Bench seat removal might actually be possible?

I was having a look at the little 10ft tinny thst I bought for its motor, I actually kind of like it.
But looking inside I noticed the two full height bracers on either side of the middle bench seat.
I think IMHO that this old girl has more then enough rigidity that the middle seat isn't actually doing anything, and as my old trade school teachers used to say "rigidity is the ****" :LOL2:

But seriously does anyone think I'm wrong? As it stands I'm very tempted to break out at angle grinder.

I don't know the answer but think those pressed grooves along the sides also have to add a lot of strength to the hull. I tend to be cautious with stuff like this. If it were me I would be looking to add some kind of bracing if I removed the seat. Or, perhaps remove a potion of the middle of the seat and secure the remaining seat side pieces to the floor. This is just my non-expert opinion. I'm not a structural designer. :?

I’d guess that if you aren’t pounding it thru heavy surf, it will hold up fine without it. Pretty short boat so can’t imagine a lot of flex there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That heavily ribbed side adds to its rigidity, I cant flex any part of it.
Its only going to have a maximum of a 5hp motor on it, so its not going to get pounded.
I'm giving it a run this afternoon with both a 2.3hp Evinrude and a 21lb electric motor.
I bought this boat for the 8hp Evinrude that came with it, but its very solid, cleaning up good and gas a flatter hull so should be reasonably stable.

I guess I will have a better idea when I get back.

People have been doing that to working boats for centuries. The way you add back stiffness to a hull is to simply mount a wood rail along the gunnels. If you stiffen that line of the boats structure it will prevent the sidewalls from bowing out just as effectively as the seat did. That wood railing also becomes a handy place to mount things like rod holders.. etc..

Yea, it looks like the ribs formed into the gunwales are pretty deep and should help with stiffness, Don't destroy it taking out just in case you decide to re-attach. The boat is small enough that you could roll up on it's side and apply force to see if the side flexes much.

I second Shaugh way of doing it. And it would be really easy and cheap to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've pretty much decided not to do it, I'm going to sell that biat and put my effort into my good boat.
I will buy another one later and have a play with it.
I think I will keep an eye out for a duck punt.