deadheaddave
Recruit
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
- Messages
- 4
Hello guys, I am just getting into owning/modifying boats, and my current (and first) project is a fairly simple one.
I have a 16' aluminum v-hull with no branding on the hull, I think it may be an older aluma-craft, although I am not entirely sure. the mods I am making are primarily cosmetic, and the only thing I would like to do that is or may be structural is my sticky wicket. This boat has a space behind the rear bench that I am planning on building a platform with raised seat over. Inside will be a removable gas tank, elevated storage for two batteries, and fuses for all the electrrical. On the front, (there is already an existing locker between the point of the bow and the front bench seat) I would like to build a casting platform with built in live well, cooler, and utility locker.
Now, comes the part I am uncertain about. There is a bench seat with foam under it in the middle of the boat. It has steel strapping material that kicks up to the top of the side rail, and a 2 x 12 for bench material. I am wondering just how structural this is. At the floor around the edge, it has been rolled in two directions which gives me a nice little shelf for the decking material, and I assume adds stregnth to this part of the boat, (are those the gunnels?)
What I would like to do is remove this middle seat, and build a low deck from about 1/3 to 7/8 of the boat with benchs down both sides of the boat for use as a rod locker on one side, and storage on the other.
I was thinking that if I dropped the 2 x 12 down to the floor, and built angled braces from the rail to the newly positioned plank, and then built the side bench/box to hide it that I would retain any of the structure that was originally provided, and open that spot up to be a walk through from bow to stern.
oh, and it's a stern drive motor, so there is no panel or sterring console to worry about.
So what do ya think? can I do this?????
thanks in advance for the help/input.
Dave
I have a 16' aluminum v-hull with no branding on the hull, I think it may be an older aluma-craft, although I am not entirely sure. the mods I am making are primarily cosmetic, and the only thing I would like to do that is or may be structural is my sticky wicket. This boat has a space behind the rear bench that I am planning on building a platform with raised seat over. Inside will be a removable gas tank, elevated storage for two batteries, and fuses for all the electrrical. On the front, (there is already an existing locker between the point of the bow and the front bench seat) I would like to build a casting platform with built in live well, cooler, and utility locker.
Now, comes the part I am uncertain about. There is a bench seat with foam under it in the middle of the boat. It has steel strapping material that kicks up to the top of the side rail, and a 2 x 12 for bench material. I am wondering just how structural this is. At the floor around the edge, it has been rolled in two directions which gives me a nice little shelf for the decking material, and I assume adds stregnth to this part of the boat, (are those the gunnels?)
What I would like to do is remove this middle seat, and build a low deck from about 1/3 to 7/8 of the boat with benchs down both sides of the boat for use as a rod locker on one side, and storage on the other.
I was thinking that if I dropped the 2 x 12 down to the floor, and built angled braces from the rail to the newly positioned plank, and then built the side bench/box to hide it that I would retain any of the structure that was originally provided, and open that spot up to be a walk through from bow to stern.
oh, and it's a stern drive motor, so there is no panel or sterring console to worry about.
So what do ya think? can I do this?????
thanks in advance for the help/input.
Dave