Marinette Boat Forum

Hey guys great to see the site is back up.

I have a 37' aft cabin that I am repowering. Figured out after a couple year battle with the motors that I had bad head gaskets and they were sucking in water. Motors are done and I will be putting them back in over the next couple months

Once that is done what I really want is an aft cockpit boat. All the kids are gone and I do not need the twin cabin set up anymore so was thinking about selling this boat and getting an aft cockpit version. Looked at a nice 27' the other day, But now I am rethinking, I would need to sell this boat (can not have 2) and then go find another one...

Here is where I want others views on. What if I just cut the back cabin off the 37" boat installed an aft deck and a wall / sliding door into the main cabin and kept the boat I have.

I can strip out the aft cabin and cut the aft deck off, then just get a fork lift to pick it up.
Next cut out the entrance to the main cabin.
Weld in some framing / bracing to support the upper deck and install a sliding door into the main cabin.
I would then need some aluminum angle pieces to weld in the for bracing and for the aft deck floor then install deck with a couple of hatches to get to storage below.

It really does not seem like it would be that hard.

I might need some bracing added to the sides in the cockpit for stability and a skirt around the cockpit edge then close in with marine plywood.

I think if I brace the upper deck and reinforce the sides after removing the back cabin stability of the whole thing should not be an issue

Ok comments thoughts am I nuts?????

Louis

Would like to trade for a nice 28?

Seems like a lot of work when you could just sell it and buy one without the aft cabin. If you've ever been lucky enough to see yours side by side with a non-aft cabin, you'd see that the hulls are different, the gunwale on the aft cabin is taller. I think it would be more work than it's worth. You could always remove the bed and put in an air hockey table !! I don't think a pool table will fit though....

John I cold see my way to a trade but not sure how you would get the 37' from Maryland to Ohio, guess you could truck it if you removed the flying bridge first.

Jim, have not seen them side by side but will measure things up the next time I am down there.

Thought about selling but market does not seem to be that great and I do not want 2 boats. Also this on is paid for, looking at some of the 37' cockpit ones out there people thing they have gold lol

Well need to set the new motors up then will figure this out.

Thanks

Louis

There's always the St Lawrence Seaway. (pardon the sorta smart alecky reply) It would be a hell of an adventure.