Replacing Rotted Wood Deck with Aluminum Tracker Magna 17

strokendiesel002

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Alright, I ordered a 2 gallon kit of the 2 part 2lb pour in floatation foam. They say they're coast guard compliant regarding the materials used. It'll take about a week to get to me. I also ordered stainless steel rivnuts, backup washers and bolts. All are 1/4-20. For the pedestal seat bases, I ordered oval head and for the other items I'll be securing I ordered hex drive button head. The rivnuts have a grip range of .165-.260. Most sections of the deck that I'll be securing the pedestal and tri-pod mounts are .25 thick, and minimum order qty was 100, so I ordered a slew of backup washers so I can use these bad boys for other items... Like fire extinguisher, oar mounts, and a few other ideas I've been working up :)
 
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strokendiesel002

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Progress has occurred! While it did involve a half step back, it's still progress! I'm going to have to find another use for the pour in floatation I have. I just couldn't bring myself to pour that stuff back in. There is no good way that I can come up with, that whatever water manages to make its way below the deck would be able to drain?! FIL and I drilled out the 80 rivets I put in last winter to hold the main deck down and stuffed her full of noodles. Please don't crucify me, I know that the big box boards are the preferred method, if you'll recall though, I got a little ahead of myself welding in subfloor structure which prevents me from being able to insert it. Nodlrd are flexible and allow fr water drainage well as fill up spaces that would otherwise fill with water

Pics or it didn't happen!

 

gm280

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OH, I think you cheated yourself out of a very fun install of mix and pour foam. That stuff is really fun to use and install. It is amazing how much it expands.

Anyway, foam wasn't so much for keeping water out as much as keeping the hull floating is a serious accident preached the hull. But however you accomplish that is a good thing.

Are you using a typical MIG welder setup to weld aluminum? Just curious. If so what welder do you have and what attachments did you use for the conversion. JMHO
 

jbcurt00

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Noodles, yikes.....

IMO, you'd have done better to use no flotation rather then noodles......
 

strokendiesel002

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GM280- Luckily for me, my uncle picked up a Crownline that will need it! haha, I actually am looking forward to the experience.

Filling the voids with something that floats and prevents water from being able to completely fill those voids in the event of a catastrophic accident is that purpose not to help it float? GM, I just realized that my statement re water past the deck is probably what prompted the advice on the foam. I don't want water from daily activities to make it's way in and weigh down the foam after it starts to inevitably break down and absorb it.

I have a little HOBART Handler that can weld aluminum if I swap the lugs(polarity) and use argon for shielding gas. I actually never was able to source a nylon liner for my whip so I just keep the whip as straight as humanly possible and it does a decent job. I wouldn't try and build a boat from scratch, nor charge any sort of professional rates for any services performed with this, but it's pretty solid for little projects and patch jobs. I had to fix a few spots on the lift I just bought for this boat and it did a great job.

JB - Please elaborate. I've never seen a noodle "break down", sink or have water able to be squeezed out of it. So, why would I have been better off to leave it void?

Thanks for stopping by guys!!!
 

gm280

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GM280- Luckily for me, my uncle picked up a Crownline that will need it! haha, I actually am looking forward to the experience.

Filling the voids with something that floats and prevents water from being able to completely fill those voids in the event of a catastrophic accident is that purpose not to help it float? GM, I just realized that my statement re water past the deck is probably what prompted the advice on the foam. I don't want water from daily activities to make it's way in and weigh down the foam after it starts to inevitably break down and absorb it.

I have a little HOBART Handler that can weld aluminum if I swap the lugs(polarity) and use argon for shielding gas. I actually never was able to source a nylon liner for my whip so I just keep the whip as straight as humanly possible and it does a decent job. I wouldn't try and build a boat from scratch, nor charge any sort of professional rates for any services performed with this, but it's pretty solid for little projects and patch jobs. I had to fix a few spots on the lift I just bought for this boat and it did a great job.

JB - Please elaborate. I've never seen a noodle "break down", sink or have water able to be squeezed out of it. So, why would I have been better off to leave it void?

Thanks for stopping by guys!!!

I was just wondering since I have a Hobart 135 MIG welder and use it a lot. I was wondering how you were welding aluminum.

I have to say you are building a nice boat setup. It looks good and clean. :thumb:
 

jbcurt00

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I've never seen a noodle "break down", sink or have water able to be squeezed out of it.
Because I have seen a pool noodle waterlogged like a sponge and able to squeeze water out.....

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owne...ft-boats/570914-starmada-testing-laboratories

A typical pool noodle wont support 10lbs of dead weight based on that testing ^^^.

Unless you can get more then 100 noodles aboard, then we circle back to them being more sponge like then sheet foam, or even regular ole EPS styro.

Having added aluminum structure and deck, theres more weigh in the sturcture and the loss of adding some bouyancy w a plywood deck.

