Savage Pacific Centre Console Conversion

[wttmrwolf]

Hi Fellow Boaties,

I've just picked up an old Savage Pacific 5.1m half cabin. I'm going to convert it to a centre console over the next few months.

Here are the before photos. I'll add pictures as the conversion progresses. Feel free to jump in and add suggestions if you so wish. I know its a completely insane project and probably a loss making exercise but hate to see old boats thrown on the scrap heap.

I'm going to start this weekend by cutting off the cabin and removing the floor.

Ben

Edited October 25, 2010 by wttmrwolf

[wttmrwolf]

Here are some photos of the last conversion. Took a total of 8 months and about $2000.

[ray henry]

hi ben i purchased a savage pacific brand new in 1976 from the sydney boat show wot a teriffic boat in the ocean i had it for 10 years untill i updated lots of good times and memories over those 10 years ;i am interested in the end result of your project 'please keep us up dated cheers ray

[Guest Aussie007]

any pics yet?

[wttmrwolf]

Hey gazza,

I can still feel the glass fibers, need to get a hazmat suit. Good day for boat reno's, bit windy so didn't feel bad not being out on the water.

- cut off the cabin

- vaccuumed crap out of boat

- removed 1 rotten stringer

- started preparing front section for raised floor

- wiped intact stingers down with Acetone

- build a cover

Next weekend should be the new floor.

BTW if anyone knows how to build a floor AND get it ready to accept centre console including hydralic steering cables please let me know. Still not sure how I'm going to get the cables back to the console.

[Guest Aussie007]

those suits dont allow good air flow when i done a part reno i had the same problem first day thought no worries the itch cant be that bad what a mistake dont forget to take heaps of pics

[wttmrwolf]

I'm designing the centre console at the moment. Does anyone with a centre console have some advice on designing one of these boxes. Maybe you have something you don't like about your current console and if given the chance to design again would change X, Y or Z.

I want to keep it relatively simple.

Ben

[delta hbar]

Hi Ben,

Just a question, can't you buy pre made centre consoles? Would that be cheaper?

Bias boating?

Dave

[Marlin01]

Ben,

I have seen a few rebuilds on centre consoles and most run a conduit of 50-80mm pvc through the console base and the floor turned towards transom with an elbow (a sweep or long radius bend is best) to another length of pipe running parrallel with the keel and another bend through the floor just short of the transom. The conduit shouldnt be directly against your centre stringer or it will impede drainage. Also the conduit needs to be watertight on the terminations ie where cables enter the conduit otherwise the conduit will obviously fill with water.

I would also run a smaller conduit on the otherside of the centre stringer for your transducer cable to prevent electrical interference due to induction.

Boat box make some nice consoles http://www.boatbox.com.au/. Check out the consoles on fisher boats also http://www.fisherboats.com.au/boat-images.html. I know they are alum but replication with timber and glass woudnt be too difficult.

Have you got an underfloor fuel tank already. If not consider it as it seems the perfect opportunity to fab and fit. Take time to consider any additions that will suit your fishing styles, you will enjoy your fishing even more the easier it becomes.

I fished in a very similar Savage a lot of years ago and found the hull dependable and predictable in ride and at rest. Hope your very happy together

Cheers

Marlin

[bluebottle18]

Before you put the floor in get your consul and cables sorted out and test where you will

fit them. It is important to have the right length of cable and how you will attach it to the motor.

I agree about buying a ready made consul. They are expensive so I can understand the reason to build one.

Are you going to put seating in. I am sure you have all that planned along with bait tank and fuel system.

What a great hull they are.

Good luck and enjoy your pleasure.

[GregL]

Out of most of the CC boats I have fished out of, the hang on points for driver and passengers whilst on the move have seemed to be an after thought. Rod storage as well. Maybe fitting a rocket launcher above and around the console which will double as hang on bars for both driver and passangers. Standing while driving is way better on the back for all, having handles on both sides of the console makes it easier for the passengers as there is a dry and a wet side of the boat to when moving.

Hope it helps.

Greg

[wttmrwolf]

Ben,

I have seen a few rebuilds on centre consoles and most run a conduit of 50-80mm pvc through the console base and the floor turned towards transom with an elbow (a sweep or long radius bend is best) to another length of pipe running parrallel with the keel and another bend through the floor just short of the transom. The conduit shouldnt be directly against your centre stringer or it will impede drainage. Also the conduit needs to be watertight on the terminations ie where cables enter the conduit otherwise the conduit will obviously fill with water.

I would also run a smaller conduit on the otherside of the centre stringer for your transducer cable to prevent electrical interference due to induction.

Boat box make some nice consoles http://www.boatbox.com.au/. Check out the consoles on fisher boats also http://www.fisherboats.com.au/boat-images.html. I know they are alum but replication with timber and glass woudnt be too difficult.

Have you got an underfloor fuel tank already. If not consider it as it seems the perfect opportunity to fab and fit. Take time to consider any additions that will suit your fishing styles, you will enjoy your fishing even more the easier it becomes.

I fished in a very similar Savage a lot of years ago and found the hull dependable and predictable in ride and at rest. Hope your very happy together

Cheers

Marlin

Hi Marlin,

Thats a great idea putting 2 conduits. Never thought of that and would be sad if there was interference and had to run transducer separately after the floor goes in. I'll have to get a quote on underfloor fuel tank. The small space will require a custom tank.

