Another Potter 23 remodel
 

Bought this 1978 Potter hull last June and after having it for a while decided that I was going to own it forever and might as well make it exactly what I wanted. It had a bracket and had been previously redone with a new tank and transom but they had left the splash well, making for alot of wasted space. The only live well was useless. My goal was to improve space utilization and make the boat more fishable, and along the way pretty it up.
This is what we started with.

The demo started with cutting the splash well off the transom and deinstalling the motor and bracket. We pulled the fuel tank to inspect before we glassed it in and found that the foam surrounding it was we and the tank was severely pitted despite being only 3 to 4 years old. We ordered a new tank from Sunshine tanks and increased the size to 125 gallons. We moved it forward and bulheaded it fore and aft prior to foaming and glassing it in. We also decided to make a true anchor locker and cut in a hatch in the bow and put a bulkhead where the access previously was

A new transom box is built and glassed in.

The console and the T Top were derigged and removed. The console holes were re glassed and the forward seat box was glassed in and insulated to make a drink cooler. The T top had mounting plates welded on for spreader lights fore and aft.

The anchor locker tray is glassed in place. The hatch for the bilge access is fabricated

The new fuel tank arrives and is foamed into its new fiberglass cocoon. The transom box is molded using a piece of the prior splash well for its radius. The transom is ground down to good glass and then glassed to the new integrated fish box

The tank is now completely sealed in fiberglass. The forward anchor locker hatch is molded and formed.

Live well seat combo being fit to the console and cut to the proper height for comfort and scale

Outer hull is patched and sanded then primed, then sprayed with black laquer and resanded to check for imperfections needing further attention

Cut out in console front for tackle center, New scuppers cut and glassed in. PVC pipes run in floor for removable forward live well. Cut outs for transom rod holders and pop up cleats.

Build looks like it's coming along nicely. Watching all of these rebuilds take place is such a tease. I've been looking for my own 23 project hull, but Im having a hard time finding anything within my range up here in MA. Keep the pictures coming, looking forward to the final result.

Very nice design, can't wait to see the finished job! I'm probably going to use this as a template for my "Savage" project. I really like the transom design.

Thanks guys. Im really pleased with how its coming along. They are painting the hull this week so I should have more pictures soon.

Nice..............Esp like molded in transom well.

Thats an insulated transom fish box, or drink cooler

The paint went on the hull yesterday

Looking good ! If I did one I'd like to make a few some walk through /door

Is the anchor locker tray a prefab unit that can be purchased? Nice work.

No the fabricator, Charlie at C and A Marine made a mold of an anchor tray and then built it. The hatch is the piece that was cut out and then worked to fit in the hatch space. Its very interesting how they do it.

A walk thru door would have to be in the transom. Personally Id rather have it with the fish box but if you do more things in the water I guess that door might make sense.

Other shots of painted hull

The bracket is bolted on and the console and seat/livewell are given their first coats of paint- Slowly but surely it is coming along

nice work
 

nice work- I had the same baitwell. on my 21 restore.

the painting process continues

Looks great.

Project looks great!!

Looks like you put on a different bracket. And I'm going to assume with how beautiful the rest of the boat will look that you're putting a new motor. 250hp 4 stroke is a great match for that boat.

Keep the pics coming!

Lloyd

Thanks Capt. I did end up replacing the bracket with a new Armstrong with built in floatation. Im replacing the prior 225 Optimax with a new one. It pushes the boat just fine. They are painting the deck and gunnels in the next few days and then it should start getting re assembled. Im getting pumped but dont want to rush them when they are doing such a nice job

Went to the shop today to see how things are going. The T top canvas is in place and the antennae and lights rigged. The radio box is in place and the VHF and Clarion head are installed. The transom and gunnel walls are now gleaming with ice blue awlgrip and the gunnels and decks are ready for white non skid. Got my silver carbon fiber guage and rocker switch panels today and they look sweet. Its starting to come together

More pictures of the panel and the paint

Beautiful work, you really made it your own. I love the small console on the 23', the livewell post and that small console go great together. Can't wait to see it rigged up.

Hummm.....I like the LED spreader lights!! I see my old ones being replaced.

Yes Sir...."It's starting to come together", ya gotta feel good!! Seeya

Magnet
 

Looks great

Cool spreaders. Makes me want to change mine too.

Good luck. Cant wait to get the Magnet and the Bullwinkle over to WE

The project continues to move along. The top top is installed and the controls and guages are laid out and readied for installation.

badass. She was in decent shape to start with. I'll have to keep my eye open for one of these.

Motor is hung, speakers installed, remote installed, wiring being run from radio box to console and from console to bilge and under gunnels, tackle center installed

Wow.... Great lookin boat!! Can't wait to see it sittin in the water..

Is it just me, or does that transom look a little low? Is there a reason behind that? Just curious.

what looks low-transom or motor bracket?

The bracket looks low in the pictures.. It is even with the scuppers..

we followed Armstrongs recommendations, actually one inch higher than they said. Hopefully they know what they are talking about-it is a floatation bracket so it should be in the water.

Wow that boat is going to turn some heads ! what brand/make is the hatch cover on your console ?