IMO, the noodles lend false confidence that the boat does have flotation, and in suffucient quantity to be meaningful.....

I also understand my preferences for flotation dont match everyones, and that each choice comes w pros and cons. Everyone has to weigh them for themselves and decide what best fits their situation.

And for me, if its only a choice of noodles or none, I'd prefer none. BUT (and its an important but) I would never skip flotation, so that means using something else, long before using noodles.
 

strokendiesel002

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GM- thanks! I have the 135 also, I just looked. There is a big decal inside the cover that shows how to set it up. I backed the roller pressure waaaaay off. I can take pics if you'd like. 100% argon.

JB- thanks you for the link! I will read that later tonight or tomorrow, I must have missed that one when looking for cons. Again, for anyone reading this in the future, I am not promoting or arguing in ANy way shape or form the plan to use Pool Noodles for floatation. This is an attempt to get something other than pour in foam in an aluminum hull. If it was glass, I'd go pour in. Next time I will not rush and as soon as I have a bare hull, cut the big box sheets of foam.

Thanks guys!
 

strokendiesel002

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Just finished up the 9 page thread! Good read for future Lookers (here's to hoping, right?!).

However, I only read 1 post that said they were able to "wring out water" from the noodle. I, and as I've read many others haven't had that experience. I believe I also read, and correct me if I'm wrong here, 1cubic foot of noodles is the same as 1cubic foot of Extruded polystyrene (block foam from box stores) which is about the same as 1cubic foot of 2lb pour in. All foam, if kept wet(or some variation of wet) will eventually absorb water, this was stated by an engineer iirc.

Now here's what I took away- foam noodles are an inefficient source, as they are round, and using solid noodles is not cheap. The biggest mistake people make is assuming that 1 noodle will float whatever the advertised capacity of that noodle worth of dead weight, it will not. That capacity is based on a human in water, who is already partially buoyant. Calculations must be made based upon 1cu ft.

Now, my opinion and experience, pour in foam in a cavity that will not be air tight is a bad idea. The outer skin will rupture, letting the water in and it NEVER dries out. Along with trying to engineer path ways for water to make its way to the bilge, and wet pour in foam eating away at our precious tinnys!
Glass boats? Pour in FTW!

Extruded polystyrene seems to be the best option, and was my first choice as well as less expensive than all of the noodles however, I screwed that option up, when I got ahead of myself with deck support.

Noodles and EPS both allow water that makes it way past the deck during daily activities to drain to the bilge to be either pumped out or drained using the plug, as well as ample air flow to dry the entire area below deck.

I should have asked sooner JB, but it may not be too late for me to change my direction. Taking I to account my concerns for allowing the area below deck to have air flow, and actually drain; short of cutting out the supports I already welded in to properly fit EPS, what route would you take?

I ask this in earnest.

Thank you again!

Jimmy
 

strokendiesel002

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Happy Tuesday! More rivets have been purchased and hoping to cut and install the 2 outer pieces of decking tonight after work.

I'm a little worried that my last post may have been taken the wrong way as it's been radio silence since... If what I took away from what I read is wrong, I need to know, safety is the most important factor, and I certainly don't want to hack anything together, nor seem like I don't value opinions. If I didn't, I wouldn't be posting. JB, if you're reading this still, I'd really like your opinion on a feasible alternative please

Hope everyone has a great day!
 

strokendiesel002

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Hey! Thank you for stopping by, yes! She's back in the water! I actually started an update a while back, but p.b. was acting up and making picture adding very difficult, so I'll give her another go here.

After reinstalling the main deck and the 2 outside wings, it was time to locate, drill and install the stainless rivnuts. After a lot of searching and a few trial and errors, this is the method I found to work best:


I used a wrench to hold the overszed nut and a socket to rotate the bolt that was threaded into the rivnuts:


These are the rivnuts that are holding the base of the tripod:


Tripod mounting base is installed:


Rear pedestal base mounts:
 

strokendiesel002

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May 15, 2012
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Here is the tripod in place after installing the rear brackets:


Drilling 4" holes for pedestal bases:



Installed carpet using contact cement- went through 2 cans btw:




Replaced vinyl battery, bilge cover with aluminum on hinge. Will have me on this in the future, it's not 100% done yet:

 

strokendiesel002

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May 15, 2012
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Took my 2.5yr and 1 yr olds out for the first ride of the year!


Then it was time to fix a few things on the boat lift, including cleaning all the scum off (used 4 gallons of Muriatic acid), load it onto the sled deck(built it for hauling snowmobiles with a buddy), hook up the boat and head 300 miles north to the cabin!


Coming across the lake and setting up the new to us lift:








There will be more updates. I need to finish the rear cover and install onboard chargers and cutoffs, new stereo and depth finder, but it was June and she's plenty functional!

Also want to put new bunks on the lift.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope everyone is having a great summer!

Jimmy
 
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