Riveted vs. welded aluminum deck bracing/support

I'd like to build a casting deck for a boat I just got. At first I was going to just go with wood, but I don't wanna weigh it down too much. I've seen videos and pics of other mods where people decided to go with riveted aluminum bracing/supports, rather than welded. For any of you who have done the same that may be reading this, how well have the rivets held up over time?

I extended my bow deck back about 18" and added a frame with 3 hatches for storage. I also added a floor the length of my hull. All with 1/8" aluminum sheet and riveted to pieces of aluminum angle and the ribs on my floor. The angle supports are rivet to the hull/gunwale with solid rivets. My sheet is attached with blind rivets. Haven't had a single rivet come loose in almost 2 years. We use my boat pretty hard, especially during duck season. Now I have had a few rivet heads break off on my bow deck, but those were the factory Tracker rivets installed in '96.

I have never had a fully welded boat.
In my world, if you put ENOUGH rivets to hold everything in place,
you should not have any problems.
I think that when you don't use ENOUGH rivets, it gives the hull more room to
flex thus weakening the rivets and they come loose or pop their heads.
If you are new to boats, new to metals and metal working, this may be a whole
new world in your learning curve. MY rule of thumb is one or two rivets every two inches
in high stress areas. One rivet every 4 to 6" in places that do not have much stress on them.

Jus my dos centavos

BigTerp said:

Haven't had a single rivet come loose in almost 2 years. We use my boat pretty hard, especially during duck season. Now I have had a few rivet heads break off on my bow deck, but those were the factory Tracker rivets installed in '96.

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Good to know. I just checked out your boat, man. You guys did a hell of a job!

Thanks man!! It was quite the job. But I'm glad we took our time and made it exactly the way I wanted.