Looking for advice...

I've always had a 12 or 14ft tinny as a kid growing up. This past summer (after going about 10 years without one), I bought a 14ft Mirrocraft on Craigslist for $700 (trailer, too!) - the deal was so good I could not pass it up.

However, I since have a wife and my bestfriend (my dog) that I want to bring with me fishing as well. I originally wanted a 14ft boat that had some type of decking or floor so my family and friends and I could maneuver easily around the boat. This boat just has the three bench seats and is extremely awkward for two people.

Now, I literally have zero knowledge when it comes to wood work/carpentry and my "handy man" knowledge is limited to outboards and house hold projects. That being said, building a whole built in floor is out of the question. While they look beautiful and the boats I searched on here came out great, I know I am totally incapable of making my boat totally rigged with a deck.

Point is - I would like to modify this boat somehow to make it more comfortable to get around. What would be the most feasible solution for my problem?

I thought of removing the second seat to open the area between the front bow seat and the back seat. I figured this could open up some room to just walk around in. Would this compromise the stability/structure of the boat? I was thinking of then either using marine carpet on the aluminum or even some of that rubber bedliner material to dampen the vibration and noise.

I was also thinking of drilling down some heavy duty plywood on top of the front seat to the bow of the boat - kind of like a poorman's casting deck? Anyone ever do a small/easy casting platform?

I appreciate any advice and like many, will continue to search for solutions on previous projects. The work many of you do on your boats here is amazing - I wish I had the know-how to complete a top-notch project!

I've attached some pictures to give you an idea of what I am working with!

Thanks again.

Point is - I would like to modify this boat somehow to make it more comfortable to get around. What would be the most feasible solution for my problem?

Click to expand...

It's real simple....get a divorce. You'll have all the room in the world for you, yer best friend, and fishing gear. :lol: It's the greatest thing you could do as a tinny owner. Think about it, you'll have money again, yer hair will start to grow back, you can eat the good food, drink what ever you want, afford a Harley-Davidson, stay out to the early hours of the morning, yer friends and neigbors will think yer cool. 8)

Isn't that the advice we all get from our friends BEFORE we decide to get married? Oh if we only took the advice seriously, no one ever does!

Hope is just a lawyer away. 8)


In the mean time, if you aren't feeling savy with the carpentry and metal working skills, about yer only other option is buy a cordless drill, a couple of bits, a big box of stainless steel screws, and sign up for the West Marine catalog. Bolt ons sounds like yer only option. With removing the center seat, yer most likely going to weaken the hull...not to mention, you may have some rivet holes that will need to be addressed properly.

First off :WELCOME: I think you maybe cutting yourself short. There are many people on here that took on a first time mod and they turned out great. The best thing about this site is help is only a post away. I say you get a idea in head and go for it.

P.S. welcome to the mirrocraft club

I agree. We all started somewhere. The best thing about the old aluminum boats is the ease with which thye can be modified, even by yokels like us There are really only a few rules for aluminum (a.k.a. "tin boats") 1.) NEVER use PRESSURE TREATED wood on a tinny as the metal preservatives used in the wood will have an adverse, galvanic reaction with your hull that will lead to metal fatigue and pitting. Instead use high quality, non-PT, exterior grade plywood and seal it. (I like 3/4", but 1/2" works too) 2.) There are several different methods you can use to seal the wood. The best (and most expensive) is to use 2-part spreadable epoxy, or fiberglass mat & wax free polyester resin. While both of these methods work great, they're a bit pricey, kind of messy and not really worth it for a small jobs. Plus, you usually have to order the supplies. As an alternative, lots of folks use several coats (3-5) of Spar Urethane and/or exterior paint both of which are readily available at lowes/HD. Once all of the wood is well sealed you'll need to mount it to the hull. 3.) Use STAINLESS STEEL hardware (bolts for the transom, SS sheet metal screws for mounting decking and accessories) throughout the boat. Be sure you dip all of the hardware in a bit of 3M 5200 marine sealant prior to installation too. While you can use aluminum pop-rivets for the floor if you like, you must use SS hardware to mount the transom (wood on the back of the boat). 4.) As far as painting the boat, simply sand it with 220 grit paper to remove and old/flaking paint, wipe down with acetone, let dry, spray a light dusting of Zinc Chromate Self-Etching primer, let dry, apply top coat. There are many brands of both paint and primer. Try to use the same brand of each to eliminate any adverse reactions. After the primer has cured you can apply the top coat of your choice. While there are many fancy/expensive marine paints available, you can get amazing results simply using good ol' aerosol Rustoleum paints. Like all paint jobs it's all about the prep.

That's really about it. 1.) NO PT wood...ever! 2.) Seal non-PT wood instead. 3.) Mount with SS hardware dipped in 3M 5200 4.) ZC primer, then paint.

As far as modifying the layout, that's simply a matter if time money and imagination. There's really nothing you can't do with these old tinnies. However, the bench seats provide a certain degree of rigidity to the hull, so if you remove one, be sure you make up for it using bracing of some sort (aluminum angle and flat stock work great and are also readily available at Lowes/HD). My boat started life as a 50's era runabout/ski boat and is now more like a center console flats boat. Good luck. Holler if you get stuck. We LOVE pics

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys.

