Next project is to take out the floor, and the flotation. it looks like some kind of spray in styrofoam, not like today's 2 part foam.
I am going to go with blue/pink insulation boards for flotation.
my flooring material is going to be exterior grade plywood (untreated). I am going to lay down that vinyl roll boat flooring stuff on top.
This
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...ader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=boat+floor
I don't like actual fuzzy carpet for fishing because it snags everything.
What I can't decide is how much i want to put into sealing the plywood. I know a good epoxy seal will make it last decades. but I'm honestly not so sure i want to bother. If it lasts even 5 years, I think I'm still good to go. plus I'm not sure if I'm going to want to change the layout etc. I tend to try something, then figure out what I really want, then make it into that.
but anyhow. sealing aside. here are my flooring questions.
The flooring in there now is already a replacement job. it sits on the aluminum stringers, and I believe there is an aluminum leveling stringer down the center. don't know if that is original or a mod. so I don't need stringers anyway.
I am going to put in as much foam board insulation as I can under the floor. but when I attach it to the ribs. should i try to measure trace etc and use the existing holes from the previous rivets or should i just drill new ones?
are rivets required or would flat headed sheet metal screws work. remembering that this floor is more of a test model and will be coming out in a few years.
I am probably going to make a slight step up in the front like 6" to get a little excess flotation under it, and make fishing in the bow a little more comfortable. Not a high casting deck. Our annual fishing trip to canada always seems to be really windy and choppy on big lakes. I have seen more than one peron go into the drink from an elevated deck there.
Battery box way up front under the bow cover. switches in the rear near the tiller.
Rear bench with extra flotation and gas tanks. seat for driving
Outside of that. I have NO IDEA how to lay out the floor plan. this is a really small boat to do anything serious. but it needs to hold 2 fishermen, 2 BIG tackle boxes, about 12 rods (yah typical bass fishermen) and at least one cooler.