Casting platform height

[duckdog]

So I am still trying to bore you people with my project boat lol, anyways I want a platform on this and higher the better for fly flishing and sight fishing I am thinking of placing 3/4" ply right on the top with a few reinforcements off the floor, again the boat is 15.5 x 5.5 whats your thoguhts on this?

[duckdog]

Another shot of it

[Fang]

I've done a couple of platforms on similar aluminum boats. I'd suggest making a front support in the nose of the boat the same height as the seat frame. Use 1.5" tube aluminum lengths from the seat to the nose to build the platform base. Top with carpetted green plywood. Depending on the span from the seat to the nose you might need a mid rib to keep the flex down. You can do this either by dropping a wooden frame off the aluminum to the bottom of the boat or by getting a cross bar under all the tubes and then support from dead center in the nose of the boat.

 

I'd do the main deck 6" or more below the top of the gunnel and then put in an extra step platform in the nose. Make this one big enough to accomodate an electric motor as well as a standing area to cast from if you need some extra height.

 

I learned from the first boat and made storage hatches into the main seat frame. You can always shove styrofom up under the deck if you want flotation.

[Fisherman]

For that width of boat I definitely would not go higher than the top of the seat. The higher you go, the higher your center of gravity becomes and the boat gets way more tippy.

[misfish]

Heres my 2 cents on your project.

I would run the platform from the middle seat to the front.Not going any higher then the seat level.Alos,I would make the front one a storage area and the one in the middle a live well.Now with that done,I would design a storage box along one side.Making it flush with the top of the boat.Rod storage.You could also make storage box between the middle and front seat.

Between the back and middle seat I would have the floor sitting on the ribs. with a support stringer running up the middle.

REMEMBER,DO NOT USE PRESSURE TREATED WOOD.IT IS NOT ALUMINUM FRIENDLY.I would suggest using just plain spruce and painting it with an oil base exterior paint.

 

For your bow mount I did this.

 

 

Looking forward to your finished project.

Edited November 26, 2007 by misfish

[glen]

My boat has a small deck at the top of the bow and you can stand on it but it is tippy. My boat is a lot heavier than yours though and i don't think yours would be any good. There is not enough weight in the bottom of your boat. If your boat was about 500lbs it would work.

 

Same height as the seat frame gets my vote.

[duckdog]

Love the responces, I think the tube idea for support is great I was having an issue sorting that out and I will go with that idea for surre, I was thinking about storage box along one side that is great and for the livewell Idea I was thinking about foaming it in and fiberglass a livewell into it, anyone seen fiberglassed in livewells?

 

Nelson

[irishfield]

No..but I did see two used aluminum livewells..complete with pumps in the Super Shopper, or Tri-ad for $50 !

Edited November 27, 2007 by irishfield

[duckdog]

Thanks for the heads up Irishfield I will check it out I was just thinking I have a bag of cloth here from my dad so I was thinking line the middle seat area to make a livewell lol

 

 

Nelson

[misfish]

Live well made from aluminum

 

 

 

Dont let the small looking opening fool you,the well is the size of the intire seat.

[pikehunter]

I would also be concerned about stability. The shape of your hull indicates that this could be a tippy boat, especially up in the bow. Are you going to add any flotation?

[misfish]

Yeah,2 PFD,s.

[duckdog]

lol "Yeah,2 PFD,s" the undersode of the casting deck and both seat will have it worked in, misfish I am guessing that you dropped the livewell into the seat area? or did you build it into it?

 

Nelson

[misfish]

Hope this helps Nelson

 

You can put a drain in the well,attach a hose to it,that can go to the back of the boat.Just pull the plug both in the well and the boat to empty.Or you can spend money and buy pumps.

 

 

[misfish]

Since I have access to welding aluminum I would weld it,but good quality silicon and rivits qould serve the purpose well.

 

Wayne what ya think?

1/8-3/16 should be plenty good for thickness.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2007 by misfish

[Terry]

you would need a pretty good metal break to bend 1/8-3/16 aluminum

[duckdog]

What about just lining my middle seat with fiberglass? there is a vee cut out in the front and back at the bottom of the seat for water to go trough, so I was thinking place a 1" pvc pipe on the bottom so water can get through and in the middle of that pipe put a tee straight up that I can pull out to drain the livewell plus the water can still get through if any gets in the boat, what do you think?

 

Nelson

[Zib]

For that width of boat I definitely would not go higher than the top of the seat. The higher you go, the higher your center of gravity becomes and the boat gets way more tippy.

 

I'll second that. I know a guy from another fishing site that put his front deck to the top & he went over board twice this year.

[misfish]

I'll second that. I know a guy from another fishing site that put his front deck to the top & he went over board twice this year.

 

Maybe he just wanted to cool off.

 

Terry you can bend 1/8 very easy.The fold over edge for hanging may have to be rivited as well

 

If you can have a brake operator do it for you,even better.Also heat up the material,makes for bending easier.IMO

 

What about just lining my middle seat with fiberglass?

 

If you can work with the stuff and feel confident in it,sure go for it. It may become heavier then you think though,IMO.

Edited November 27, 2007 by misfish

[duckdog]

I would likely get someone to bend it if I go that way, as for the weight I would box it in some I dont keep to many fish so I dont need a huge one I would like to keep it to approx 15gals so basicaly it equals another me in the boat lol

 

Nelson

[duckdog]

Another thought cut plywood half moons for the fron and back and line it with pond liner? I could get scraps from work likely, any thoughts on that way?

[irishfield]

Wayne what ya think?

1/8-3/16 should be plenty good for thickness.

 

You tryin to retain the lock ness monster?

 

20thou would be plenty..considering you're putting it inside an existing seat. Definitely no need to go beyond .040". Hell the bottom of my airplane floats are only .032 !

[Fang]

my first boat at middle stage

 

I ran the aluminum tubing from under the middle seat lip. I had 1/2" or more to help anchor it in. Took advantage and put a livewell in the middle seat.

 

After running four tubes up to the front seat, I put a cross bar mid way and bolted all the tubing together. From the cross bar down to the floor of the boat I put in a brace with a big rubber foot and bolted that to the cross piece. Big advantage for me was having the seat in the nose almost at the perfect height. I only had to put a small shim under the tubing.

 

To cut the deck out of plywood I plumbed the center of the boat from the seat to the nose and temporarily fastened in a 1x2 peice of strapping. Marked the strapping every inch and took the right angle measurements to the side of the boat all the way to the nose. When cutting the outside edge of the deck I also adjusted the blade angle on the jig saw to closely match the angle of the hull.

 

Remember it being a real good fit - so much that I needed to shave it becasue I didn't account for the carpet thickness

 

 

[misfish]

You tryin to retain the lock ness monster?

 

No, I put my guests in it and lock it up.LOL