As mentioned before, I'd love to be able to construct something like some of the members do on here - but we are talking about a guy who had trouble simply cutting a 2x4 in half for trailer bunks.

For starters, I may just get my trolling motor situated and mounted in the front for this summer and start reading and looking at more posts. Hopefully, I can learn a few tips to slowly build my craft. And when I do, I'll be sure to share!

Take out the middle bench - you will not weaken anything on that MirroCraft

You can most definitely take out the middle seat!

And if you do, you can EASILY put a floor between the rear and front seat creating a very nice open area to walk around in.

My advice would be to do one of two things:

1. If you really truly can't even cut a 2x4 in half, then just leave the boat completely alone, use it as it is, and unsubscribe to this site :lol:

2. Reach deep inside and discover your inner craftsman .... mod your boat .... meet awesome people on this site ... have a sweet open floor plan with a flat floor .... feel so good about yourself you quit your job and become a full time boat mechanic.

Seriously though, you CAN remove that seat and put in a flat floor. Its easy. All you need is an angle grinder, a drill, basic screwdrivers, a basic socket set, a hammer, and some wrenches. If you don't have those tools, you can get them all at Harbor Freight for $50 total.

The most important tool though is patience!!!! And a camera Post pics and questions on this site and you will get TONS of very good help.

I was thinking of removing the middle bench as well. Are there any other Mirrocraft owners out there who can vouch that it would not affect the stability of the boat? I think I could handle putting down a floor in that spot, certainly!

Also, been searching for some threads with someone who has done something similar (removing middle bench, putting down some floor) - any takers?

JODGW1776 said:

I was thinking of removing the middle bench as well. Are there any other Mirrocraft owners out there who can vouch that it would not affect the stability of the boat? I think I could handle putting down a floor in that spot, certainly!

Click to expand...

I am a MirroCraft owner and ran the boat for years with out the middle bench - heck it was good even without a floor

Captain Ahab said:

JODGW1776 said:

I was thinking of removing the middle bench as well. Are there any other Mirrocraft owners out there who can vouch that it would not affect the stability of the boat? I think I could handle putting down a floor in that spot, certainly!

Click to expand...

I am a MirroCraft owner and ran the boat for years with out the middle bench - heck it was good even without a floor

Click to expand...

What year/model was the boat?

Also - might be looking to do something like the video below (go to the 1:20 mark) for a casting platform - although it seemed a bit high, no?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPsqy5JgTSM

First off welcome......Dude, don't worry about taking out that bench....I took all of my benches out, and the way my boat is framed I know its stronger than before with the seats. I agree with all, Don't be afraid to try to mod this boat.....You will have plenty of help here. In the long run you can expect to make mistakes, but don't be afraid to try. Your wife and friends can help too.....take it slow and ask all the questions you want. There are a bunch of good people here just waiting to help ya.....go for it. :WELCOME:

I had a 14' MirroCraft that I took ALL the seats out of and put down a plywood floor and built a small front casting platform. It was incredibly easy to do. I kind of hacked it together, but I'm telling you it was the most comfortable and functional layout I've had in a tinny yet. The walking around room was great, and I could stuff tons of gear up under the deck.

I used a 9.9HP on the boat and never had any issues with flexing or any other structural integrity issues. I think the front deck helped a lot in this area. If I didn't have a front deck, I might have left the front seat in place.

I don't have any good pics, but if you look close in these pics you can get the idea. Ignore the fish.

Simon,
Looks like you just bolted that plywood down to the existing front seat, no? Looks sturdy. Looks like the foam in the seats you took out did not really have an affect on the boat either.

Don't remove your middle bench, and don't try to make your boat something it isn't meant to be (an open deck boat).

Sell your boat and buy an open deck boat for more comfort.

Your wife and best friend will be much happier... and so will you!

JODGW1776 said:

Captain Ahab said:

JODGW1776 said:

I was thinking of removing the middle bench as well. Are there any other Mirrocraft owners out there who can vouch that it would not affect the stability of the boat? I think I could handle putting down a floor in that spot, certainly!

Click to expand...

I am a MirroCraft owner and ran the boat for years with out the middle bench - heck it was good even without a floor

Click to expand...

What year/model was the boat?

Also - might be looking to do something like the video below (go to the 1:20 mark) for a casting platform - although it seemed a bit high, no?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPsqy5JgTSM

Click to expand...

I think it is a 1974 - it is a 16' V hull

I actually removed 2 rows of seats and ran it like that for a year before installing the decks and such

There are photos on here somewhere

JODGW1776 said:

Simon,
Looks like you just bolted that plywood down to the existing front seat, no? Looks sturdy. Looks like the foam in the seats you took out did not really have an affect on the boat either.

Click to expand...

No, the front seat was completely removed. I just ran a 2x4 in its place and screwed the plywood deck into that.

Foam only matters if you sink. I try to avoid that.