1963 Aluma Craft Maracaibo 14'

[robertcram1]

I have a 1963 Aluma Craft Maracaibo 14' joined this site to learn and try to restore her to original condition. I can't post any pictures yet but I'm really stuck on how the floor went in. If anyone has any pictures of how the stringers and floor went in, would be a great help. Really stuck on the length width and height of floor and where the supports went. Also I have no experience doing this. There is no wood to go off of. There is some aluminum brackets that are riveted but can't make sense of how or what they were for. I've managed to rebuild the transom and strip all the paint thanks to the fourms on this site

 

[chevymaher]

Google your boat 1963 Aluma Maracaibo stringer repair. When I did that for mine several threads on this forum popped up. I have several restorations worth of pictures in a computer folder for reference material now. [h=2][/h]

 

[jbcurt00]

Please dont start multiple topics about the same subject in multiple forums.

As you intend to rebuild your boat, this is the right forum to ask these questions. The other duplicate topic has been deleted.

Thank you and welcome to iboats.

Not a whole lot of 'good' info available online about your boat.

Lets start w some pix and go from there, just make 1 more post here in your topic to reach the 3post minimum to allow pix posting. Even if something like

My 3rd post for pix

 

[robertcram1]

Thanks for the help. Realized I posted that topic in wrong area. There is not a lot of information on my boat online. I did email Alumacraft and they told me the year and also sent me a brochure but was all the info they had. One of my relatives that had the boat told me that the floor was curved. Also in the brochure it says that the cockpit area has a flat floor. I will get some pictures posted ASAP

 

[robertcram1]

No Title

null

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Holy smokes somebody thought it was planter!

Good looking little tinny, like the Alumacraft version of a Jetstar.
Until you mentioned the flat floor I looked at the brochure and thought it probably didn't have a floor.

My guess is that the brackets are from where someone mounted seats straight to the ribs and nothing to do with the floor. A flat floor was probably 3/8" plywood that rested/mounted on the tops of the rib ends and that center beam.

 

[robertcram1]

No Title

Yeah it's been in the woods for the last 25 years at least. Was my grandfather's and was given to my Uncle then sold to an in-law. He didn't do anything with it except let it sit on some hunting land he owned. Think those brackets are for the seats. I found some Google Images to back that up. Me and my buddy sat there with a level trying to figure out how the heck that floor set on the center beam and ribs. If it's sat on the rib ends( which they look like they are flattened at ends and have a shelf appearance) there's about a 4 inch gap or more from floor height and center beam. Another clue is the fact the brochure says "flat cockpit area". Why would it just say that and not the whole floor. So I found a couple other clues. Pretty sure the floor was curved from the seats back. If this is true, where is the foam supposed to be? Hull walls? Seen some boats on here have floatation boxes in rear corners as well.

 

[jbcurt00]

It probably had a large block of styro up under the closed bow, and if it originally had bench seats, they too may have had a little foam in them.

In 50s and 60s boats, I wouldnt describe factory flotation foam efforts as either well done or sufficient....

Perhaps it was poor quality control or lack of factory supervision, but I've seen some that didnt look to have enough to float a bare hull, let alone 1 w a heavy OB hanging off the back.

Great to have been able to get your grandads boat..

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Did you pull the old floor out?

In the photos in post# 7 it looks like the floor ply is bent along the ribs this can be done with thin ply. Google bending plywood, also I think someone on here did it in a SC Jet Restore but not sure.

 

[fhhuber]

Some of the boats that size from that time didn't bother with a floor. some formed the plywood along the ribs and some supported the plywood floor in various ways to produce a flat floor.

A simple way to get a flat floor is to cut styrofoam or some other foam that will act as floatation and support the floor, but be sure to leave some channels for water to drain.

 

[robertcram1]

TruckDrivingFool, those pictures from post 7 I found on Google Images of my boat but just a couple years or so newer. I did not take out the floor.There is a big block of Styrofoam under the closed bow and also in the gunwales. The boat didn't have bench seats. Based off the brochure from Alumacraft I'm able to hang a 50 horse off the back. With no foam under the floor I find that hard to believe. I like the idea of using foam as a support for the floor. I have a Johnson 50 horsepower 50th anniversary OB I'd like to hang off the back. That thing ain't light though. Besides the foam in the floor idea, some more foam along the transom area or maybe some floatation boxes in each corner

 

[K.C]

My 66 maracaibo came factory with big block of styro under bow and smaller strips in gunwhales. Nothing under floor due to the curvature.