Meyers 14ft question about removing the bench seats

Hello ladies and gentlemen!!

I just came across this site in search of some ideas of what I can do with my old Meyers aluminum v hull

Problem is I am 6'5" 270 lbs so I need my seat to be taller. I have benches in it now and was thinking of just sitting on an old deck chair straddled across the rear bench

nah...I want something nicer! So it took me on an internet search and I landed here! I am sure this is the right place!

I am seeing a lot of mods I would like to do to this boat, but the site is pretty overwhelming.

Can someone point me to some project boats or other info on my boat or on that is similar? I am looking to see if its possible to remove maybe middle and rear bench and add a floor and some side and front storage on a boat like mine. I just don't know if removing the bench is going to comprise the structure.

I am sure others have done similar and can offer advice to point me in the right direction!!

here is pic if what I have to work with

thanks!!!

The bench seats in small boats serve 3 purposes,
1- a place to sit
2- aid in hull integrity
3- usually are filled with foam to aid in prevent sinking if the boat becomes swamped.

If you need to remove a bench seat, some form of side to floor bracing will need to be installed and any foam removed needs to be replaced somewhere.

Read through the Jon and V boat mods and conversion section https://forum.tinboats.net/viewforum.php?f=21 ... lots of talented people with good advise.

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?t=39912

I'm not familiar with Meyer. In my 14 ' Lund conversion I am happy with the Tempress navistyle hiback seats that could be mounted on your existing seats.


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In a 14’ boat you could remove one of the bench seats without any noticeable structural flexing of the hull there may be some but not a big deal really. I took the middle bench out of my 1448 and it was the best thing I did. Also you could just add a pedestal to the rear bench, I believe they make short ones or you could modify one and make it short. I have a buddy that made an aluminum box and attached it to a rail and put a seat on it so that he could slide it where he wanted it and had a little extra dry storage too.

thanks everyone!

schukster- I really love your boat! I like the idea of replacing the rear bench with what you did instead of removing it. I do happen to have one of those short pedestals someone gave me at some point that I could use.

one question is do you think you added a lot of weight to your craft?

that the one thing I worry about by adding a lot of stuff that the boat did not have in it originally

thanks

i kinda like that stylish deck chair.

lovedr79 said:

i kinda like that stylish deck chair.

Click to expand...

lol yeah, I thought about trying it

just could not go through with it

perchjerker said:

thanks everyone!

schukster- I really love your boat! I like the idea of replacing the rear bench with what you did instead of removing it. I do happen to have one of those short pedestals someone gave me at some point that I could use.

one question is do you think you added a lot of weight to your craft?

that the one thing I worry about by adding a lot of stuff that the boat did not have in it originally

thanks

Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment about my boat.

Adding weight should definitely be a concern during a conversion. I don't have the actually weight that I added with my mods. I'm guessing probably around 200-225 pounds. My Lund was rated for 5 persons. My conversion probably consumes about 1.5 of that rating. I chose wood framing and plywood because I have more carpenter skills than metal working. I went with 2x4s for the framing because I weigh 250+ and I didn't want to worry about the decking failing if I stepped in the wrong place. I used 5x8 inch plywood which provided a very solid deck. The decking that I installed is fairly distributed over the length of the boat so I don't think I created a "heavy" spot. The boat is definitely heavier to roll around on the trailer and sits a little lower in the water. My 9.8 Mercury pushes it around fine but it obviously reduced the top speed. The boat serves my purpose. I would have no concern loading up 3 adults in it for a fishing outing.

Obviously the weight could have been reduced by using 2x2 framing and 1/2 decking. Aluminum framing and possibly decking would likely cut the weight down even more. As I mentioned, my conversion was done using the skills I have and serves my needs and my situation. But you are asking the right questions about being concern with the effects of adding weight to your craft. Make sure to consider the weight of addtional things like trolling motors and batteries if that is part of your plans.

Good luck with your build.

thanks for the reply Shuckster

I am also a big guy (6'5" 270 lbs)
Yes I would be very conscious of what I use and what weight it would add. I may not put those side storage boxes in either, I am not sure. I am also thinking about how I would get in the boat from the dock, I need to step in the center and they might get in the way, but maybe not.

Just thinking out loud

My other concern regards removing the middle bench I am not sure if that's a good idea or not, I am reading both opinions here and I just think it would take away from the strength of the structure.

But it would really improve the layout of the boat if I could somehow add some support on the sides to make up for some of it. The boat will only be used on small inland lakes in northern Michigan

Schukster and I have been discussing this and here is what I came up with.

I work in a automotive test lab and we make test benches out of this extruded structrual aluminum tubing. The stuff is super strong. At times test benches are scrapped when they are not needed any more. At one point I grabbed a bunch of this stuff. I dont have enough to do the whole boat (I dont think I would want to anyway)

My thinking is removing the middle bench and making a support to go in its place sort of like a ladder, I have a friend that can weld this aluminum for me so it would not be that hard. It would attached to the existing brackets on the boat. I would leave the other two benches in place.

Here is a link to the material I have plus a pic of what I am proposing. The section along the floor would be underneath the decking

https://www.zoro.com/8020-extrusion-15s-145-in-l-15-in-w-15-in-h-1515-uls-145/i/G0988836/

for the rest of the boat, I think I am going to follow Schukster's build, might change a few things but thats the general direction I would like to go. I could add the flotation back in the compartments I am going to build