DIY baitboard

thought Id chuck something up for the DIY'ers on here.

When I replaced my boat, the baitboard was missing but the mounts were there, and at 750 apart quite large.

I looked around for one but while there were some nice ones available on line, I didnt fancy forking out $400-$600 for something that might look vastly less appealing in the flesh.

So I decided to attack something myself-starting with a drawing

 

then borrowing a router trimmer, started chopping bits out

 

lots of routing as I wanted it strong and well fitting if it couldnt be pretty!

 

there was lots of shit to vacuum up as the router and rip saw made a hell of a mess especially with the shed door open, like snow!

 

slowly taking shape, I wanted plenty of storage underneath i

 

trial fit up, looks ok?

 

and the final product!

 

As usual there are a few bits still to do, hose holder, rod holders, and especially a baitbin to go under the chopping board, but I dont really want to lose the storage space underneath.

So maybe the next project is to insulate the live bait tank you can just see in the left of last pic, so it can be used as an day icebox/killtank (will fit a few good size fish and drain overboard)

At the end of it all, did I save money? not sure, who gives a shit?

Did I save time? jeezus no

why do it then? Well if ya have to ask then its not worth explaining!

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

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Tim's picture

Posts: 2497

Date Joined: 26/09/06

Nice

Fri, 2013-01-25 21:58

That looks great. Better than a bought one.

How easy is the starboard to work with? Have you just glued it together or screwed as well.

Posts: 5801

Date Joined: 18/01/12

thanks TimI was going to

Fri, 2013-01-25 22:11

thanks Tim

I was going to screw it, hence why I routed every joint for strength.

But I discovered it can be welded (but not glued) so I had it welded.

Unfortunately, while they did a fairly good job, reality says that NO-ONE will ever take as much care as you will and next time Id maybe fork out for a plastic welder and do it myself, plus cost nearly 3 times estimate.

The chopping board that was meant to be white/natural HDPE ended up being black which would be like filletting on a bbq plate so I'll make a wood one maybe.

Starboard is really easy to work with, wood tools, circular saw and router.

The big advantage of course for the yanks is that with a CNC router table they can knock up anything in a production line with Starboard.

Still have half a sheet left.

____________________________________________________________________________

 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

1268-EX's picture

Posts: 118

Date Joined: 18/01/12

nice work

Fri, 2013-01-25 22:22

nice work

grantarctic1's picture

Posts: 2546

Date Joined: 03/03/11

Great job

Fri, 2013-01-25 22:35

Thats a great looking cutting board Rob, If you look around you won't see many for sale as good as the one you made.

Intresting comment about the starboard, as a cabinet maker and a welder i like to work with different products but havn't got to make anything out of starboard sheets.

And yeah, routers are a great tool, you can do many tasks with them .

Cheers Grant .

 

Posts: 5801

Date Joined: 18/01/12

Ive done a fair bit of steel

Fri, 2013-01-25 22:44

Ive done a fair bit of steel and ally fab as well, luxury working with this stuff!

____________________________________________________________________________

 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Paul G's picture

Posts: 5215

Date Joined: 12/12/07

Top job Rob looks tops. let's

Sat, 2013-01-26 04:25

Top job Rob looks tops. let's hope you get some blood on it this weekend..

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Active Gyp-Rok solutions ,Residential  and commercial ceilings and walls

Joodles's picture

Posts: 362

Date Joined: 19/11/10

 Haha, I love your comment

Sat, 2013-01-26 06:16

 Haha, I love your comment about why do it yourself, classic! Looks great Rob. Time to get it messy.

Lamby's picture

Posts: 3145

Date Joined: 04/08/09

 Awesome job!

Sat, 2013-01-26 07:41

 Awesome job!

r.gates's picture

Posts: 573

Date Joined: 15/11/10

Great work Rob

Sat, 2013-01-26 08:22

While I've not heard of Starboard before, I'm guessing it's a bit like a perspex/plastic material.

Great job with the bait board unit, looks pretty flash....now for some pics of it covered in blood, guts & scales 

regards
rusty... 

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If life is boring, you must be doing it wrong!

Posts: 211

Date Joined: 02/01/12

great work there even better

Sat, 2013-01-26 16:28

great work there even better than a bought one , where can you buy star board? and roughly whats it worth?

Posts: 5801

Date Joined: 18/01/12

BLA have it, a sheet 2.5 by

Sat, 2013-01-26 16:57

BLA have it, a sheet 2.5 by 1.25 meters by 3/8" is around $350

Ive got about half a sheet left that I may sell.

____________________________________________________________________________

 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Cruise Control's picture

Posts: 973

Date Joined: 03/11/10

Great job Rob. Looks like you

Sat, 2013-01-26 17:47

Great job Rob. Looks like you are fitting it to a Cruise Craft and its not entirely different from the factory model other than where the storage is. On the factory model thats a sink. I'm looking to actually put some storage under my bait board and you have given me some ideas.

cheers

Posts: 5801

Date Joined: 18/01/12

I looked at getting as

Sat, 2013-01-26 22:13

I looked at getting as factory one but they were quite sharp on the pocket, though you could be sure that it'd be top quality.

They are really a great company to deal with though, Cruisecraft. I dropped them an email with a couple of quiries, and have had several phone calls from Kevin Nichols, head honcho lasting up to an hour.

Plus a package with manuals, info and other bits and pieces gratis, even though I bought the boat used etc.

____________________________________________________________________________

 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

catchalittle's picture

Posts: 1875

Date Joined: 04/09/08

nice mate

Sat, 2013-01-26 22:18

nice mate

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Nathan

Ian Macca's picture

Posts: 133

Date Joined: 08/05/12

Very professional looks

Sun, 2013-01-27 14:33

Very professional looks great!

Cruise Control's picture

Posts: 973

Date Joined: 03/11/10

Yep, ditto. Their customer

Sun, 2013-01-27 16:43

Yep, ditto. Their customer service even on second hand boats is unequalled IMO. A family business that loves their boats.

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Date Joined: 21/02/08

That is pretty boss there

Mon, 2013-01-28 08:26

That is pretty boss there Rob!

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Matt Sheather's picture

Posts: 16

Date Joined: 14/07/12

Nice job mate

Mon, 2013-01-28 11:07

 I have the factory board on my cruise craft and definately some improvements on your version that i would'nt mind. Job well done and satifying at the end i bet.

Posts: 5801

Date Joined: 18/01/12

Blooded

Wed, 2013-01-30 20:17

 

 Believe it or not, pulled up by my 10 year old daughter as a double header with no help

____________________________________________________________________________

 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

r.gates's picture

Posts: 573

Date Joined: 15/11/10

Go girl!

Wed, 2013-01-30 21:00

Hi Rob

Great to see the kids getting into the act and making a mess on your boat....where were you fishing?

That bait board certainly looks right at home on there, good job

regards
rusty... 

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If life is boring, you must be doing it wrong!

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14990

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 That's a bloody good job

Wed, 2013-01-30 21:22

 That's a bloody good job there Rob and that's coming from a fussy tradie. I know what you mean mate , your time is your own that's why we take on these crazy projects.

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Love the West!

rooboy111's picture

Posts: 117

Date Joined: 08/01/10

Wow that's amazing well done

Thu, 2013-01-31 03:55

Wow that's amazing well done mate !!!

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 One day I'll be a good fisherman ........

rooboy111's picture

Posts: 117

Date Joined: 08/01/10

Wow that's amazing well done

Thu, 2013-01-31 03:55

Wow that's amazing well done mate !!!

____________________________________________________________________________

 One day I'll be a good fisherman ........