs ago, and there has been no return leaks in the patched rivet holes !! You will, of course, have to be able to get to the inside bottom of the boat, drill out the rivets, and do a little sanding on the outside bottom (sanding off the Knead-it bulge that extends past the hull - to reduce any drag, and to keep any objects you might run upon from snagging on it and busting it out).

... cp