16' Bass Attacker Restore ( Pic Heavy)

[Bigwrench]

Are the hinges warping on you? You may have to do tack welds then fill in into keep them flat if they are. You'll get it, you;ve proven that with what you've done already!!
Rodney

Naw it's just me having brain farts lol. Basically just making sure that before I weld them in place that the doors will open completely
Also leaving enough of a gap so the door will open all the way without stopping against the deck surface lol.
Here I had to cut more of a gap on the rear side of the anchor locker

The big door I decided to just weld the hinge on top of the door frame because it was giving me fits. 

It makes the raised portion above the deck a little higher than I wanted but I don't think there will be a tripping issue, I still may go back and change some stuff with it (sand down the door edges to make it sit lower in the deck) 
I sure could use a big wide belt sander like they use to resurface cylinder heads right about now lol. 
It's just basically new territory for me and I'm learning as I go.
Some of it makes sense and some of it I have to go back and tweak some things to make it function the way I wanted.

Also here's a couple photos of what the original hinges looked like.

[Deadeye]

As nice as the rest of it looks, I'm betting you re-do the hinges to get them down inside like the others.

You just have to figure the Width of the Opening Minus the Thickness of the hinge doubled over to find your Lid width. Then Minus an 1/16-1/8 works the best to give you some wiggle room.

[Bigwrench]

As nice as the rest of it looks, I'm betting you re-do the hinges to get them down inside like the others.

You just have to figure the Width of the Opening Minus the Thickness of the hinge doubled over to find your Lid width. Then Minus an 1/16-1/8 works the best to give you some wiggle room.

Yeah I'll most likely change some things on that one !
Well today I started on the dry box inserts and to be honest .... I wouldn't be happier if I won the power ball ! Here's a little bit of that process.
Last week I picked up a remnant-piece (about 4x5)of
.060"  to play around with for the boxes and this is what I used. 
Started with a cardboard template of the inner hull angles at the rear-side compartments, then made each side to match the bottom of the door frame.




  5 weeks ago I couldn't weld an inside corner weld to save my life.  Still need "hood time" but I'm happy and they are sealed up !

[West6550]

Nice!! What do you plan on putting in there? Plastics? I guess anything can go in there. It is a open spot.

[Bigwrench]

Nice!! What do you plan on putting in there? Plastics? I guess anything can go in there. It is a open spot.

Hadn't really thought about what exactly yet but true though anything can go in there. 
Going to do all of them in the same fashion now that I know I can do it and as soon as I can get some more .060" sheet. That stuff cuts and bends like a dream and really welds nice. I was worried it was too thin and I'd just burn through every time but I guess I learned some stuff in the last couple months lol. 

[Donald Garner]

Rick she's coming along great.  Tks for sharing all the pictures with us.

[Oldfart9999]

You've learned a lot and are doing well, you may have a new career!
Rodney

[Bigwrench]

Started fooling around with the front bow again ... lol
This is what we started with.

Threw this together today


Still not 100% convinced on either type.
It's such an oddball height from the front deck . I'm half tempted to drop it down about 4 inches or raise the whole front deck about 4 inches lol.
Will sleep on it tonight but may just keep putting it off until I come up with the right plan lol.

[West6550]

Lifting the while deck will make it easy to knock a rod in the water :-(

I would leave a higher lip for stepping in and out of the boat and mounting the TM plate. But that is only an opinion, and like something else.. lol everyone has one lol

[Oldfart9999]

After you put your TM mount in if you put removable panels across the second one you have a good place to hide your wiring in the bow. How's your back doing?
Rodney

[Lipripper]

Rick you sure are keeping busy over there with this. Looking good and I know you can't wait to get it finished and out foe a test run.

[Bigwrench]

The issue that I am having is basically the drop down angles , it's going to be a huge panel size there and just seems to "look" out of proportion

A couple different angle views.

I could make this area thinner back to the hull from the Center point like this straight edge is laid.

