Aluminum Flooring

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DKHunter

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I have a 1448 Big Jon and am putting in aluminum floors. Any reccomendations as to what guage aluminum should I use. I plan on putting down 3/4 inch square aluminum over the braces running front to back. I was thinking every 9 inches or so.
 
I ran .080" with cross brases every 16" or so. .100" will still want some bracing. Some folks say put rigid insulation under the floor but it's bad practice to put foam within 4" of the bottom of the boat since it's likely to come in contact with fuel during a mishap. .063" is pretty thin but could work too if you brace it close enough and don't mind the flex underfoot. I wouldn't run anything over .100 because the weight adds up quick.

Jamie
 
Ranchero50 said:
Some folks say put rigid insulation under the floor but it's bad practice to put foam within 4" of the bottom of the boat since it's likely to come in contact with fuel during a mishap.

Jamie

Interesting fact that I never considered. There needs to be a Master List of things like this on this site.
 
Unless you have had mishaps in the past, I'd say 4" is very conservative. Even with portable tanks, they will typically be at/near transom and if there was a small spill, typicllay not going to flow forward.
 
FuzzyGrub said:
Unless you have had mishaps in the past, I'd say 4" is very conservative. Even with portable tanks, they will typically be at/near transom and if there was a small spill, typicllay not going to flow forward.


I'm just parroting what the Coast Guard's Boat Builder Handbook recommends. They probably have some pretty good experince with folks trying to kill themselves on the water... :shock:

Jamie
 
Ranchero50 said:
FuzzyGrub said:
Unless you have had mishaps in the past, I'd say 4" is very conservative. Even with portable tanks, they will typically be at/near transom and if there was a small spill, typicllay not going to flow forward.


I'm just parroting what the Coast Guard's Boat Builder Handbook recommends. They probably have some pretty good experince with folks trying to kill themselves on the water... :shock:

Jamie


Which may explain why so conservative. Any boat I have had with factory flooring, nevered followed that rule. With most boats discussed here, going with 4" spacing between boat bottom and foam, would mean not enough floatation under the floor, and would need significant foam elsewhere. I like to have 1"spacing but that was more for water draining.

Gas will turn the foam to goo. Even if you are prone to over filling, maybe a spill tray is a better approach when you have limited room for foam.
 
Ranchero50 said:
FuzzyGrub said:
Unless you have had mishaps in the past, I'd say 4" is very conservative. Even with portable tanks, they will typically be at/near transom and if there was a small spill, typicllay not going to flow forward.


I'm just parroting what the Coast Guard's Boat Builder Handbook recommends. They probably have some pretty good experince with folks trying to kill themselves on the water... :shock:

Jamie

Interesting thought but... I have never spilled enough gas to fill the channels below my foam and my boat usually doesn't have any excess water in it. Myself I used foam below the aluminum and I'd do it again. Just my opinion. But good point Jamie.
 
I was able to use .063 when I had my first boat. But.....I did have foam in the floor and the aluminum was secured to the boat cross braces. The foam was sturdy enough to give it great support between the braces. I wasn't worried about the gas issue because I only put flooring between the front deck and the back deck. The gas tanks sat up in a compartment in the back deck. It would have to be a bad spill to reach the foam.
 

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If your running bracing every 9", you will likely be happier not doing so and running .125, the weight is likely gonna be so close to the same it isn't noticeable. I ran .125 on my floor directly to the ribs at about 16-18" apart.
 
How come no ones mentioned perforated aluminium flooring. It would be lighter then plain solid aluminium. Just run braces like your talking about and rivet it in or use stainless screws. That's what most boats around here have. Check out the link below.
https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=20860
 

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