You sound like you've seen a few CC in your time. Maybe you can answer another question I have. Currently the bilge area isn't separated from the rest of the underfloor area. I was thinking of fiberglassing in a new ply box so the bilge area is closed off from the other underfloor sections. Would it be wise to do this and put in a bung so when the bilge gets water in it the water doesn't flow into the underfloor area. My concern is that water might not be able to flow out of the underfloor area through the small bung holes. So to put it more simply, do I try and section the boat into separate sealed compartments or not bother and leave all the underfloor open and easy for flow of water back and forth.

[wttmrwolf]

Out of most of the CC boats I have fished out of, the hang on points for driver and passengers whilst on the move have seemed to be an after thought. Rod storage as well. Maybe fitting a rocket launcher above and around the console which will double as hang on bars for both driver and passangers. Standing while driving is way better on the back for all, having handles on both sides of the console makes it easier for the passengers as there is a dry and a wet side of the boat to when moving.

Hope it helps.

Greg

Hi Greg,

The fisherboat images and your comments about grab points has given me some good ideas. I'll build some stainless bars that go around the outside of the windshield and fork down the front sides of the console. Can't wait to get to the little details like stainless grab rails. Still seems so far off when I look at the boat with the missing floor

[wttmrwolf]

Let the fun begin....

With all the recent rain in Sydney my temporary carport built using an AUDI sun shade was leaking badly and the boat was filling with water and all the stringers were getting wet ;(

I tried getting boat in the garage but it was 30cm too long. Time for the motor to come off! I was up until 3am Monday and used old climbing gear and a dyna bolt I installed in the beam.

Here are the photos.

The was not impressed! Now its impossible to enter the garage without crawling.

Edited November 3, 2010 by wttmrwolf

[Guest Aussie007]

keep the pics coming

[fryboy]

Hi WTTMRWolf,

I'm enjoying reading your journey here. Now, I am definitely just an interested bystander here with ZERO qualifications to comment, but I thought I could throw my 2 cents in....

Console - I've seen some great looking centre consoles, with canopy. I think thats a top idea, so you have at least some shelter from the sun when you need it. It wouldnt need to be big, just big enough to give you some shade when you are trolling or getting too and from. Might keep you a little dry too. You could also combine the rocket launcher and handhold idea into it....

Under floor - Wouldnt separating out a bilge area from the rest of the underfloor create a big problem? I mean, where does the water go that gets under the floor in the non bilge area? Maybe I misunderstood your point....?

cheers

Fryboy

[wttmrwolf]

Under floor - Wouldnt separating out a bilge area from the rest of the underfloor create a big problem? I mean, where does the water go that gets under the floor in the non bilge area? Maybe I misunderstood your point....?

cheers

Fryboy

I see your point, I just called a boat builder and he said LEAVE a gap between bilge box and rest of floor area. Just keep the channel smallish so if the boat gets a hole water doesn't flood into the boat via a massive gap in the bilge area. That made sense so I'm keeping the floor area open to the bilge now. Just keeping it as a gap about 2cm high and only at the deepest part of the V.

Ben

[fryboy]

Example

[galvin]

Mate there will be a couple of chocie words along the way but the end result will be well worth it.. I have rebuilt mine, its a 4.5 savage voyager, original centre console. Floor, stringers and transom all rebuilt.. Don't want to really talk about the $ spent but theres something special about rebuilding an old girl... Now for the new motor.. Enjoy the bulid.

Kind Regards.. Livebait!!

[framedtrash]

you can come and do mine once your finished Ben

[wttmrwolf]

Mate there will be a couple of chocie words along the way but the end result will be well worth it.. I have rebuilt mine, its a 4.5 savage voyager, original centre console. Floor, stringers and transom all rebuilt.. Don't want to really talk about the $ spent but theres something special about rebuilding an old girl... Now for the new motor.. Enjoy the bulid.

Kind Regards.. Livebait!!

Hi Livebait,

Do you have any pics before you put the new floor in? It would be great to see what your bilge area, storage and console cable tubes looked like before the dreaded floor covered everything up.

Ben

[tuffy]

Console purchased from Bias Boating - about $300

[galvin]

Ben, I may have some photos i will have to search the folders.. regards to the bilge, i have a couple of inspection ports on the floor so i can check cables etc all my cables run under the floor in piping... Also helps me feed cables through the pipes too..

I have drawn up a little diagram of how i did it.. Pretty shocking art work but hope it may help lol...

untitled.bmp

[wttmrwolf]

Ben, I may have some photos i will have to search the folders.. regards to the bilge, i have a couple of inspection ports on the floor so i can check cables etc all my cables run under the floor in piping... Also helps me feed cables through the pipes too..

I have drawn up a little diagram of how i did it.. Pretty shocking art work but hope it may help lol...

untitled.bmp

very interesting... inspection ports, great idea. Curving the tube back up at the transome intead of out into the bilge box. That will help keep the moisture out of the wiring.

thanks for taking the trouble to do that diagram, very helpful.

[coasty1]

doing well mate,i have a tasman very similar to yours and couldnt tell you how many times i wish the cabin wasnt there,gets in the way but good at the moment for the little kids ect.Keep the great pics coming,your effort will be worth it.... :biggrin2: