1986 Tracker Seacraft 20 budget rebuild

[Jared]

Since the console was mentioned...

My main goal with my rebuild here is to optimize the boat for my style of fishing, which is usually 2 or more people drifting live and dead baits or deep dropping. This sometimes creates multiple hook up situations where moving around the boat to deal with the fish is important, so I want to maximize the floor space to ease this. The original console that I got with the boat was way too big, length and width wise. I debated in my head cutting it and narrowing it both directions, but for the amount of work required I didn’t think it was worth it.

I found this one on Craigslist for a good deal that is a few inches taller which gives me more space to flush mount electronics and it’s 4 1/2” narrower. It also removes the front seat, which I plan to put an Engel 65 with a cushion in its place. This saves around 5” in overall length. I still may cut this console and narrow it another 4”, haven’t made up my mind on that yet. I plan to move the console and leaning post forward 4-5” from the original location to help get a little more weight forward to offset the engine weight.

It came with a nice prewired switch panel and nice big access door. When it comes time to rig it I can sit Indian style inside easily.

[hobiekanobie]

Hey Jared,
What part of jupiter? I am out in the farms. We have a 20SF with a bracket and DF140. I have been chatting with Rybones about redoing my floor and putting a tank below decks.... let me know if you need a hand wiring the boat - I do marine electronics for a living.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by hobiekanobie

Hey Jared,
What part of jupiter? I am out in the farms. We have a 20SF with a bracket and DF140. I have been chatting with Rybones about redoing my floor and putting a tank below decks.... let me know if you need a hand wiring the boat - I do marine electronics for a living.

Small world, I’m in the farms too, on the south end. I have considered using a DF140 on this project, I have seen some older ones on craigslist I could afford but I don’t have the budget for a bracket. How do you like that setup?

For marine electronics, I’m looking for a local supplier other than getting raped by west marine or bow buying 2 packs of terminals at a time or having to order online if you know of a place you’d recommend. I will be in the market for a transducer, GPS, and also radio and VHF soon as well if you sell those things.

[hobiekanobie]

Ill send you a PM

[Rybones]

Jared, thanks for the numbers so quick. I like and agree with everything you say about the size and use of your console, I should do the same for just those reasons but contrary to my intent when I bought the boat, Im trying to keep it as close as I can (for my purposes) to original(for now..). But that is a really nice looking console you have there, what/where is it from?

Hobiekanobie and I have talked a good bit about our "big plans" for our boats. I have a feeling(no, I KNOW)you two are going to be far ahead of me a lot sooner. You guys should defiantly get together being so close, fact is at some point your going to need help on each of your respective projects so its a reciprocal no-brainer that grows and lends to a the generations of CSC brain-trust (little too much?). I'll be coming through Jupiter with my ride in the second week of July and again in early august so maybe I could stop in and we could all have a good laugh at my near future glass work and fairing abortion.

DonV, thanks for the comment on the tank, yours is like a good housekeeping seal of approval or better yet, papal approval. I'm very curious about their brackets too... but I really like the idea of a glass bracket... but I have no evidence or even theory of why glass over aluminum, just seems right. Of course 500 years ago we all KNEW the earth was flat.

[manitunc]

Originally Posted by Jared

Small world, I’m in the farms too, on the south end. I have considered using a DF140 on this project, I have seen some older ones on craigslist I could afford but I don’t have the budget for a bracket. How do you like that setup?

For marine electronics, I’m looking for a local supplier other than getting raped by west marine or bow buying 2 packs of terminals at a time or having to order online if you know of a place you’d recommend. I will be in the market for a transducer, GPS, and also radio and VHF soon as well if you sell those things.

Even smaller world, I also have a home in the farms, north side of Indiantown. If you need any parts or help, just let me know. I am selling the house, so a lot of stuff needs to go.

[Jared]

Got some work done on the floors, primarily on the port side. I am using the same method as mrobertson Did on another thread here by cutting out the top skin, scraping out all the rotten wood down to the bottom skin and then replacing with new wood.

I chose meranti marine grade plywood, I got it locally from a place called world panel products in riviera beach. 1 4’x8’ sheet is all I need to complete the project, this 1/2” sheet was $106 out the door.

After using the top skin I cut out as a template to trim the wood to fit, I noticed a couple high spots in the bottom skin that I didn’t like. I cut out the bottom skin there and chiseled out a very hard piece of thickened resin maybe 12” x 12” that had a small 3”x3” piece of plywood bedded in the middle. I think this was put in originally to give the floor in the upper liner some support. I’ll try and get a better picture on the starboard side once I chisel it out.

After removing this, i shimmed a resin coated piece of plywood up off the stringer using layers of 1208 biax to get the floor the support it needs at a height that doesn’t give a high spot. I glasses the pieces I cut out back in with 2 layers of 10 ounce plain weave fiberglass, the first layer around 1 1 1/2” wide the second 3” wide. The wood sits flush and nicely supported now, ready to mix up a thickened resin and glue into place.

[Jared]

The tank will sit on starboard bonded to 4” wide fiberglass slats instead of the original solid floor that was in there. Hoping this will let it breathe and not hold moisture and accelerate corrosion like the original foam did. Laid up a couple pieces of fiberglass that are 9 plies of 1208 biaxial for a finished thickness around .300” thick. Each layup will be cut into 4 ~28”ish by 4” slats. Pretty happy with the finish from making them on a waxed piece of melamine, although no one will see them anyway. Credit to mrobertson on these, it’s his idea I’m copying.