"Lloyd Sumpter" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 19:44:02 +0000, TC wrote:

I have a plain 14' Sears aluminum boat ("V" hull). It's in good
condition with no leaks. Are there any inexpensive things I can do to
it to add value? Or would I be better off selling it as it is and let
the new owner decide?

A couple of things I've done to my 12-footer:
- Clean and Paint!!!! A new paint job makes a 25-yr-old alum look
brand-new.
- Floor between 1 and 2 seats: adds a bit of weight and makes it so you
can't turn it upside-down well, but is great for standing and casting.
- "Anchor-locker" forward of 3 (bow) seat: This area isn't good for much
but storage, so I added a plywood bulkhead and used the spray-on truckbed
liner so things wouldn't clank
- I found it hard to mount the electric trolling motor on the transom, so
I added a "trolling motor mount" which was a piece of 2x6 bolted to the
transom
- Just in the process of adding lights for night running
- Rodholders, rodholders, rodholders!
- Oh, and when I bought it, it came with FULL CANVAS! The bimini top is
useful, but hard to cast around...

As for selling, I'd think a complete "setup" (boat, motor, trailer) is
more sell-able than parts. Get an old 15hp 2-stroke and a cheap trailer.

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12



If you ever remove the anchor locker, I'd like to see pictures of how you
braced the wood. I've been trying to figure out the same project for awhile.
The only solution I see is to rivet metal braces to the hull to support the
wood. I'm not crazy about the idea, since pop rivets have a hole in them
after they're applied.