Chieftain flooring

[ShowMeGuy]

Has anyone thought or priced out what it would cost to do the floor in aluminum? I've seen a few projects on here but it looks like everyone uses plywood... Just wondering with all that added cost of epoxy and what not if it's closer to even than folks might think?
I know there is a metal w-holesaler here in STL that I'm thinking of using. I'm more of a metal working guy than a wood working guy for sure.. Me and wood never seem to work well together.

If I was to go with an all AL floor what is the thickness everyone would recommend? The chieftain I'm lookin at, the PO has put down new flooring and wall and transom but did'n't do any sealing from what I can tell to protect it... So I would intend to drill the rivets out and if not for that see what is underneath....

Thoughts?

 

[rheagler]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

I thought about doing mine with aluminum, but opted for MDO plywood instead. It's meant for outdoor signs so it is pretty durable and weather resistant. I just sealed the cut edges with oil based industrial paint. It goes for about $50/sheet here in NJ.
For aluminum I would think 3/16 would be thick enough. Around here it is about $10/sq ft. You would never have to do it again, but you would have to do something to take care of the difference in thickness.

 

[timfives]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Has anyone thought or priced out what it would cost to do the floor in aluminum? I've seen a few projects on here but it looks like everyone uses plywood... Just wondering with all that added cost of epoxy and what not if it's closer to even than folks might think?
I know there is a metal *********r here in STL that I'm thinking of using. I'm more of a metal working guy than a wood working guy for sure.. Me and wood never seem to work well together.

If I was to go with an all AL floor what is the thickness everyone would recommend? The chieftain I'm lookin at, the PO has put down new flooring and wall and transom but did'n't do any sealing from what I can tell to protect it... So I would intend to drill the rivets out and if not for that see what is underneath....

Thoughts?

Wow, never even considered doing the floor in Aluminum..

Generally underneath is some foam board floatation. The only thing i would be concerned about is ensuring enough structure under the floor, but i think there should be plenty.. Interesting idea.
T

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Just a quick search for shapiro metal I found AL diamond plate for sale. looks pretty reasonable to me..... I'd be painting it with something though
.025--4 x 10---$95.00

.045--4 x 10---$100.00

.063--4 x 8----$105.00

.100--4 x 10---$175.00

.125--4 x 8----$175.00

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Those prices are quite reasonable when you figure what a quality piece of ply + epoxy would cost.

 

[MichaelP]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Someone here recently did his deck in diamond plate. There is so much going on I can't recall who it was at the moment.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Someone here recently did his deck in diamond plate. There is so much going on I can't recall who it was at the moment.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=451433

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Those prices are quite reasonable when you figure what a quality piece of ply + epoxy would cost.

Thats kinda what I was thinking. I've been lurkin over at the TinBoats.net website too and lot of the guys are going all AL.. Mainly for weight in the jon boats, but seems to be close to a wash...

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=451433

Now that's what I'm talking about! nice....

 

[barato2]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

i like the idea, but maybe i'm stupid.....4 sheets @175 (i'd want at least the .125) = 700. that seems like a LOT more $ than ply+epoxy. heck, that's over twice what i paid for my holiday. what am i missing?

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

i like the idea, but maybe i'm stupid.....4 sheets @175 (i'd want at least the .125) = 700. that seems like a LOT more $ than ply+epoxy. heck, that's over twice what i paid for my holiday. what am i missing?

Not saying anyone is stupid here.... But here is where I'm at. I've heard $50 for a sheet of ply. so 4x50=$200. The UScomposite kit similar to what jasoutside used, $275+s/h =300. So I'm at 500 bucks vs. 700 which to me is closer than I expected.

I don't have any wood working tools... But i have all the tools to work with most of the AL that I'd be buying.

That and it sure seems to me that it's gonna be way easier to clean and will never rot out along with just being a little different to help a guy standout.... Not that a 30+ year old Chief ain't enough.....

Anyways.. Just fishing for ideas and opinions.

