[hillcharl]

Here it is a 1959 16' Elgin runabout.  Lucky for me most of the wood is already soft so it will be easier to gut. HA!

My plan is to gut her and turn her into a flats boat.  Small flush with the gunwale side console with remote steering, 60 hp Yamaha 2 stoke, decks flush at current rub rail height, poling platform, removable gas tank? Plywood and epoxy nothing fancy.  It does have a small keel that stops to 24" or so before transom.  Ask me questions and please give me any advice you've got! This is my first boat project! 
To do list so far:
Adjust trailer
repair keel near bow(see last pic)
get all rotten wood and fiberglass out
repair/reinforce outer fiberglass on stringers and replace stringers probably not in that order
replace and raise transom to 20" it's about 17" currently

Open to all questions, comments and advice!

 

[hillcharl]

Forgot the profile shot!

 

[Bill_Laminack]

That is so cool. I am spending most night pouring through old threads just like this. Getting more and more inspired by this sort of vision. I will be checking every post, be sure!

 

[cutrunner]

Sooooooo frickin cool!!!! Alot of people dont believe it but some of those old runabouts were litterally meant to be skiffs! Heck, where do u think an Ankona suv started?

 

[Rosco]

Lots of nice flare on that thing. Looking forward to seeing it come together.

 

[hillcharl]

I know this has been asked a million times in the past. But, center or side console? The boat is around 5.5' wide. It probably makes more sense to do a side console but you can get wet and boat is out of balance. Center consoles take up a lot of space....I'd prefer the center but I dunno if there's enough room for it. Thoughts?

 

[jerm]

That thing is screaming tiller! But thats just me. Its all about how you want to sit when you're driving and whats more comfortable for you. If you dont mind tiller~ its way lighter and simpler. If draft doesnt matter and the boat has good balance with you sitting behind a side console then go for it. I will say though, once you go hydraulic steering you wont go back!

 

[hillcharl]

I could do tiller but I already have the engine and its remote steering. I'd prefer a wheel anyway. Will have to see how it balances out for the console.

 

[hillcharl]

Spent 30 minutes yesterday pulling up the rotten deck.

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[hillcharl]

Forgot to mention there is a keel on it. Pictures aren't too good but you get the idea. It's about 2.5-3" at it deepest. Back

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Amidship

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Towards bow

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[cutrunner]

U gonna grind that keel off?

 

[hillcharl]

Don't know. Looking for opinions about that. Obviously it makes sense for draft. What do you think? If I grind it off, should I put some stakes parallel to where is was to help tracking while poling? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hillcharl]

Alright, after neglecting the hull for months, I've gone back to look at it. It's not 16' it's only 13'6" long. Oh and it's LIGHT. Bummer, there goes my center console 60hp dreams. Upside is it'll be cheaper to redo. Double checked it is 66" at it's widest and 63" at the transom. It needs a new transom, stringers and decks. What do you think is the highest hp I can put on it once everything is finished? 30? 40? I think a 25 yamaha 2 stoke would be perfect.

 

[cutrunner]

As far as that boat goes its "big" for a 13'. My friend did the same thing with a very very similar skiff but it was 14'5". Not a whole lot bigger. And he has a 50 hp honda (heavy) and its perfectly fine. Imo a 25 would not be enough hp. Honestly i would still put the 60 on it.

 

[hillcharl]

Wish I could put the 60 on it. Took it to get checked out the other day and the only thing worth keeping was the powerhead. Will have to look for something else it that range. Thanks for the advice!

 

[cutrunner]

Bummer..

 

[hillcharl]

Worked on my hull some more cleaning out the old rotten stringers, etc. Let someone borrow my trailer so I flipped the hull. Took a straight edge to it to check for a hook. Found out without most of the stringers and floor, the hull has some flex to it from amidships to the stern. From reading other posts here I think I'll have to add a layer of glass to the inside of the hull before I build new stringers and replace the transom. Question is how do I keep the hull straight while I add the layer of glass?

 

[oysterbreath]

Nice Hull. Like Rosco said, that flair looks great. If it were mine...I'd make it 16 foot! As I read through your thread and saw the first side profile I just KNEW it wasn't 16 foot as stated. Man, But if it were....that thing would be soooo sweet! Good luck with the build. As far as the flex issue goes. I don't know how to resolve that issue from the upright position which is what you would prolly need to do. Me, I'd want to make it a 16 footer. I'd basically use that boat as a male mold once I added the "mold" transom and extra 2 foot to it. Come to think of it. If it's oil caning badly. Maybe you should brace it all up and just use it as a male mold? Just a thought.

 

[Sheremeta]

Kinda looks like a dolphin super skiff.

What is wrong with your lower unit?

 

[hillcharl]

Oysterbreath, that's the first thing I thought about doing when I remeasured it. Making it 15.6 would be perfect! ;D Just have to figure out bracing the hull, hull form and transom shape.  No big deal! Might be less than a Dolphin when it's all said and done.  But probably not.
CasaCola the motor came off a pontoon boat that sat in the creek for a year in down position.  We dug out sand and rust from the lower unit.  After that is sat for several more years until we got is checked out.