Getting_started
Cadet
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2008
- Messages
- 21
My first project is a 14' Espadon boat (made by Peterborough I think). I have stripped out the old wooden bench seats and floor that the previous owner had put in and fixed up a couple of holes/cracks.
Next up is building a replacement bench for the middle. The original construction had 6 braces riveted to the hull. You can see 3 of them in the picture. Two on the curve of the hull and one to support the top of the bench.
The original braces are broken, and instead of removing them and riveting in new ones, I'm thinking of putting in a new floor and bracing the middle bench off of the floor + the existing brace for the top of the seat. This should provide the support to prevent the flexing in the middle of the hull and I would avoid having to put replacement rivets in below the water line.
The new floor will consist of stringers screwed to the cross braces with ss screws to create a level base. On top of that, 3/4 " exterior grade fir plywood. The bench seat would attache to the floor across the width of the boat, and the top of the bench would screw into the existing top seat brace.
I should probably add floation foam into the seat as well for safety and additional support.
Any comments? I really don't want to replace the rivets and build new braces if I can avoid it.
Next up is building a replacement bench for the middle. The original construction had 6 braces riveted to the hull. You can see 3 of them in the picture. Two on the curve of the hull and one to support the top of the bench.
The original braces are broken, and instead of removing them and riveting in new ones, I'm thinking of putting in a new floor and bracing the middle bench off of the floor + the existing brace for the top of the seat. This should provide the support to prevent the flexing in the middle of the hull and I would avoid having to put replacement rivets in below the water line.
The new floor will consist of stringers screwed to the cross braces with ss screws to create a level base. On top of that, 3/4 " exterior grade fir plywood. The bench seat would attache to the floor across the width of the boat, and the top of the bench would screw into the existing top seat brace.
I should probably add floation foam into the seat as well for safety and additional support.
Any comments? I really don't want to replace the rivets and build new braces if I can avoid it.