1996 Alumacraft tournament pro 170 tiller rebuild

Another picture

Ok, so i redid the front, i didn’t like it. i attached what i did. Think i am leaving it to two movable seat locations. the location on the right was causing the rail to stick up alot more then it should. When i removed it and walked on it a bit, it settled down a lot.
I really dig the struts or whatever those shocks are called on that rod locker lid. I really need to organize mine too, don’t like having them just thrown in there. i might raise mine up too. Anyways im really glad i found this forum. Gives me the confidence to push forward. So next step is putting more support under the rod locker to the next joist, and clean up the 1/2 inch under the livewell, rod locker, and rear compartment.

mine is quite similar to yours

Thanks for the compliments, those are kitchen door struts used for holding up kitchen cabinets in RVs (I bought the 100N pound range). I found the pair on the Bay of “E” for $10.00, they work awesome the tubes for holding the rods are just 8′ fluorescent light bulb guards cut in have.

Our boats almost look identical, that 70hp must push it really good.

So currently i was waiting for vinyl to come in, but i realized it is so thin that i might be able to get away with 3/4 under the rear compartment and rod storage area. So that should simplify things. Until that gets in i am kinda up a creek. Yeah the 70 moves it, i wish i had your tiller handle. Mine is much shorter and the tilt is a seperate switch which sucks. But that is next project. I am planning the floor to be three piece from the rear compartment right to the front. I played around with the idea of making the rod storage larger today. Still up for debate. Did you leave that riveted piece on the inside of your rod locker when you made yours taller, or how did you block that up. Still mulling that over

I took the riveted piece out, then cut 3/4″ plywood upright pieces to support the rods. I attached the cover piece to that and to the rear compartment and the front storage area. I also attach the upright pieces to the floor.

I have CAD drawings for the rod locker if you want I can send you the PDF file, just PM me your email.

I have the hot foot trim switch and that is awesome.

I know i haven’t posted in a while, but i have definitely had some good progress. I was fighting cold temps in the garage from march thru till now, but it has paid off. I finished the rear compartments and live well and then dropped in my new floor pieces. So happy with how that turned out. After that i was looking at the casting deck and new that i couldn’t leave it. Plus when i was prepping the lower section i had noticed that some of the spray foam that protruded thru the cross member from the bow section was quite damp. I ripped it out and found that the water couldn’t escape from the front. SO i cut out the middle portion of the spray in insulation. Now it has an open path to the rear bilge pump. Replaced the lower floor under the front deck as well. A lot of work but the inside of my boat looks 20 years newer. Just fitting the front hatches, installing my new Perko Latches, and i will be adjusting the rod locker at the end. Will be glad when the last piece goes in

Some more of the front

Very nice work guys. My Navigator is in desperate need of a makeover just wish I had the shop, talent or time to do something like that. Might just put mine up for sale the way it is.

Got the front casting deck in yesterday. So glad it is done. The thinking is done lol. Just need to finish the rod locker and smaller detail work.

Your boat is coming along very nice, great work. What are you planning for the rod locker?

im stuck on the rod locker, i need to replace the upright piece (piece that the top comes down on, since i have lifted it. Piece is now longer and taller. Debating between plywood or bending aluminum. The tubes aren’t high on my list, not this year. just trying to close it in. I got that angle off with minimal damage.

Just found your text string. I’m in the middle of a 1992 alumacraft 165 dominator tiller rebuild. I’m going thru the same decisions and quandaries you guys are. Floors out, livewell out, modified some of the structure for better drainage, had to weld some broken ribs.

Man, that is a complete gut out!!! Yeah i would suggest put something in the middle to prevent any new spray foam from settling in the low part of the bow.Need that open for water getting to the rear drain. Re silicone that low trough in the middle of the hull. And don’t be shy to put good aluminum structure under your individual seats. 3/4 plywood every where. A completely different boat.

