order of operations?

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acabtp

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framing, steelflex, and paint

i am using aluminum for the framing on my 14' boat, so flipping the boat over with the additional weight won't really be a big deal. i am leaning towards doing the framing first just in case I end up putting any rivets below the water line, I can seal over them. but it seems like most other people on here steelflex first, then do everything else. i definitely want to do the paint last so I don't have any bare rivets showing.

thoughts?
 
I did about 90% of my interior structural work before applying Steelflex. Now I'm installing doublers under the transom supports, drilling holes for anchor/navigation lights and trolling motor plug along with cut-out for the electrical switch panel. Then, I'll be ready to paint the inside, install hatches, seats, electrical control panel, rear deck panel, bilge pump, cleats and then wire the boat. I think the order which you have laid-out is about right.
 
i was also wondering which order to do everything in. so if i planned on cutting bench seats in my 12 ft jon for storage, should i do that cutting first and paint after or vice versa?
 
jpawol said:
i was also wondering which order to do everything in. so if i planned on cutting bench seats in my 12 ft jon for storage, should i do that cutting first and paint after or vice versa?

Removing floatation foam from your benches isn't a good idea.
 
jpawol said:
i was also wondering which order to do everything in. so if i planned on cutting bench seats in my 12 ft jon for storage, should i do that cutting first and paint after or vice versa?

I don't know if it's right or not but that's what I am doing. I want to lay-out everything and do all the cutting and drilling I need to do before I paint the inside. I can install the components afterwards.
 
jigngrub said:
jpawol said:
i was also wondering which order to do everything in. so if i planned on cutting bench seats in my 12 ft jon for storage, should i do that cutting first and paint after or vice versa?

Removing floatation foam from your benches isn't a good idea.
Why not? Adding 400 lbs of deck batteries and gear without adding foam is a bad idea as well. But we all do it.
 
I did the steelflex first and am doing my aluminum framing now. I am tossed on what I should do, I have some angle that I need to attach to the side but don't want to drill and have to put more steelflex on.

In the end I will just have to mix up a batch of steelflex and do all my touchups at once since I have some extra left over.

If possible I would do as much framing and accessory attaching before hand but that's not always feasible, good luck!

P.S.- a bit of advice for the steelflex application, I used a squeegee to spread it around and then used a roller to make it even/pretty.....worked awesome.
 
Bugpac said:
Why not? Adding 400 lbs of deck batteries and gear without adding foam is a bad idea as well. But we all do it.

Uh-yeah, if you'll think about it that 400 lbs. is included in your max. capacity allowance and that's what your floatation is figured for. Common sense will tell you that.

When you remove all of the floatation from a rear or middle bench you reduce your boats ability to float the max. capacity by over 1/3 because the rear and middle benches are always bigger than the front bench. So if your max cap. is 600 lbs and you've removed floatation from a big bench it will only take 400 lbs. to send your boat to the bottom of the lake.

I've noticed a lot of "Lemmings" on this site removing middle benches and floatation foam just because they saw someone else on this site do it without considering the consequences of their actions... don't be a Lemming, pay attention to valid advice! If not for your own personal safety, then for the safety of your passengers! How many members here take family and friends out on their boat with them? Your children wives, Dads, brothers, girl friends, and fishin' buddies. Imagine how you'd feel if one of them lost their life due to your negligence!
 
eh, flotation foam provides a false sense of security. nobody on here who installs it actually tests out their installations to verify that it will float the weight they think it will (am I wrong? i've never seen pics of this). doesn't help with hypothermia.

back ON TOPIC, seems like doing the framing before the steelflex is the way to go. thanks guys.
 
My boat is virtually brand new, tho its a 2007 it never hit the water till 2011, the rear bench seat was cut open and all the foam removed, now do we think the 100lbs of water logged foam, would make the boat sink or float? How many other boats have we seen factory foam removed that was waterlogged? Several. So realistically, your playing the lottery if you do capsize, you may get lucky and the factory float foam is still floatable, or you may be screwed and sink to the bottom. how many people cut holes in the decked foam to see if it is good, before they take anyone out in there boat?

