How to determine floor level in v-hull conversion?

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Chess

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Hello all
I am a new poster to this site but have been reading threads for a couple months. I recently purchased a 14' shallow V Arkansas Traveler with trailer on Craig's list for $400 that I hope to finish modifying this summer. I have read just about every conversion thread on this site and have learned so much from locating and fixing leaks to electrical wiring to light weigh constructions methods. I have reached the point where I want to install a level floor. The boat has three bench seats. I plan leaving the support structures for the front and rear benches and cutting out a rectangular section of the middle bench support about 3 feet across but leaving a good portion of the bench support attached so that I don't hurt its structural integrity. This will provide me with an unimpeded walkway in the boat of about 3 feet wide and 8.5 feet long. I'm an overweight old guy and prefer to sit inside a boat rather than stand up on casting platforms.

As I have look through all the prior projects I haven't seen how people determine what is level. I started thinking that I could run a level board across the gunnels and measure down to where I want the floor to be but my little boat is a bit deeper in the bow than in the stern. I am now wondering if I should place a level across the middle seat and then adjust the boat on the trailer until the middle seat is level then cut out the rectangle using a square and then extending supports forward and aft level with the center seat.

Does this make sense or is there a better way to go about this or am i overthinking it? I appreciate any insights.
 
One tip I find to do first, is to equip the boat like normally used - less your new floor - then float the boat. It's a good check to do and simple.

I used a longer level that spanned from the middle seat to either the stern or rear seat. NOTE most boats will sit a tad bow high and that is preferable, so that rain and water sheds off the deck and runs to the stern.

But you should be close, IMHO, by at a minimum of following the plane established from the middle seat to that of the bow seat.
 
Here's what I did. I put a 2x4 across the benches and then leveled it off using the jack stand on the trailer. Then I started making the cross members for the floor support and leveled them off. I then put a straight edge across those members and marked a line one the middle seat.

Check out my build and let me know if have any questions.
 

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