When is a fishing boat not a fishing boat ?

Hi all,
I will be getting a fishing boat.It is my fathers, so hopefully later rather than sooner.While I love the boat and the water I do not fish, but I like camping.The boat has a displacement hull of fiberglass , 19 ft long with a 5ft 4in beam.I am thinking of a cabin , big enough to sleep in and make a coffee. with a driving wheel at the front. Would it be stable, do-able.
Any similar projects or pics or am I raving?

Ideas or thoughts.
Chris

 

Pictures and a better description of the boat would be most helpful, with out the best answer anyone can reasonably give you is maybe yes maybe no........

 

Here are two pics from the dealer where it was baught.
There is probably more to it than I think like are the seats needed for structural rigidity, or raising the floor.

 

Wow, that is an utterly gorgeous boat!

While it could be converted for what you have in mind, it's really not the right type. you could build a "cabin" and put a functional bed over the seats, but it will dramatically move the center of gravity upwards. I think you're right, the seats are needed to maintain the shape of the hull.

 

Lovely boat. If I was in Ireland I might try to steal it.

I would hesitate to put a solid cabin on a boat of this type. A canvas topped arrangement might work well enough to suit your needs. Much weight and construction complexity can be gained by using a soft, and probably foldable, top. Placing a helmsmans station near the front is a questionable idea, Place it near amidship so that the boat will be suitably trimmed. A bow down attitude is not conducive to good handling in a chop.

 

I'll second that hesitation of putting a cabin structure on such a dainty craft. She's relatively narrow, likely so she can be easily rowed, initial stability will be an issue as well, particularly with a tall structure up forward.

In short, that is a row boat and making it into a power cabin cruiser isn't the best idea in the world.

 

Fully agree, she is a beautiful boat as is and the forward helm station on that boat is a very poor idea for that hull. If camping is what your after with that boat carry your usual camping gear aboard and find a campground near or on the beach and take the boat there... that's my best advice for you ... and I also agree that the seats are needed to help keep the hulls shape. Either way best of luck to you and your farther.

 

ya you scored on that boat
I bet it was your fathers pride and joy

maybe have a camping tent made that fits it but don't go drilling any wholes in it cause dam that is one pretty boat

 

Thanks for your kind words and comments guys. I enquired about camping on her because I used to go overnight with my Da and the gentle waves used to rock me to sleep.A clear night , flask and a sleeping bag I think.
Either way the boat deserves to get wet.
Chris

 

I think if it were me I'd put together some sort of a nylon canopy with those sectional fiberglass tent poles as bows. That way the only permanent modification to the boat would be some small sockets along the gunwales for the bows to snap into and the whole canopy would fit in a small bag. A removable piece of plywood over the seats could provide a sleeping platform. Not ideal, but it could work.

 

thats what I was thinking CTHIPPO