Back to the topic, I would do as much as possible before any paint or steelflex, 99% of the time I have seen, u always forget something and need to drill,cut, etc.
 
Instead of being so general twlling a guy in one sentance that removing the seat is a bad idea because of foam, suggestions should be given on how to properly do it and how the foam can be added back to make it safe again. It is more than safe to remove a bench with the proper foam and restructure afterwards. Boaters helping boaters!!

With that being said i appologize, nothing personal against anyone but it can be a good safe boat that can be enjoyed so much better afterwards.

Back to the topic. Yes i would definately find a good, secure place to re-add the foam and/or new foam (you cant have too much thats for sure!).

You could add it under the floor or in boxes made above the floor. As long as whatever is holding it in the boat is securely in place and won't float away.

Also, i would not remove the bench without re-adding structure back into the boat as good or better than before. Many people including myself have found great luck with angle aluminum fabricated from the sides to the dloor or sides to the ribs in the floor. I did mine to the floor as a means of keeping my floor( and all my foam) attached to the boat.

Doing it this way not only added WAY more foam then was initially in my boat, but strengthened the sides on my boat as good or better as before. Angle i used was 1 1/2x1 1/2 and 1/8 inch thick.

Good luck on the mod i hope to see updates!!!!! Here is a picture ofmy floor under and also the side supports
 

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Dman23 said:
Instead of being so general twlling a guy in one sentance that removing the seat is a bad idea because of foam, suggestions should be given on how to properly do it and how the foam can be added back to make it safe again. It is more than safe to remove a bench with the proper foam and restructure afterwards. Boaters helping boaters!!

If someone wants to know how to remove and relocate their foam they should ask, but I get the impression that most that do remove their foam have no intention of relocating it... and in the above posts with the guys removing it from the benches of their 12' tinnies there really isn't any place on the boat to relocate that much foam. Not on a 12 footer with a low max capacity.

I notice you only have braces on the port side of your boat and a rod holder on the starboard instead of braces, your bracing is only half way done and your "floatation deck" will more than likely float out of your boat should you start taking on water. Some nice full width bench seats would support your sides and secure your "floatation deck" from floating away.
 
I would suggest doing all your framework first...as you stated you have some rivets that will be thru the hull. I bet I only have maybe 15lbs of aluminum framing on my boat, so flipping it to paint should not be too bad. I am holding off on the paint for the outside until I have my framing 100%. I don't want to do any touch up. Once I paint the outside I will then turn the boat back over and start all the wood work. To me this seems like the logical sequence. As far as the foam goes, just think it through. Make sure you support the sides of the gunwale where you take the seats out and you should be ok. You can always put more foam back into the boat than the original seats had anyways....depends on how you want to do it. Oh yea good PFD's will always keep you or your passenger from going to the bottom of the lake, no matter how much foam you put back.
 
No all 4 brackets are the same on my boat, the rod holders are just lightly screwed into the same angle as the other side of the boat.

I would not recomend only supporting one side at all.
 
Bugpac said:
My boat is virtually brand new, tho its a 2007 it never hit the water till 2011, the rear bench seat was cut open and all the foam removed, now do we think the 100lbs of water logged foam, would make the boat sink or float? How many other boats have we seen factory foam removed that was waterlogged? Several. So realistically, your playing the lottery if you do capsize, you may get lucky and the factory float foam is still floatable, or you may be screwed and sink to the bottom. how many people cut holes in the decked foam to see if it is good, before they take anyone out in there boat?

Back to the topic, I would do as much as possible before any paint or steelflex, 99% of the time I have seen, u always forget something and need to drill,cut, etc.

It is every boat owners responsibility to perform periodic inspections and maintenance, if your boat had waterlogged foam it hadn't been inspected or maintained... but rather neglected.

Proper inspections and maintenance will eliminate problems such as this, you'll be alerted to issues that cause these problems before they become problems and you can prevent them from becoming problems with the proper maintenance.
 

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