Figure 10
Figure 10, you can see the molding on the sides of the cockpit. I cut to length from the rear panel behind the seats to the first support frame for the front deck. The spacing from the side frame to the molding is a 1”X2”X3”. You can leave this open or as I did cover it with ¼ “ plywood cut to shape and wood putty the seams.
Figure 11
Figure 11, the front deck installed and shaped with curves on each side of the cockpit. I used the scrap from the bow side frame cut to support the curve of the front deck at the cockpit corners. The pieces fit with the curve out aligned along the front deck frame.
Figure 12
You can see the deck curve of the cockpit with the side moldings covered with the seat frames installed. The vertical 1”X4”x 44” to fit are faced against the 1”X4”X44” installed horizontally. The seating arrangement is up to the individual's preference.
You can get the seats in the mold from Wal-Mart for $7.00 each. They have nicer seats that fold down for about $30.
Figure 13
Figure 14
The access port covers are framed with ¼ “ plywood on 1”X1”. The framing around the access ports are mounted so they are ¾ of inch so the covers fit over them. I drilled a small hole thru the cover side framing and the access port frame so they lined up. I cut a short piece of wire hanger that fit thru the hole and holds the covers on tightly. I shaped the motor well with an oval look but this can be square.
Figure 15
Figure 15 is the layout of the rear deck panel, which is ¼ “ plywood cut to shape and faired.
Figure 16
All screws are counter sink and will need to be wood puttied. The deck seams will need to be wood puttied and the boat sanded before painting the outside. The cockpit, under the front deck and the rear compartments were sealed with silicone and painted with an outdoor deck paint. You can panel off and seal under the front deck if you want a flotation compartment.
Figure 17
Figure 18
Under front deck framing.
Figure 19
Rear deck and motor well.
Figure 20
The seat frame.
Figure 21
Before painting.
Figure 22
Bottom of boat painted. You can see the motor well, which is cut before you mount the framing and the rear deck.
Figure 23
When you determine the size you want the motor well, you can then set the center-line of boat in the rear compartment with the frame behind the rear plywood panel as your baseline. Figure 15 will help you with the layout of the motor well, which is flush with the rear deck.
Figure 25
You can see the rear frame in the compartment.
Figure 26
First coat of Krylon Acrylic Latex Enamel Canary Yellow and the cockpit paint is BEHR Premium Plus porch and floor paint Ultra pure white latex acrylic low luster.
Figure 27
Last coat of paint and strip painted over with Minwax Helmsman indoor/outdoor spar urethane clear gloss.
Figure 28
Rear view, as you can see or can't see the motor well within the strip. The access port covers are trimmed in black.
Figure 29
Looking into the cockpit, you can see the silicon sealing along the seams for waterproofing. The silicon will not take the paint.
Figure 30
This is with the seats mounted and the motor attached in the motor well. I am wiring the front navigational lights and running the wires to the control panel mounted in between the seats.
Figure 31
Front view shows the navigational lights and the hardware ring on the bow.
Figure 32
This view shows the motor out the bottom of the motor well. I made the well 6 ½ “ but needed to open it up to 10” so when I pull the motor up into the well for beaching I would not have to have the propeller in the vertical position. You can see the rear hardware rings for tying up at the dock. You can see the curve of the rear of the boat.
Figure 33
On the river, I ran around for about three hours with no problem with battery running low or water in the boat.
Figure 34
A little advertising, the boat set will in the water. The speed of the boat at full throttle was 5 miles an hour and at 2 throttle position it cursed along nicely.
Figure 35
You can see the motor and how the boat sets in the water.
Figure 36
Loaded in the back of a Doge Dakota where the wheel well humps just allow the boat to slid thru.
Figure 37
Rear view of the Bumble Bee loaded in the rear of pickup truck with boat slides. The center is a ramp I made so I can get it into and out of the water by myself.
Cruising on the river.
Electrical
You can see the drain plug between the seats below. It is ¾ X ½ inch bushing with a ½ plug.
The panel is a 9X11 inch ¼ “ plywood. I mounted Volt meter and three switches, One of the switches I wired into the voly meter for an on/off as to not draw on the battery. If you want to check the battery, you switch the switch on and it will give you a reading, which should be between 12.10-14 volts.
The other switches are for the navigational lights and accessories.
I installed a terminal bar under the panel from the battery to the bar. From the bar to the panel.
The electric motor had to be modified for height and steering. I cut about 8 inches off the shaft to give a comfortable steering level. I took the steering head off the shaft and cut the shaft to the length needed to reach the depth of the motor well. The length had to clear the motor well and the bottom of the boat with the propeller from hitting.
The head disassembled with bottom half still on the shaft. When sawing the shaft hold the wires running inside the shaft to the opposite side you are sawing. When you are half way thru rotate the shaft to keep from cutting the wires. There is one bolt holding the bottom half of the head to the shaft.
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