It Lives!

[Gary P]

Just got this sent to me. This is Rivernuts jet boat being fixed. He found a 15" crack under the hull from hitting a rock last year. They are adding a whole new bottom to become rock proof! The walleyes better start hiding!!!!!!

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o299/GaryP_fishing/boat%20stuff/Daveboatbeingfixed.jpg

You would never know there was a 700 lb 315 hp v-8 chevy under there!

here is the crack that almost sunk the boat
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o299/GaryP_fishing/boat%20stuff/crack.jpg

Here is the entire new bottom piece which is 1.5 times the thickness of the original hull.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o299/GaryP_fishing/boat%20stuff/plate.jpg

Pete does the magic....same guy who did my trailer and his brother owns another Gator like Rivernuts.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o299/GaryP_fishing/boat%20stuff/DaveWeld.jpg
This reminds me of opening some Alien cocoon!.

Here is the front of boat.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o299/GaryP_fishing/boat%20stuff/nosedownfront.jpg
Maybe tomorrow, he'll actually clean the scum line! Should be done by noon!

[Uncle Rickers]

Nothing like a good guy who knows how to TIG in a good hull. Good luck with the fix.

[tacoma]

TIG welding...gotta love it, just sucks doing it...seriously an art-form!

That thing is going to be an ice breaker!!! Look out fish here comes the crazies!!!

Does the new hull keep out curses too?

[danderson]

good to see the boat coming along gary Thumbsup

i wanna learn to tig weld, i need to work on aluminum a lot more than steel

[Gary P]

I aint doin none of it, just the posting for RNut

[noresman]

Looks like it's coming along just fine. You two will be whacking the walleye's soon enough.

[Rivernut]

Yesterday was the hard part, grinding, sanding and decision making. We went with a 3/16" plate. The original hull was 1/8". Today we will finish the welds all of the way around the edge, and weld the plug holes. We are using a floor jack to help form the plate to the existing hull. Lots of hammering today! Then we will blend-in the leading edge to make her the fastest 2000 lb. Piece of alumnum in ankle deep water! If you need hull, deck or any other custom work on your aluminum boat (or prop), give Pete a shout at Deerfield Valley Re-fab. It's the boat version of Orange County Choppers!

[Gary P]

Pete is truly a metal/welding artist!

[Rivernut]

Peter and I finished with the skid plate / new bottom on my Gator Jet Boat and miscellaneous other split weld repairs. I took lots of pictures. Here are some of them.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/attachments/Rivernut-12662-IMG_0185.jpg
http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/attachments/Rivernut-12663-IMG_0195.jpg
http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/attachments/Rivernut-12664-IMG_0198.jpg
http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/attachments/Rivernut-12665-IMG_0201.jpg
http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/attachments/Rivernut-12666-IMG_0203.jpg

[Crazy Joe]

Love to see that stuff.Thanks for sharing.That is an awesome job he did. Thumbsup

[noresman]

When I saw the first pics Gary posted I was wondering about the stability and manuverability of the new hull but in your pics I can see the gunnels welded onto the hull. I hope it tracks right for you when you get it in the water.

[Gary P]

if the tracking is a little off, there are 2 trim tabs that can also help but the hull is so darn flat and all the steering is, is a deflector on the jet pump so there is abolutely no steering torque at all, its like power steering and if that all fails we usually run tilted on the side of one rail anyways through the skinny stuff!

[DaveGH]

That is quite the skid plate. You could kill the engine and scoot over small islands. Did you ever consider a plastic? I know some boats, Snyder I think, attach a layer of dense plastic to the bottom.

[Gary P]

now we can do this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjSzSQbiHek&NR=1

or this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA3bmOHWdrc&feature=related

[Rivernut]

I really only drive on land as a last resort. I call it running "negative depth". The land version of it is running a deep puddle in a car.

[Uncle Rickers]

I'd be having too much fun to stop and fish. Awesome stuff.