Bow framing question.

I have a Lowe Roughneck currently going into a bass boat transition. I have the seats taken out and am down to the hull and the ribs. I am ready to start framing the bow with aluminum angle, however I noticed where the trasition to the point of the bow begins, the ribs are not squared to the side. The ribs towards the front angle differently. Does anyone have a recommendation on fixing the angle to the ribs and still keeping them squared with the deck that will be installed? Would it be find to just bend the angle to make it fit then rivet angle to it?

Are you looking at this issue as just an annoying cosmetic thing ?
Or, structural?
Or, will not be able to square your decking correctly ?

If you want to correct it just for cosmetics, you will cause more problems
than it is worth. You must drill out all the rivets, put your rib straight,
install new rivets, fill the old rivet holes - yada yada yada.

If it were MY boat, I would figure out how to install creepers. That term is used
in the construction world to "fill in" where something is not square, plumb, or level.
Then, after you have all your framing "square", you will not see the creepers once
your deck is all buttoned up. Of course you will see the new rivets from the outside,
but, in this instance you might have to make some sacrifices to get the results you want.

Jus my dos centavos.


and :WELCOME:

A sketch would help. Not sure exactly what your dilemma is.

When I did my fore-deck, I used sheet 5052, maybe 3/64" thick (can't remember the gauge) and made brackets, bent to mate with the curvature of the hull. Rivet bracket to rib/hull and to angle?

I did the best I could to illustrate the problem I am having. the problem im having isn't with the ribs them selves or the asthetic appeal, but how to fix aluminum angle to the ribs while keeping the angle squared to the deck surface.

Here is a picture of the actual hull, as you can see the ribs at the front are angled oddly.

MinuteMan, if I where to bend the aluminum angle, would it loose any strength?

I wouldn't try and bend the angle. I was suggesting using some pieces of sheet stock to join the angle to hull/ribs. Photo shows what I did for a bow deck - not exactly what you are doing (I don't think) but maybe some variation?

That's interesting. I will look into it!