 

[rheagler]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Your posted prices do look very reasonable. Do they only sell in the full sheets? It seems like you would be paying for a lot of waste, but you would have plenty of material for other projects. Also, if you would epoxy/glass the plywood that is a lot of work whereas with aluminum it's just cut, fit, rivet- done.
I went the cheap MDO ply, no glass, no epoxy route. But I do woodworking all the time, it took me only an afternoon to do the floor. If it only lasts 5 years, it's only another afternoon and $200 in materials.

 

[barato2]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

showme-- hope you didn't think i was implying you were. just my usual intro for one of my heretical Qs. it will work nicely and look great, and you're right that it will last forever (altho as someone on here pointed out, the orig floor lasted for 40+ yrs even sans epoxy). one other consideration is noise factor.....i think mass of 3/4" plywood will help dampen the "boom!" of AL hull and will be quieter to walk on. and unless you coat it, i suspect even diamond plate would get slick when wet. ??

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

[/Quote] and unless you coat it, i suspect even diamond plate would get slick when wet. ??[/QUOTE]

FWIW, I've walked/ used as a step my diamond plate toolbox on my picked many times agent wet from rain and snow and found to be excellently non slip

 

[MichaelP]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

If your only doing the floor 1 gallon of epoxy will do it. 3 sheets of ply should be plenty. $200 tops and it will out live all of us. The diamond plate would be the bees knees so by all means go for it if you can.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

If your only doing the floor 1 gallon of epoxy will do it

This varies greatly. I used 3 gallons!

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

I have fished hundreds of hours in my Cheiftain. If you are going to do alum. you can save some money by keeping plywood in the cabin, plywood in the cabin would be warmer on the feet if you sleep in the boat for a weekend outing. My wife and I spent many nights in our boat for the first 4 yrs., then we got an old camper for the pickup.
For structural support you might want to use 1/2 plywood and cover it with a thin alum diamond plate. seal all the joints.
Just a couple of thoughts.

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

I have fished hundreds of hours in my Cheiftain. If you are going to do alum. you can save some money by keeping plywood in the cabin, plywood in the cabin would be warmer on the feet if you sleep in the boat for a weekend outing. My wife and I spent many nights in our boat for the first 4 yrs., then we got an old camper for the pickup.
Just a couple of thoughts.

Good thoughts there for keeping it a little more insulated and warmer on the toes.... I will have to mull that one around.... If/When the time comes. What are you using for insulation around the cabin??

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

The guy before me glued carpet to the hull, which made it better for sleeping. I removed some of it because I also put the fish box in the cabin. Since I go salt water fishing I have a big 120 Qt icechest for a fish box and the only place to store it is in the cabin.
Another thing that I found very nice that I modified is my door now swings in so I can keep the cabin door open while fishing and still use the passenger seat.
I also ended up replacing the ceiling in the cabin, I wish I would have put some foam board in there.

You said you are more a metal guy, ever planning to put a hard alum top on her. Mine has the canvas top and side curtains but some day I will have to replace and will consider making a hard top. Right now I used some rubber roof coating on the canvas and it sealed her right up and made it more ridgid. I never remove it and it was leaking, now no leaks and it is a nice white color.

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Cheiftain flooring

Re: Cheiftain flooring

You said you are more a metal guy, ever planning to put a hard alum top on her. Mine has the canvas top and side curtains but some day I will have to replace and will consider making a hard top. Right now I used some rubber roof coating on the canvas and it sealed her right up and made it more ridgid. I never remove it and it was leaking, now no leaks and it is a nice white color.

I had not thought about fabricating up an aluminum hardtop but I'd been eyeing old boat that has a nice fiberglass doghouse that is all white and in good condition as well as a nice big fiberglass hartop.... It's all a juggling game at the moment as I still have yet to pull a trigger on the boat let alone all this other things going thru my mind.

I prefer to have a plan prior to buying stuff... Sometime that works great.. sometimes not as it's usually gone by the time I'm ready..