50/50 on that pike.  50/50

Well here are some pics and a progress report.  Got all the rear combing pad gone.  Got the left and right top rail boards off, and got all but four of the rear top rail board bolts out.  Why not those four?  Because the genius nuts they were installed with rusted to bits and crumbled.  Not enough to just fall off mind you... just enough that no socket/wrench/plier will ever work on them.  I'm going to have to drill the ****ed things out.  Which means I need to enlist a helper, since someone has to be in the boat with pliers on the bolt until the drill bit snaps off the bolt head.    That's going to be great fun.  Oh, and as a bonus, will get razor sharp metal shavings in the boat carpet to shred unsuspecting folk for years to come.  &*(@$&)$(@  &*$^  *(#&$@  *(#&#() !
 
First couple pics are the combing pads gone:

Notice in this picture ^ tiny three switch panel with one of the three snapped off.  That gets replaced with a real boy rocker setup when I re-wire the boat.  Oh, and same goes for that gigantor CB antenna.  Seriously, who needs a 9' long antenna?  I'm fishing a couple miles offshore at Erie at most, not 500 miles out of Georges fricking Bank.   

Notice in this picture ^ how they ran the power cords into the boat and down to the battery instead of routing it correctly through the boot?  Yeah, I'll be fixing that nonsense.  

 

Here's a nice taste of how the boards were fastened with random rusty BS.  And the naked cap rail.  I was going to fill in the holes, but I think maybe not.  Just going to wire brush it down to bare aluminum and mount the new PVC board on there.  The holes can stay, since they really don't hurt anything.  
 


'

This last pic is a gem.  That snapped off POS on the left was about three threads into the cap rail.  Just enough that I had to pry it up.  And if you look close on the bottom right hole of that scotty, there's a rusty... nail? type thing.  Yeah, WTSF.  
 

Last bits, the passenger seat removed and a shot of the driver seat/livewell combo.  That's going to be interesting to remove.  I hope it is screwed to the floor and not riveted to the hull.  If I can get it out in one piece I'll probably try to sell it.  Someone will like that thing in their boat.  Not for me though.  I'm going to have a bit baitwell in there instead, and a cooler for fish to go in.  No sense keeping them alive all day just to kill them later.  Ice is nice.  


 
 

I'm just having me a load of chtz and giggles over this project, thanks for inviting us. 
 
Keep up the good work, we're rootin for ya!

what walcat said.  SERIOUSLY, what walcat said!  when I first got my boat 8 years ago I swore I'd never be out at night.  that was until I watched my first sunset from the back of the boat while running walleye rods.  there's nothing like coming back in on a glass lake, pitch black except for the stars and the marina lights.  this only works tho when you know your safety equipment is solid.

Fine, I hear you about the antenna.  I will give it due consideration instead of snapping it over my knee like I want to.  
 
Quick teardown update... called in my dad (fixer of all things) to help me with those four BS bolts that needed drilled.  He looks it over, hops in the boat and says "does this board have to survive in one piece?"  Well no, as a matter of fact it doesn't.  So he says we'll just split it with a hammer and chisel, and then he bolt-cuttered the bolts off in about 10 seconds.  The wisdom of age.  
 
Next step, tear out the floor!  Then the real fun begins.  

Hoping not to have to mess with foam.  If it is waterlogged I'm hosed for sure.  I've seen enough build threads to know I want no part of that.
 
 

That foam will be water logged....remove it and use those floating noodle tubes the kiddies use in the pool. Don,t mess with that foam crap....just another ol "Nam" vets wisdom...  ;-)
 

MikastormThat foam will be water logged...

 
Come on buddy.  Positive thoughts!
 
And for the record, since this whole internets thing doesn't always do the best job of communicating... I appreciate any of the advice and/or comments people are giving.  Even if I don't want to hear that particular advice.  That's the whole point of posting here.  Hell that's really the whole point of this forum.  So if I say I'm going to change something that I don't feel is essential, and a couple guys who have spent time doing the fishing I'm gearing up for tell me not to, I listen to their advice.  Doesn't mean I'm instantly in love with the idea of a big dumb in the way antenna, or that I wouldn't love to ditch that PITA big engine for a nice 20.  Having guys tell me that my plan is a mistake saves me time and money at least, and that's pretty awesome.  So thank you, even if you are grumpier than me.