A couple empty beer cans, a few hundred bucks, a weekend of work in the driveway and voila...you've got a purpose built paralabrax punisher.

Bassboats out of Beercans

.....A lot of guys out there own aluminum boats and find themselves applying bass fishing techniques like flippin', pitchin' and casting more often than trolling or anchoring up. For these guys, the three bench seat layout of your standard aluminum boat is not the most functional design. Sure, you could go out and buy a legit bass boat for thousands dollars, but you would have done that in the first place if you could have afforded it, so what do you do? Build one out of your aluminum boat, of course. Building an affordable boat for bassin' is easier and cheaper than one might think.

Design

....The first step in building your new boat is to think about what you need. Draw up a sketch of the boat and add the new decks. Once this is done, decide where to place seating/leaning posts, storage areas, electronics, etc…. Make several designs and take into consideration access to safety equipment, especially at night. Also, remember to properly displace weight such as batteries, livewells, and fuel tanks. When a design is finally chosen, make a list of the parts you need and order the things that can't be purchased locally. Items that come to mind here are carpet or vinyl floor covering, rod holders, access hatches, and storage boxes.

Strip It Down

....Once a design has been chosen and the parts have been ordered, it's time to strip the boat bare. If your boat already has a nice finish on the inside, skip the stripping and painting and go straight to making the decks; however, if you own an older boat that has peeling paint and rusty hardware, remove everything. Do not leave one screw that needs to be replaced. If you are going through all the trouble to renovate the boat, you may as well do it right so that it does not need to be done again for several years. Going cheap or trying to take short cuts will only cost more time and money over the years.

....When it is entirely stripped, inspect the boat for cracks, and take it to a reputable aluminum welder for any repairs. In this process, make sure to have any additional welding done that may be needed for bow mounted trolling motors, splash guards, seat post supports, additional deck space, or battery holders. The amount you spend here will depend on the amount of customizing you want to do and the condition of your boat. If your boat is structurally sound, proceed to deck building.

Sand, Prime and Paint

....Once the boat has been taken down to bare bones, strip the paint from the inside of the boat by applying aircraft paint stripper, which can be purchased at most hardware or paint stores. One 1 quart can is enough to do the job. Working from the front of the boat to the back, apply a thick coat of the stripper with a paint brush and let it sit until the paint has bubbled. Scrape the paint with a plastic scraper. To make this process clean and efficient, keep some disposable towels and a paper paint bucket nearby to wipe and dispose of the paint and stripper as you go. This process may need to be repeated, depending on the quality and condition of the paint on the hull. After the final coat of stripper has been removed, wash the surface down and let it dry.

....The next step in the renovation process is to sand the exposed surfaces so that when the boat is done, the paint will look as is it had been done in the factory. To do this, use a cordless drill with a fiber polishing disk in the corners and a 3M sanding block to make the flat surfaces smooth. When the surface is ready, spray it with an even, thorough coat of self-etching primer. The final step in this process is to paint the hull with a quality marine paint. This goes for about $60 per gallon, but you'll only need a quart, so the cost is considerably less, and you can get any color mixed that you want. Roll the paint on with a fine surface roller and then smooth it over with a quality paint brush. Be sure to brush in one direction, using long, even strokes. This will ensure a smooth finish.

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