B25 express customization ideas

[Shelldiver]

Recently acquired a b25 express withnot motors or I/0 setup. Boat it solid camdidate and was looking for some ideas on customizing her. Like removing windshield and adding a hardtop. Glass in the front windows etc. I want to make as much cockpit room as possible. I saw the one that Mike at canvas designers did, very nice. Has anyone had any experience modifying an express??

[Craig Mac]

You are pretty close to L & H ---they have done a few 25's---they may have some good ideas.

http://www.lhboats.com/index.html

[captbone]

Looking forward to the progress of that beauty. The million dollar question is what will you power it with?

[Shelldiver]

Gonna take some serious thought. I've been. Playing with the idea of installing a flotation bracket and hanging some OBs. in back open up the cockpit.

[Yannis]

Shelldiver,

In my opinion you should first decide what you want the boat for.
This will answer whether you'll go diesel or gas.
The rest is self explanatory.

Happy thinking! (one of the virtues of boating, is the positive confirmation of prior decisions).

[Carl]

Shelldiver,

In my opinion you should first decide what you want the boat for.
This will answer whether you'll go diesel or gas.
The rest is self explanatory.

Happy thinking! (one of the virtues of boating, is the positive confirmation of prior decisions).

Think Yannis hit the nail on the head...


For me other then cosmetic alterations all other customizations have been out of need or want. I figured those out after running her awhile and enjoying...then soon comes the "If I only had" a short tower, this deck is nice but I hate refinishing every few years...a new fiberglass etc etc. Inside gets too hot in the sun...blacken the windows. could use a tackle stand here etc etc

[buzzk]

I've always thought outboards would be great on a 25 if it was done right.

[Rocket]

I have a B25 Express sitting in my backyard waiting for inspiration and cash, neither of which seem to be forthcoming. I will watch with interest what you decide on, I have no idea what I will do for a deck layout/seating/cabin etc...but I am planning on putting in a single high horsepower I/O gasser, maybe midship mounted with a jack-shaft to the drive. It is fun to dream...

[1962 31]

I like the idea of outboards
just so happens I have a pair of 225 Yamaha four strokes for sale !!!!!
hahaha

[Shelldiver]

Thanks guys,

I like the idea of twins out back. Although she originally had twin I/0s I'm thinking of using that under cockpit space for live wells, new fuel tank / tanks and fresh h20 rez. Would be nice to have some a/c as well.

The idea is to use her for off shore trolling and reef fishing on the west coast of Fl. Already have a bay boat, but this lady could enableme to cruise and do some overnights at the islands around the SW part of the state.

My main goal is to expand the cockpit and lower the profile.

[Tony Meola]

Good luck with her. You have one of the best 25 footers out there. She will take you were most 25's would not venture. If you go over to Boat Diesel.com, and search there site, there are one or two diesel converasions.

Carl is right, think about how you are going to use her. Fish her, it is all about cockpit space. Problem with outboards is they get in the way

Take a piece of peper and start sketching out different what if's.

Best of luck, we want to see the finish product.

[Bill Fuller]

Here is a link that might give you food for thought.

http://www.sbmar.com/repowers/widgeon_- ... ._bertram/

[Rocket]

My main goal is to expand the cockpit and lower the profile

I hear ya on the lines, not to offend anyone as I do own one, but the 25 expresses are a little, well, homely looking. I think the lower profile, or somehow cleaning up the cabin top roofline particularly where it meets the cockpit would help a lot I have printed multiple pictures of mine on plain paper and doodled all over it, I believe a little "plastic surgery" can turn the old girl into a looker!

[CamB25]

The express is somewhat "homely" looking...I think the main culprit is the enlarged brow over the front windows, the "hat line" that runs along the roof line, and the extended wings aft. You might be able to cut the entire roof off and graft a FB roof/helm assembly and have an "instant" flybridge model. That entire "express" roof assembly might be a bolted on feature. The windows look the same as the flybridge and hardtop models.

Good Luck!

[CamB25]

Might make an interesting "pilot house" style conversion. Cut or unbolt the "roof" and build up a new roof *taller) and cabin wall. Something like this: http://www.steigercraft.com/miami.html

A/C blasting while you cruise to the fishing grounds.

