Cutting a deck/Floor question

Im planning on putting a front and rear deck section in my boat tracker v-12 and I am wondering what the best method is as far as tracing out the floor. What do you guys do? Cardboard template? Lay the plywood over top and trace the outside, the cut an inch or two smaller?

A second question... being that it is a 12' boat with a 600lb capacity (im hoping it will handle closer to 800)
I am wondering how you figure it will sit if i am alone, in the back with a 100~ lb honda 9.9 4stroke in the back?
and recomendations to keep the front end down while at a slow troll?

Welcome Aboard !!

in a boat less than 14 feet, you really have to pay attention to your center of balance.
the higher you build the floor - the less stable it will be.
depending on your body size and how you walk around in your boat will determine
the amount of safe mobility you will have.

as for the method to use for cutting the plywood, there are several very good threads
here about using the "Tick-Stick" procedure.
https://www.forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=36265&p=396740&hilit=joggle+stick#p396740
also the good old YouTube has several good videos of the process.
if you can't find it with the "search" feature above, try to google "joggle stick" for pattern making.
take into consideration that your boat side hulls are not 90 degrees with the floor.
so if you want a tight fit, you must angle the under cut appropriately to obtain that nice tight fit.
oh - cardboard is a lot cheaper than plywood !!! so use that in your template making.
a hot-melt glue gun and some cheap lattice strips are your best friends in pattern making !

photos will help the gallery help you