New to Forum..Anybody open a closed bow boat?

[ereid74]

Like title says can anybody direct me to a DIY or recommendations to open the bow on my 19ft starcraft?

[ereid74]

any ideas?

[tom28571]

Perhaps if you explained what you mean by "opening the bow", some replies would come out.

[J3]

I think he means that he wants to cut away most of the deck and make it into a bowrider.

Or something more "handsome" ?

[waikikin]

Trade it in on a bowrider! Then go & have fun! Regards from Jeff.

[messabout]

You have a couple of comedic replies. They are not picking on you, just inserting a little humor. Hang around, someone may have some experience with that sort of modification.

There are some serious implications in opening up the bow. Structural considerations must be addressed. The decks on many boats are responsible for some of the rigidity of the hull. Also, you should anticipate where and how you will be using the boat before you get out the saws and other tools.

[CDK]

Originally Posted by ereid74

Like title says can anybody direct me to a DIY or recommendations to open the bow on my 19ft starcraft?

Making it into a bowrider isn't difficult but quite time consuming.

As messabout already mentioned, the deck is a structural part which you can only safely cut away if it is replaced with a double walled section of the hull.
Saw approx. 4 " from the edge of the deck, then prepare a properly curved plywood core from the edge of the cutout down to the bench you have planned. Then make the bench and the strip of plywood it rests on and glass it all in so it become an integral part of the hull.

You can later make cutouts in the horizontal part to have stowage compartments, but leave the backrest in one piece. Finish the edge of the deck and the backrest with an anodized aluminum profile while your wife or girlfriend prepares the upholstery.

Altogether quite a lot of carpentry....

[daiquiri]

Several people have tried that idea, but with very little success:



Etc.


In addition to what Mesabout and CDK said, let me say that a closed deck forward adds a lots to the safety in choppy seas. An open deck will allow water to swamp the hull more easily than a closed one.
You should evaluate with care the weather and sea conditions you could possibly encounter during navigation in your area before taking such a drastic decision.


P.S.
The story behind the first pic. is at the same time frightening, interesting and instructional - so I've added the link to it in the discussion about bad weather:
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/ope...s-32596-2.html

[CDK]

You are more than right Daiquiri, but he asked how, not if it were wise.

Last year a tourist took me for a ride in his brand new overpowered Glastron Bowrider on a choppy sea, it scared the **** out of me. But some people like the adrenaline.

[gluesniffer]

ereid74: I see you're from Erie Pa. Structural issues aside, if you're boating on Lake Erie, you just don't want to do this mod.

Ever notice that you rarely ever see pontoon boats on Lake Erie? Or houseboats, or bass boats, or.......bow-rider's? Why? Cuz that lake eats them like popcorn.

If you boat down on Lake Pymatuning, maybe. But you'd be better off just getting a bow-rider that was designed to be a bow-rider