Shaft length on 18 Fisherman

I have a 1982 18 Fisherman as well my dad gave me that I'm in the process of repowering and going from a Johnnyrude 120 HP to a Tohatsu 115 TLDI.

The first thing you are probably going to want to check is the fuel tank and make sure it doesn't have corrosion issues. Other than rebuilding the Johnnyrude the fuel tank was the biggest thing I had a problem with. Mine looks pretty rough as well but I love it.

If you have questions I might can help.
 
I got it home and about to start cleaning it out. Put a tape on the transom and i have a 25" transom. So the previous owner did some transom work on it, now do i trust his work? Or should i plan on a transom rebuild? I wont know for sure what exactly they did until i rip the splashwell out.
 
Once i got everything cleaned out, i discovered the previous owner cut the inside liner across the top of the gunnels down to the hole for the rod boxes, then from the bottom of the rod boxes holes to the fuel tank hatch. I think they took the entire back half of the liner out to do the transom. :head: . So far this is the only major problem i discovered with the 18.

Pics below
 

Attachments

  • 18fishedt.jpg
    18fishedt.jpg
    48.1 KB · Views: 21
  • 18fish 006edt.jpg
    18fish 006edt.jpg
    39.8 KB · Views: 19
Took the rod boxes out and discovered four broken stringers running width wise. They are rotted out. So friday night i am lifting the liner to inspect everything. Now next question, i want to install a bracket on it. So should i move the fuel tank forward?
 
I dont know about a bracket on an 18'. It definitley will not be self bailing...

The rear deck on my 18' is usually wet while at rest with more than one person in the rear fishing.
 
I plan on moving the fuel tank forward, also i will have a 150qt ice chest up front. Not to mention 300? of anchor rope and 20?chain and three anchors in the bow. Also a bunch of small stuff like leads and tackle boxes and such. I think this would be enough to offset the weight in the rear. Also i want a flotation bracket so that should help some too, right? Keep in mind i have not had this boat in the water. So i have no clue how it will sit. I may hang a v6 yamaha on it and put it in The water to see how it sits, before i begin tearing the boat down.
 
Update; it was a pretty busy weekend. I hung a v6 Yamaha on the 18 and put it in the water. She does sit a little stern heavy, but with a full fuel tank of water (someone took the sending unit off the tank) and two 1000amp batteries it toom a little rocking to get water to come thru the scuppers. Even then the water did not leave the drain recess. I got the garage cleaned out and now she is sitting on blocks in the garage. I removed the liner but it had to come out in two pieces. Where the po cut it, it wouldnt hold. Just kept breaking so i recut it. Now for the bad news. All of the stringers are rotted or broken or both. It made getting the fuel tank out a little easier. Tonight i want to clean it up and check for leaks. At this point should i rebuild all the stringers, or just trash the hull? If i can find cloth at a reasonable price i can rebuild it. I plan to use west system on the entire project. If i rebuild the stringers the liner is not going back in. I hope to rebuild it like Kracker Jack did his with plywood floors and plywood gunnel caps and exposed hull sides. Now while i am at the subject, i am taking quite a bit of weight off the boat. Would it be feasible to put a bracket on it? The transom is all new. Its the only thing the po didnt halfass.
 
Bad news. Fuel tank is full of holes. I have decided not to go any further with her. I am selling the entire hull and liner minus bow rails and console. If nobody is interested, she will make one more voyage offshore.........
 
Here are a few pics of the boat. There are a few pics of the stringers but they dont do justice as for the extreme rot of the stringers. Also two pics of it in the water with the Yamaha hanging on the transom.

18fishsel001.jpg


18fishsel002.jpg


18fishsel006.jpg


18fishsel005.jpg


18fishsel003.jpg
 
I think you made the right decision. Hate to see her get thrown out but thats alot of work. Good to see the stringer layout. I always knew mine was a solid heavy beast for her size. I see why now.
 
Stinky_Hooker said:
I think you made the right decision. Hate to see her get thrown out but thats alot of work. Good to see the stringer layout. I always knew mine was a solid heavy beast for her size. I see why now.
Click to expand...
Stink she aint a total loss. I did get a center console and rubrail, i hope to use them both on the v20 rebuild. So parts of her will live on. I hope the rubrail will be long enough to do the sides. Also i may use the front deck if i dont go with a shortened cuddy. I will tell you she hauled just like the v20 behind the truck so she has got some weight. Also it wasnt the work that discouraged me it was the money it would take. Heck i dont mind working on boats.
 
I understand.

Just a thought, but a shortened cuddy (mostly only useful for storage) with that center console setup would be sharp. Kinda like the sport cuddy Makos, or contenders. Way more fishable than the V20 cuddys with a ton more deckspace than the 18. :beer:
 
Thanks for posting those pictures that really sheds some light as to what's beneath my 18 fisherman and will be invaluable for future reference.

Can you elaborate on the extreme rotting of the stringers?
 
jsgeorge4x4 said:
its a shame that this project would cost too much, it would have been cool to see it turn out something like stinkers. how common is the stringer/transom rot on these boats and the 20's anyway?
Click to expand...

Rot seems to be pretty common on your average 70's early 80's v20's. I have looked at numerous v20's in my area and all the ones I've seen that are supposively in great shape have rotted transoms. Unless you have a creampuff!!!!
 
Every joint where a stringer meets a cross stringer (aka floors) it is broken. If i stand on some of the stringers they fold over. Whoever had this boat before me was an idiot. Noway this much has rotted out since they replaced the transom they had to see it, hell they even cut 12'' off the stringers to tab new stringerlets onto. I found spots where i dug wet rotted wood out all the way to the hull.

If only i pulled a rod box out when inspecting it before buying it. :cen: :cen: :cen:

jsgeorge4x4 remove your rod boxes you should be able to get to the floors and maybe the stringers from there. Tap on them with a hammer. It should not bounce. It should sound solid.

This is a stringer i am standing on.
18fishrot006.jpg


Side of gas tank stringer

18fishrot001.jpg


Rear of gas tank bulkhead

18fishrot002.jpg


Wet soaked wood and i just took a hatchet and hacked the skin off. So since 1982 this is the first time this wood has seen light. I dug wood out all the way to the hull here.

18fishrot003.jpg


This joint is broken.

18fishrot005.jpg


This is rot where Wellcraft did not seal the cut out for the fuel hoses in the stringer.

18fishrot004.jpg





This weekend i will take the center console and all the trash out of the boat and take a few pictures of the entire stringer layout for everyone to see how it looks without stuff in the way.
 
Last edited:
Them Natural Light beer cans in the last pic looked like my build when I started wacking and jacking on the stringers!!!!!! The Nattys helped out alot to numb the itch !!!!!:beer:
 
I have never tried Natty Light, Kracker. I nmust have found about fifty empty cans in the stringers, some of them i dont know how they got where they did. :head:

Here are a couple pics of the gas tank. You can clearly see the hole in the close up. Notice its only corroded where the foam was.

18fishrot007.jpg


18fishrot008.jpg


I linked a website on a thread here a few months ago about the harm of foaming gas tanks in. Give me a while to find it.

Found it; www.yachtsurvey.com/fueltank.htm
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top