I could lean the front panels way low like this

Or I could stand them up straighter like this
Too many choices lol. 
Thing is I need to get this done before I can make my TM mounting bracket and the "glove box" storage that is part of that mount lol.
I also wanted the front deck removable but it's going to have to be welded permanently with all these crazy angles so I think there's going to be enough access holes all over the deck and the bow to get to anything that needs fixing in the future without having to remove the deck so I think that's just me over-thinking that part.
Lay them ideas on me lol. I'm stumped

[Bigwrench]

After you put your TM mount in if you put removable panels across the second one you have a good place to hide your wiring in the bow. How's your back doing?
Rodney

Back has been touch and go . The learning how to tig weld has been easy on the back , it still hurts and spasms but sitting down and welding hasn't aggravated it any , or my feet for that matter but now having trouble with one of my hands lol. It's always something that's for sure. 

[Lipripper]

Back has been touch and go . The learning how to tig weld has been easy on the back , it still hurts and spasms but sitting down and welding hasn't aggravated it any , or my feet for that matter but now having trouble with one of my hands lol. It's always something that's for sure.

Just take it easy and don't overdo it. It's heck getting old and having a bad body to go along with it.

[Bigwrench]

And also before I weld this bow panel up there's still some work to be done to the underside framing and compartments that I'll have to remove the deck panel for so I can't weld it yet lol. Just wish I had the plan and in place before hand and probably just need to keep working on the rest of the stuff and let this dog lie for awhile and maybe it will fall into place eventually.
There's plenty other work needs to be done to the boat still, that's for sure. 

[Lipripper]

And also before I weld this bow panel up there's still some work to be done to the underside framing and compartments that I'll have to remove the deck panel for so I can't weld it yet lol. Just wish I had the plan and in place before hand and probably just need to keep working on the rest of the stuff and let this dog lie for awhile and maybe it will fall into place eventually.
There's plenty other work needs to be done to the boat still, that's for sure.

That sounds like a good idea do some of that other stuff that you have figured out how you want it and while your doing that keep petting the dog (bow panel) in the mean time while your working on the other stuff.

[West6550]

I'd mount it more up and down then anything IMO. That way you can mount tool holders or cup holders, bait bar, switches blah blah blah later there lol

My Ranger VS1780 had a thick plastic piece there with everything mounted on it. A few screws and pow, I could unplug the TM pedal, and get to the back of the switches, etc.

Why not frame it with angle pieces then just use a plate that can be unscrewed easily later if needed.

Here is the Ranger's front area.


Sorry they are sideways lol

Basically it was a flat top where the TM and a place to step was. Then the plastic piece cover with a Ranger logo.

[Oldfart9999]

Something like West showed would be an option but I agree, there is enough other stuff to do while you're pondering it. I screwed my back up Saturday moving snow but it's coming along, man I sure don't want to have yours, prayers my friend, prayers!!!
Rodney

[Princeton_Man]

Rick, what if you brought the center of the bow back a bit farther, squaring more of the center which would reduce the length of the two side panels? You might have to add framing to do that. Maybe hinge the center panel to make for easy access for adding electronics or an cool hiding place for a snake gun.

[Kris]

If I was building this boat for me I would be working on the mount for the bow trolling motor. I like my trolling motor as close to center of the bow as possible. That of course means you lose the left side of the front panel pretty much. I liked the original part of your idea for the bow with the graph in the center. But my preference would be to have the gimbal mounted graph there for convenience. That way sitting down or standing up you can adjust it for view. Just my two cents.

[Bigwrench]

Lots of stuff been falling into place lately, front deck is almost finished.



Been bracing the front deck and finishing up the compartments almost finished with the cooler will post more tomorrow.
  Lots of things been going on at the compound but I'll try to update more this week.
On another note we will be welcoming our 3rd grandchild in July and

[big g]

You have so much vested into this boat, it will be your ride for life!  Do it exactly the way you want it, and good luck my friend.  I give you a lot of kudos for your efforts!

[Oldfart9999]

You should have it in the water for summer fishing Rick!!!
You make your grandkids from clouds of smoke?
Rodney

[Lipripper]

Looking good Rick and grandkids and great grandkids are fun.

[Smallie_Stalker]

Wow, that boat has come so far from where you started.  I wish I had you around back when i was redoing my old Bass Tracker.

Congrat's on grandchild number three.   

You should have it in the water for summer fishing Rick!!!
You make your grandkids from clouds of smoke?
Rodney

No, they was sending up smoke signals. They still livin' in Injin territory!!!