[Shelldiver]

Thanks Rocket and Cam


Gonna check out the windshields and roof assembly for ease of removal. I Like the depth of the cabin cuz I'm 6'1 and can walk in there. So retaining an ammount of that would've great. I'll also look around for a FB but I do think the express is unique in its roofline and windows which I would prob glass in like the guys did on the 31s.

Has anyone seen the Carolina 25'. With a hardtop. Still has a cabin and u operate up high and forward under a hardtop

[Shelldiver]

Cam,
That Steiger is great! Putting that on the table for sure

[CamB25]

The problem with the pilot house conversion is you lose the head or the sink area - replaced with the helm station. Here is one with a bracket and single 250:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/101180929 ... 485413045/

if you really want to go custom, and close in the stock windows, just cut off the entire superstructure and build your own pilot house/cabin, retaining only the cuddy sleeping berths. Something like this looks like it was purpose built for fishin':

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boats-sale- ... iesel.html

Cam

[Shelldiver]

Did some fiddling on my iPhone and chopped a few photos to come up with this hybrid. Proportions may not be correct but like I said was done mobile

[Shelldiver]

Cam,
That second link is a buddy of mines boat. He is a commercial fisherman from the northeast. Very nice guy and I know there is way more money in that boat than he is asking. I hope he sells it. Wonder if he put it on this site??

[CamB25]

That's what I was envisioning. I would extend the raised area as far forward as possible for extra headroom in the berth. I have a sawz-all if you need to borrow one!! ha!

[John Swick]

"Glass in the front windows etc. I want to make as much cockpit room as possible."
"I Like the depth of the cabin cuz I'm 6'1 and can walk in there. So retaining an ammount of that would've great."

Find a Bahia Mar and you're done with it....then go fishin' ;)

[Shelldiver]

John
You def have a point!
What do you guys think about something like this though:
http://medeiros-boatworks.com/project/l-26-cuddy-cabin/

[img] http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n48 ... 22892B.jpg
[/img]

[mike ohlstein]

John
You def have a point!
What do you guys think about something like this though:
http://medeiros-boatworks.com/project/l-26-cuddy-cabin/

[img] http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n48 ... 22892B.jpg
[/img]

Balsa cored bottom..... risky

[Shelldiver]

Mike,
I was thinking about chopping the bert cabin top to make something like this. By doing so I could retain the deep cabin that's already there

[mike ohlstein]

My opinion is that for a total reconstruction like that, your best bet is to speak with a marine architect. Wholesale chopping often leads to imbalance. That said, you would be starting with a great hull, so surely something could be done. But just going to hacking could very well leave you with a 250 square foot planter. In fact, I know where you could find a 500 square foot planter up in Massachusetts.....

[Carl]

Everything looks easy and cheap till you get started.


Ripping apart a good boat is the easy part...it's usually the time people realize they opened a can of worms and it's too late to stop...boat is worthless as is. Now they are stuck without the money to finish nor the will to do so.

Get it running, enjoy it...your vision will become clearer as to what you want, what you are capable of doing yourself and what you can afford to have done.

[Rocket]

I respect what both Mike and Carl say, but at the same time, this ain't rocket science and a good deal of enthusiasm and perseverance can overcome a lot of issues. As far as the marine architect is concerned, that will be quite expensive and there are ways of avoiding the issue. Weight distribution is critical, but of you don't alter that at all, you can make changes as long as you don't make here crazily top heavy. If you establish the centre of balance (not to be confused with the center of buoyancy) by using a single lift strap or rollers to find the teeter-totter point (now I'm getting technical!) and during your build you work toward not altering that point, you should be okay. If you are adding a pod that's another story, because it does play with the centre of buoyancy but if you do lots of math and figure it out you should be okay there too. One board member put his partially finished hull in the water then used barrels full of water (a known weight) to adjust trim. Common sense and a cool head trumps lots of problems.

While the ripping is certainly easy, the rebuilding is labourious and tedious, but also very satisfying if you like working with your hands, ask Bob Higgens or one of the other board members that have done a major. Bring in pros when you need them or when you are not sure, but if you ask lots of questions and take lots of pictures, and stay focussed, you can do a big project mostly on your own. Having said that, it is faster, cheaper and easier to buy a boat that doesn't need anything, even if is seems really expensive up front.