Flatback Fireboat Rebuild

[Blue Agave]

Looks like the Fireboat is coming along nicely!

I highly recommend putting the livewell light in the bottom of the livewell shining the light up. That way the baits cant hide in the darkness.  

[CLM65]

Looks like the Fireboat is coming along nicely!

I highly recommend putting the livewell light in the bottom of the livewell shining the light up. That way the baits cant hide in the darkness.  

Thanks Nando!  Interesting suggestion on the light location.  I don't think there will be any dark spots on this little bait well, but the next one (the leaning post livewell) may be a different story.  Does your livewell have lights in the bottom shooting up?  I can't say that I've ever seen one that way....wouldn't it tend to blind a person looking down into the tank?

[Capt. Bob]

Does your livewell have lights in the bottom shooting up?  I can't say that I've ever seen one that way....wouldn't it tend to blind a person looking down into the tank?

I'm not speaking for BA but since I asked about your mold earlier, I did so because my Pro Flo (Kodiak) bait tank light is located on the bottom. Poly construction, it has a "dome" molded into the bottom with a depression (for wiring) running from the center to the side. Since the poly (whitish color) has translucent properties, the filament glare is greatly reduced.

[Blue Agave]

Craig,

Yes, the lights (2) I currently have in my livewell are on the bottom and are pointed up and I have no issue with being blinded.  They are blue LED lights. My pervious light was mid tank, similar to the photo you posted and it was impossible to catch bait due to the fact the bait would hide in the dark below the light.

[CLM65]

CB - now I understand your previous question better....  I guess the depression for the wiring is so that you don't need to access the bottom of the tank if you have to replace the light?

Nando - thanks for the info.  What material is your tank?  Just a thought here...if your tank is poly, maybe it isn't as reflective as say a fiberglass tank with shiny gel coat?  I know, maybe a stretch, but I'm hoping my blue led will reflect nicely off the light blue interior and not have dead spots.  I will consider the bottom mounted lights on the bigger leaning post livewell though.

[Capt. Bob]

CB -I guess the depression for the wiring is so that you don't need to access the bottom of the tank if you have to replace the light?

No, it  allows the tank to sit flat on the mounting surface (rather than crushing the wires. You still need to unbolt the tank and lean it to the side to access the light.

You're starting to get the hang of this molding business. Stuff's lookin' good.

Good luck.

[Blue Agave]

What material is your tank?  Just a thought here...if your tank is poly, maybe it isn't as reflective as say a fiberglass tank with shiny gel coat?  I know, maybe a stretch, but I'm hoping my blue led will reflect nicely off the light blue interior and not have dead spots.  I will consider the bottom mounted lights on the bigger leaning post livewell though.

It's made of fiberglass and finished in gel and it is approximately 4ft deep.

[CLM65]

CB -I guess the depression for the wiring is so that you don't need to access the bottom of the tank if you have to replace the light?

No, it  allows the tank to sit flat on the mounting surface (rather than crushing the wires. You still need to unbolt the tank and lean it to the side to access the light.

You're starting to get the hang of this molding business. Stuff's lookin' good.

Good luck.

Thanks CB!

[CLM65]

What material is your tank?  Just a thought here...if your tank is poly, maybe it isn't as reflective as say a fiberglass tank with shiny gel coat?  I know, maybe a stretch, but I'm hoping my blue led will reflect nicely off the light blue interior and not have dead spots.  I will consider the bottom mounted lights on the bigger leaning post livewell though.

It's made of fiberglass and finished in gel and it is approximately 4ft deep.

That is one big livewell!  I can see how you might have blind spots in a tank that large.  When I bought my livewell lights, I got one for the small livewell and two for the big one.  I think that would eliminate blindspots, whether it be one on each side or on either end of the bottom.  How would you replace the light if it ever fails?  Would you need to essentially remove it like CB's?

[Callyb]

Looking awesome Craig! That transom tank came out sweet!

[Blue Agave]

That is one big livewell!  I can see how you might have blind spots in a tank that large.  When I bought my livewell lights, I got one for the small livewell and two for the big one.  I think that would eliminate blindspots, whether it be one on each side or on either end of the bottom.  How would you replace the light if it ever fails?  Would you need to essentially remove it like CB's?

Craig, keep in mind that you are not going to have pool water in the livewell.  For me fishing at night means summertime, which means the water is much cloudier due to the water temp.  Look forward to more progress on your build.  

[CLM65]

Made some progress on the transom enclosure this weekend.  I added some MDF and starboard to make the pockets for the doors and livewell lid:



And spent all day Friday glassing it.  It has 3/4 oz mat and two layers of 1708 on top, then 3/4" nida core, and two more layers of 1708.  The edges got a couple more layers mixed in.  The vertical face where the doors are at has 3/4 oz mat, two layers of 1808, 3/4" coosa, and another layer of 1808.  I probably could have used nida core for this instead of the coosa, but I had some laying around and I'm not sure how well nida core would hold up in this orientation.  Here it is after I popped it from the mold this afternoon (it obviously needs a good bit of cleaning up):

[CLM65]

Here is a shot from the back.  You can see where the livewell is mounted, as well as some coosa pads for the cleats:



Here is one of the problems I have...I did not do a good job getting the glass to conform to one edge of the door recess.  This happened on both doors.  The MDF is still in place.  Can I just fill that gap with thickened resin?  Or am I screwed and need to move on to plan "B", which is non-recessed doors?



I also have some work to do on the corners and edges, but I am pretty pleased with the way the large surfaces came out.

[RickK]

Wow, very nice Craig.  I know you're still in awe that it came out at all (I would be)      
Remember that you can use thickened resin or even bondo (which is poly and what I'm using to patch the liner) to fix anything on these things - if it's not structural (which the door stuff isn't) you can do what ever you want.
I did mat and resin to fill in the gaps on my hatches and now wish I would have just used bondo - WAYYYYY easier.  Bondo is a little porous but when you gel coat it after all ......

[CLM65]

Wow, very nice Craig.  I know you're still in awe that it came out at all (I would be)      
Remember that you can use thickened resin or even bondo (which is poly and what I'm using to patch the liner) to fix anything on these things - if it's not structural (which the door stuff isn't) you can do what ever you want.
I did mat and resin to fill in the gaps on my hatches and now wish I would have just used bondo - WAYYYYY easier.  Bondo is a little porous but when you gel coat it after all ......

LOL, yes, I get pretty excited when anything I make comes out somewhat useable!  I am certainly gaining a healthy respect for those that do this for a living!  Thanks for the advice on filling the gap.  Hopefully I can address that one night this week.