Re: Rowboat Mods...
Welcome .
Stainless fasteners will work fine , especially since you are in fresh water .
Beware of removing that middle bench seat , as it is a structural piece .
If you do decide to remove it , you need to reinforce the hull with your new deck supports .
My advice is to leave it alone and use it to support the deck , add hatches in the area between the front and middle seats for storage and a livewell .
Don't put the deck higher than the seat tops , for stabillity reasons .
You want to keep the center of gravity as low as practical and still be safe .
You can use 1/2" exterior ply for the deck , coat with resin to seal it .
You could also use aluminum sheet , no thicker than .125" ( 1/8" ) , for something even lighter .
Drawback is noise , and , it is expensive stuff if you buy new .
Check your local scrap dealers , chances are you can find what you need , for ~ $1 a lb .
For the framing , aluminum angle is a strong lightweight choice .
Again , see that scrap dealer .
Since the hull is riveted , you may find some rivets needing re-bucked .
You can do this with a ballpein hammer and a block of solid steel , if you have a helper .
For a deluxe set-up , get a pnuematic hammer gun , and , a rivet set .
Check Ebay and search " rivet set " .
These are used for aircraft rivets , and , there are alway a lot to be had for cheap to reasonable , including the hammer guns and bucking bars .
I just got a set of 40 for under $100 , all sizes and lengths , including offsets for those odd corners .
You can also get them new for $5 - $50 each + shipping from many other websites .
For the solid rivets , search Ebay again , this time for "solid rivets" .
There are always lots of aluminum aircraft rivets for decent prices , all sizes /lengths / head types .
Grainger sells them for decent prices also .
Brazier heads are used if you are going through the hull , the flush heads (100 degree ) are great for the framing if you want to mount a deck on top of it .
You will need an approprite countersink if you use them , however .
Ebay again...
Consider mounting that battery toward the stern , no further forward than midship . Weight distribution is a vital consideration for these small craft .
If you are forward on the deck casting , those v hulls will make trolling a PIA , as the boat will be bow down and hard to keep straight when you casting from the forward deck .
The length of the leads for the trolling motor will be of little concern on a 14' , even if the battery is in the stern you will at most have to step up to 4 gauge wire with a troller under 50lbs thrust on your bow .
The elevated short deck at the bow is also great for mounting that trolling motor , + you can use the space between it and the lower deck for some semi-dry storage .
That 9.9 'rude should push your rig fine , just check the capacity plate before moving up .
That 14'er is probably rated for 20-25 horsepower max .
For wiring , 14 gauge is fine for accesory cicuits , (nav lights , courtesy lights , dock lights , bilge pump , livewell aereator pump , etc..) .
Get a marine rated fuse block for 6 circuits , and , a good switch panel .
A 40 amp manual reset circuit breaker should also go between the troller and the battery .
I like 1/2" sch 40 pvc for keeping those wires secured , split loom for tight bends .
FYI , you can bend PVC by heating it , then carefully bend to the desired angle/radius and hold untill it cools .
To prevent kinking , fill it with sand before heating and bending , pulling the ends of the piece while bending also helps .
