My winter projects for my bowpicker

[AK NIMROD]

NEW CARB- COMPLETED LAST FALL
UPGRADING FROM 280 STANDARD VP OUTDRIVE TO DUOPROP.
BOUGHT DUO PROP ON EBAY
LEAKY STEERING HELM-got new teleflex helm off ebay, plan to install this two weeks off.
TELEFLEX HYDRAULIC STEER RAM- upgrading system with this.
CONTEMPLATING CUTTING OFF FLYING BRIDGE-:eek:
lowering radar arch
moving steering station to bow where it originally was
NEW CAM IN ENGINE-
hope to boost hp and improve performance
adding 60 gallon aux fuel tank-will be on the deck and will double as a bench seat.
DETACHABLE ENCLOSURE FOR DECK- have old one that i want to modify for ths boat

[potbuilder]

you've got your work cut out for you(no pun intended). Bowpickers are great boats for their intended purpose but in my opinion using one for a pleasure boat sure doesn't seem right, the cabin on a boat belongs on the pointy end so when your anchored up and its raining and blowing at least you've got the house to hide behind and/or when your fishing the house breaks the wind & rain. When you install the new drive make sure to put a grease zerk on the top of the bell housing so you can grease the intermediate bearing, volvo in all their wisdom just puts a plug in there so you can burn up the bearing and get to pull the engine to replace the damage. If you need a ace volvo outdrive guy pm me, i've got the best in the state, one of my drive's has close to 11,000 hours on it and nobody but him has ever or ever will work on it. If your replacing any non structurial parts of the boat you can use roofing foam instead of plywood and then cover it with figerglass, resin doesn't eat it up and its way cheaper than the foam sold for boatbuilding.
Where was your steering helm leaking from?? if up through the shaft then all it might need is a new seal, a easy fix, 3 screws, pull the cover, pick out old seal, slide on new seal, replace cover and screws, done.
Good luck and boat rebuilding is always fun :rolleyes: ain't it

[AK NIMROD]

HELM WAS LEAKING WHEN I BOUGHT IT. my son tore it down and actually apiece of the pot metal of the internal working was broken and missing, so unfortunately no easy fix and more $$$$. was having some major control issues.
my bowpicker has oversized cabin, still small compared to the 34 footer i sold:mad:. when anchored up i have 2 cables from radar arch that attach to the uprights welded on the bow roller frame. tarp covers deck nicely not pretty or fancy but very fuunctional but plans for enclosure will be alot better.
thanx for info on grease zert

[Sobie2]

this fall I sold a 27' Uniflite that had a 454 280 single prop.

I also upgraded the carb, swapped out the drive to a duoprop (HUGE difference).

I've still got another 23' Uniflite does a cam swap really help in a marine application? I was under the impression the cams were already at a lift/duration grind to optimize boating engine rpm power bands.

Here in Southeast there are a couple bow picker pleasure boat converions that look cool, and hunt well (some convereted to landing craft and kayak movers), but not so cool for fishing. I still think they are cool. Plush ride... when you finally get on step.

Sobie2

[Sobie2]

Oh no forgot to say on your duoprop the 1.78 ratio is for diesels and 454s while the 1.98 ratio is for 350s. I had a miss match with a 454 and 1.98 the boat was ok but someone I know had a miss match 454 also and eventually got the 1.78 and lowered cruise rpms by 500 (think major economy saver). Look into it and make sure you have the right one. Luckly though the upper box where the ratio is, is universal and it is cheaper than having to buy the whole DP drive. like $300 vs $2,000+

[potbuilder]

Oh no forgot to say on your duoprop the 1.78 ratio is for diesels and 454s while the 1.98 ratio is for 350s. I had a miss match with a 454 and 1.98 the boat was ok but someone I know had a miss match 454 also and eventually got the 1.78 and lowered cruise rpms by 500 (think major economy saver). Look into it and make sure you have the right one. Luckly though the upper box where the ratio is, is universal and it is cheaper than having to buy the whole DP drive. like $300 vs $2,000+

I've got a 1:98 to 1 ratio on my volvo 41P diesel, best thing i could of done for it. You can adjust the rpm's by prop size. Any vovlo 290 topboxes you have i'll gladly buy for $300 if they are in good condition.

[AK NIMROD]

my engine had the long block replaced with a mexican built one (before i got it) :mad:and HP is less than advertized. not 260 but probably 210-220 so i really doubt itis the marine long block, somebody going cheap to get boat running and probably sold and pass on problem to someone else.:mad: The cam can get the hp up to 300 according to a mechanic friend that has a similar boat.

i'm excited to see what the duo prop will do for the boat have heard alot of positive things about them, in many applications.

[AK NIMROD]

I have made progress. with alot of help from a friend the new helm and steering hydraulic ram have been installed. wow what a difference 5-1/2 turns stop to stop....both directions. was 5-1/2 one direction and 15 + other direction:eek: He also is getting "new" duo prop put together and and installed while i'm out of town on family business.

my son is working on 60 gallon aux. fuel tank.

got set of duo props off craigslist.

removal of flying bridge is put on hold to see how it handles with present changes.
will take out for test run in 3 weeks or so.

[AK NIMROD]

Well went for test run to homer.
Size duo prop i got on craiglist ( sf bay area) was perfect fit maxed out at 45oo rpm, 30+ kts.
Duo prop made the boat run faster, quietier,and improved economy ( alittle).( 2-3 kts faster at 1-1/2 gph less>
problem with steering and steering ram steering was terrible , ram had leak. My son has fixed bad o ring in the ram since we got home.

[nozzlehog]

I think your WInter Project is $$$

Buddy,

I think you should take a break from throwing $$$$ into that thing! Good thing you know a little bit about how to stem hemorhaging!

Kuparuk Pete, aka Nozzlehog!

[AK NIMROD]

Hey Pete that is what a BOAT is all about Break Out Another Thousand. :eek:
now if the weather and mother nature will allow me to get to PWS

[nozzlehog]

Furuno FCV-585

I am putting my boat money this year into better electronics. I am upgrading to a Furuno FCV-585 sonar / fishfinder. I am tired of my garmin losing the bottom right when I am ready to set my shrimp pots - it rarely hits 600 ', and never when you are moving. After lots of research and discussion on a similar board to this one based on the East Coast (The Hull Truth) I am upgrading to a 1000w unit, the Furuno FCV-585 and a 1000w transducer. Airmar has a new one coming out based on their B260 transducer, but in a transom mount configuration. It has not been released from the factory yet,, so as soon as it is I will install it.

Evidently you have to have a 1000w unit to get deep especially moving. Transom mount transdcer is not the best, but i don't want to try putting in a ss in hull unit drilling big holes in the bottom of my boat.

I was going to upgrade the GPS too, but I will probably wait on that and use my Garmin this year since I went with the bigger Furuno unit.

Nozzlehog Pete

[AK NIMROD]

couple trips out of Homer while off the last two w/e's. boat ran very good, steering mods worked great, much better control
cruise @ 21kts (3500rpm)- 11gph....much better than 16-17 before.
have ceased other work at this point as i have located another bigger , aluminum bowpicker i would like to buy but need to sell this one first.