Some weight distribution may help a lot
Cray - All that weight in the rear is my concern also. I could move all three trolling motor batteries to the midship area. With the rear most battery in front of the driver\pass seats.
As for how - I was thinking a piece of plywood, from stringer to stringer, to put the batteries on. Then, once i get to the floor, put in an Access hatch to check water level and such. Similar to what a ranger 621fs has, just further forward than theirs is.
Thoughts?
The white line, inside the red circle, is the front of the seating area. This is the picture i tried (unsuccessfully) to load in post #3.
Drinkin coffee, missin fish.
Some weight distribution may help a lot
The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass alongskunked again LIKED above post
Is the spot you have circled the same place where the gas tank originally was? Looks like it from the pictures unless I'm looking at it wrong.
skunked again LIKED above post
FurFlyin - the front of the fuel tank is at the white line.
Drinkin coffee, missin fish.
10-4. I think putting the batteries there would be fine. I'm sure you already know this but laying on it's side, plywood has very little strength. If you make the battery tray bottom out of plywood I'd build some gussets under it or foam under it.
skunked again, Redge LIKED above post
FurFlyin - you familiar with these boats?
Two pieces of 1/2", laminated together? Gussets, I could do that.
Thanks again all !
Drinkin coffee, missin fish.
Awesome rebuild looking forward to more progress. Nice job so far.
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No sir, just familiar with plywood. LOL Laminating two pieces together will help but it will still be weak. The strength axis in plywood is parallel to the grain of wood, not perpendicular to it.
EDIT: If you're anything like me, you're gonna get burned out on your boat rebuild before you get finished. I know I sure did, but I fought that off and kept going and wound up with a boat I could be proud of. When you get to that point, let me know and I'll post some pictures of my restoration to motivate you.
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I've already hit that point! Until this past April, I fished 6-10 times a month. I haven't been since. Pretty much didn't do anything to the boat over the summer, and part of this fall.
Drinkin coffee, missin fish.Redge LIKED above post
LOL, I understand. It WILL be worth all the work, I promise. I still get comments about my "new" boat, actually got one Thursday while fishing. I told them it was a new 21 year old boat. I think they barely believed me.
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