Re-decking a 2003 Misty Harbor Tritoon

[Powershouse]

My wife and I are tired of the carpet on out boat and are going to replace the deck and install a vinyl floor. We’ve watched a bunch of YouTube videos of other folks projects and we have a friend who is a commercial flooring guy who is going to help us with the vinyl glue down.
We got after it this afternoon and removed all of the furniture and the aluminum edging. We removed some of the fencing but have run into our first problem. There is an aluminum sheet between the logs and the crossmembers. This presents an access problem getting to the nuts where the fence is bolted down - we can get to the ones along the edge but not the ones closer to the middle of the boat.
Has anyone dealt with this before? Any suggestions?

Picture of our progress this afternoon.

 

[HotTommy]

Are you saying the bottom of the boat is skinned with aluminum sheets? If so they are likely held on with screws or rivets. If that is too big a challenge, perhaps you could drill an access hole wherever it is needed. ... It is not uncommon for water to get behind a skinned bottom and that's ok as long as there is a way for it to drain back out.

 

[Powershouse]

Are you saying the bottom of the boat is skinned with aluminum sheets? If so they are likely held on with screws or rivets. If that is too big a challenge, perhaps you could drill an access hole wherever it is needed. ... It is not uncommon for water to get behind a skinned bottom and that's ok as long as there is a way for it to drain back out.

At he bow on either side of the center log there were smaller plates riveted in place. I drilled out three of the four riveters and swung the pieces aside which revealed access holes. Still very tight access through the holes which meant that I had to buy a new socket wrench with shorter swing.