Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

[Ole Ed]

I have a 14 ft. boat with two bench seats. I want to remove them and put in a floor with 2 pedestal seats. My question is......Will it weaken my boat and cause it to crack or break if I do this? Its a newer model Fish Master 1432.

 

[mphy98]

Re: Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

Usually the seats are part of the structure of the boat. If you put in a floor that ties the sides together you will not have any flex problems.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

......and I'll bet those bench seats are filled with foam as your only (currently) source of floation if swamped !!!

Just Ed

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

Adding a floor will not strengthen the sides of the boat which is what the seats do. You might get by removing one but I would not remove both and yes -- flotation is an issue as it is usually part of the seat.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

You will also raise your center of gravity making the boat really tippy unless it is a wide beam hull.

Respectfully disagree, if you tie the floor into the hull it will make just as strong as the seats did.

When I redid my boat it was increadibly floppy till I got the floor in, that stiffened it up alot, then I put the casting decks in and it made even more solid but they are actually fastened to the hull with cross members.

If you just cut the seats out and put a deck on the bottom of the boat that won't do anything and the hull will fail so think hard before you actually do this, to do it correctly isn't cheap or easy and requires alot of planning, if you get it wrong you lose your boat.

As genaral rule removing seats from a jon boat is a bad idea.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

It's a 1432, so 32" wide, not much stability there.

I have a 1436 that can get tippey at times. It's low decked which helps the boat feel stable, but still, it's only 36" wide across the bottom and you can't just go walking around and not pay attention to your balance.

Low decking the boat would be a possibility, but I wouldn't remove the seat(s) for the reasons given so far. I think high decking that narrow boat would be too dangerous and unstable.

 

[towdog]

Re: Removing bench seat from an aluminum boat..

I recommend going to the forums on http://www.tinboats.net. A wealth of information and tons of people who have done the exact same thing.