Yep, to the hull. Coated interior rivets and seems in Gluv-it and Increased drain holes. Old hull was full of standing water. New floor is 3/4 marine plywood. Expanding foam is on order. Plans are to use HDPE under floor dimple board as buffer between foam and structure. That will reduce my floatation a little but create hundreds of drain paths. Center strip will remain open. Also installing access port in bow to allow me to get shop vac hose down there if water does get in. Entire design centers around a dry underdeck.

Water will get in no mater what, from bow splash or whatever. i used an exterior oil based primer on the plywood. In the event that water makes contact with the wood it cant absorb into it. I purposely set up the floor so that i can access the main area floor with out removing the front bow area. had to add a piece of angle to the rib that is under the the rear of the bow area to do it, pictures will show what i did. haha dont get over whelmed. its worth it

Sounds like you guys are doing (should say did) the same thing I’m looking at doing. I enjoy the pictures. This weekend I’ll do a work summary and show some pictures. I like the additional rod locker, the dominator came with a very small and useless rod locker……. that needs upgrading. The biggest “problem so far is the gas tank. The old one is not in good shape and I really don’t want a red plastic tank taking up floor space.

Has anyone replaced a alumacraft underdeck gas tank…… preferably with something smaller then the 28 gallon poly stock unit? Like a 8-12 gallon aluminum unit.

Wow you’re really tearing apart your boat, it’s a good feeling restoring one. I would add PVC pipe from the battery compartment to the bow along both sides of the boat for your electrical wires. It also doesn’t hurt to have an extra set of wires run up front just in case you need to add something later. I’m loving my new rod locker very easy to get the rods in and out, I can fit 8-7′ 5″ rods and a could more 5′ two piece ones in the bottom.

I haven’t replaced a gas tank but depending upon what size motor you’re running 8-12 gallons might not last very long.

Thanks. Both you guys have some cool projects going on. I really like that rod locker. This boat received little love in its former life. I’ll take some pictures this weekend and explain my project …. Hopefully my floatation, vinyl and carpet gets here.

Looking at redoing my carpet this winter and redoing some stuff I could have done better my first time around. How was the vinyl flooring to work with? I use my boat as a family ski boat as well so I like the carpet but kind of want a vinyl area for putting netted fish in the boat.

I was looking for a project and wanted a boat……. So I bought this Alumacraft Dominator CS 165 tiller July 31. I did not assess the condition very well and the project has grown into a monster. I like projects so I’ve decided to basically just rebuild the boat and increase the functionality of the layout if possible. Been hitting this project pretty hard because the cold weather is around the corner. I have it completely ripped down to the clean hull, repaired and modified the hull, foam should be here very soon (tomorrow?), repainted allot of the interior metal, floors cut and vinyl down on the deck. took a few days off work and tomorrow vinyl the sides of the boat then start the top rail. The deck is 3/4″ Marine plywood coated in 1prt spar oil, 1prt boiled linseed oil and 2prt mineral spirits, 2 coats on the top, 4 thick coats on the bottom. After drying i sanded the top with heavy grit, then use 3M-80……. seems to have worked great. The vinyl is 34 mm Marideck and seems tough and its very flexible and very nice quality……….. not cheap however. Word of advice if your going to do vinyl, think thru the process, do not just throw a couple products together and hope it works. research the wood, do you use wood sealant, a paint, a epoxy, will the adhesive work with that sealant, will the vinyl work with that adhesive? It can become a confusing mess, I ended up settling on the combination above. I never really felt like there was a great advise so I emailed 3M and told them what I was doing and they pointed to a few options, but the only one I could actually buy was 3M-80 at Home Depot. Spray adhesives are a mess but I like them. Vinyl has more issues with adhesives then carpets. Hopefully it looks good tomorrow still.

Hey Aaron,
I love how the vinyl worked out. I did use thicker plywood, and coated them in exterior oil based primer to start. The vinyl is so nice for clean up and it doesn’t get hot to touch in the summer either. I used lepage contact cement for setting all vinyl surfaces. At the early stages i used a weak epoxy spray for a few pieces, but it wasn’t successful. Carpet collects too much junk and i get tons of compliments with how mine looks.