First restoration project - it's going to be a fun winter!!

I've been lurking around this forum for a while now, soaking up the wealth of information.

Last night I finally jumped in and purchased my first aluminum boat (the guy was practically giving it away!!). Planning on this being a fun restoration project for over the winter.

It's a 12' 1976 Klamath (see pics).

My plan at the moment:

Empty out all the crap
Fill with water to check for leaks
Buck/replace any damaged rivets
Clean, sand, prime, paint
Build out the rear bench to include storage for gas and battery
Build out the front bench to include storage for life vests and gear

Then to the tricky part. What to do with the middle of the boat?

I have 2 dogs that LOVE to go fishing with me. I'd really like to have the floor space open in the middle of the boat.

I've read about removing bench seats on tons of forums and it seems to be a 50/50 split on whether I should or shouldn't.

Not sure how much the middle bench contributes to the structural integrity of the boat? It's not fully attached through the height of the bench - see close up pics.

If I build a flat floor, raised to the top of where the bench is riveted to the hull (see close up pic) - (don't want to go too high as that could mess with center of gravity and send me (or the dogs) over the edge) - I could use some of the space between the hull and the floor for storage and some for foam (to compensate for lost flotation by removing the bench).

This raises some questions and possibilities:

1.) Would tying the floor framing into the hull maintain structural integrity enough?

2.) Should I add a couple treated wood triangles (kinda like shelf brackets) above the floor each side to tie the hull into the floor higher up without losing too much floor space?

3.) If I built narrow storage boxes down each side, attached to the floor and the hull, would that keep the thing from flexing?

4.) What about cutting out a section in the middle of the bench to create a "walk through" but leaving the bottom 6 inches (under the new floor) and a foam filled box either side?

Thanks in advance for the advice - looking forward to restoring this thing!!

Sweet! Another West Coast Boat! I prefer benches. I have an open now. They make the boat rock solid and you can step on them to be higher or off to be more stable. The dogs will find their place between them and they separate all your gear. They look fantastic refinished with varnish as well. Just because you see the boats here that are hacked up does not mean there are not 10 more left as intended. A storage hatch in two of them will hold a lot of gear out of the weather and a rod holder on the side does just fine. Good luck whatever you decide and keep the pictures coming!