help with aluminum conversion

spinfreak

Cadet
Joined
Mar 6, 2002
Messages
20
I have a 15 foot aluminum v-hull boat with bench seats...3 benches and a little triangle seat in the front. What I wanted to do was remove the benches, and install a floor. I also wanted to build storage compartments (with a small baitwell) on both sides towards the rear half, and a small platform at the front. I was going to install pedestal seats.(Pretty much, I wanted to make this boat similar to the factory rigged boats like Sea Nymphs, etc). <br /><br />I'm concerned about the strength of the hull if I remove the seats. If I was to add supports from the floor to the sides of the boat, would that compensate for the seats? (I'm not sure what the supports are called, but they look sort of like a triangle with 90 degree flanges on two sides, and you would stand it vertically, and attach it to the floor and side). If this would work, I could move the floatation that is under the bench seats, to under the floor and also inside the storage compartments.<br />I would just buy a boat that is already rigged like this, but don't have the money for it. Besides, I like making htings myself.<br />Thanks for any help that you can give.
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: help with aluminum conversion

Spinfreak,<br /><br />You have the right idea. Another way you could go about it would be to leave the bench seats attached to the sides of the boat and just remove the middle sections. The cut out areas of the middle sections would then have to be fabricated to bolt to the new floor. You could use these "leftover" sections still attached to the sides as storage boxes. <br /><br />Basically, you want to add at least as much flotation as you removed.<br /><br />I am currently "redesigning" the inside of a Sea Nymph (1983) bass boat that is my current project. Mine will have more open floor space and a little less deck than the original version.<br /><br />As mentioned, I am being careful to measure how much foam I take out and make sure I find other areas (at least as large) to refill with new foam.<br /><br />Good luck! :)
 

marcmccain

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 25, 2002
Messages
212
Re: help with aluminum conversion

Spinfreak,<br /><br />The U.S. Coast Guard test all mass produced boats. They fill them with water fully loaded and then try to enter the boat from the water. If they can't do this from either the side or one end the boat it fails the test. <br /><br />The floatation in a small aluminum boat is postioned under the seat but an important factor is that it is postioned high in the boat rather than near the floor/deck. This will allow the boat to float upright if swamped.<br /><br />An important thing to think of is that if you add floatation to the floor, this will allow the boat float better upside down rather than upright. If you try to enter a swamped boat with floatation in the floor it will flip when full of water. The only safe place to add additional floation would be if you add a bow or rear deck, you can add it to the underside of the decks. <br /><br />Best of luck from one handy-man to another...
 
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