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fish18

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Hello all, New here and have been doing some lurking trying to get the info I need to modify my Lowe 15ft Jonboat.

First off the boat is great shape and has had a couple different types of wooden decks on it. This time i am changing things up.

After reading some posts on the subject of removing bench seats I know alot of you don't recommend it. My boat has a center seat that is riveted to the sides and is not attached to the floor. My structural ribs (6) are spaced at 18 in to center. The seat if removed would leave a gap at 29in inbetween ribs. I would post some pics but it is pouring down rain and it can wait till tommorrow. I am going to remove the seat and then rebrace the gap between the ribs with flat aluminum attached to the existing ribs then another piece on each side
running down to the new aluminum floor I am going to install.
The floor is going to need a piece of 90in by 41in aluminum and will be supported by the ribs that go across the boat bottom.

Questions What thickness will I need to use for the floor? 0.80,0.90,1.25 ect remember it will be well supported by the ribs.

After removing the seat whats the best way of filling the rivet holes? I do not have a rivet gun and am thinking stainless steel bolts,washers and nuts with 5200 applied. I have also found a aluminum putty that is available anyone tried it? epoxy/aluminum putty made by a couple companies comes in a tube and is kneeded in hands then applied.

I am having a hard time finding aluminum here in MD any suggestions. I am close to Virginia,Deleware,DC area.

Any and all advice is welcome! I will post a pic of what I am starting with and will take it from there. Thanks
 
I've used the aluminum/epoxy putty in the tube like you are talking about - I've had no problems with leaks. I used that stuff in another boat that had a hole the size of a half dollar and it fixed it up right. I packed it pretty heavy and then sanded the outside to match the contours of the boat bottom.. can't even tell it was on there after I painted it.

As far as flooring, if aluminium is going to be your main floor, you probably wanna ask bassboy1 - his boat is all aluminum as well.
 
fish18, for what its worth, I have a 1999 Lowe 1448 Big Jon , I contacted Lowe Boats directly and spoke to an engineer about removing the center bench seat. He told me that the model boat I had was not built out of heavy enough aluminum to remove the center bench and that doing so would greatly reduce the integrity of the boat. He did state however the Roughneck series is a heavy more durable boat and that has been performed on those before. I still would like to remove mine but scared to do so, post pics of the bracing if you can. good luck
 
Structural integrity is exactly why I re-riveted the two panels between the original two livewells. I wanted to remove them, but figured I could create a small storage box there. It will be a "step over" to get from front to back and vice versa, but, because I had already removed some of the upper cross supports that held the original rear deck in place, a little side to side support would be better than none. See rebirth of the tin post. I would recomend to leave the seat, unless you plan on tying in some type of upper, side to side support system, such as to hold a deck in place.
 
I appreciate the input keep it coming ! Here is the boat I am working on

IMG_0829.JPG

I need help with the gauge of aluminum to use on the floor???????

will take it from there....... Thank's
 
I sure hope you meant .080, .090 and .125. 1.25 inch stuff is EXPENSIVE! (Caps used for a reason). Not to mention heavy, and overkill.

I used .090 on my rig, and wasn't crazy about it, but it is what I had. The end result is fine, and I am probably a little lighter overall, but there was a lot more labor involved, than if I went with thicker stuff.
Here is mine.
https://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,482,00.html
Now, you see on my lower deck, I had to put those 1 x 1 tubes longitudinally. There is no way that .090 material, even the 6061 T6 I used, which has the most bending resistance, will be strong enough just on the existing transverse stringers on the boat. .125 is somewhat iffy there. Would probably work fine, but anybody who has been around something that I am in the process of building knows that I overbuild stuff. I usually take what is considered exceptional, and allow it to be acceptable. But, .1875 is probably to heavy/pricey for your budget.

You will have a noticeable difference in stiffness if you have support on the two sides of the hull, as opposed to just the front and back. If you take that, and get a piece welded between the ribs on each side, or rivet/bolt it in yourself (I assume you don't have welding capabilities), then you will probably be much better as far as stiffness is concerned, and .125 would be just fine. Now, you would see me doing that, and adding one brace in the middle, likely diagonally, but still using the .125 material.

Hope that helps.
 
2 part question.
1. Bassboy is the .90 not rigid enough? Too much flex?
2. Fish18 you can get a rivot gun that will do the big rivots like 1/4" at Harbor Freights. If you don't have a Harbor Freights where you live then go online to https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41291. You can get a rivot gun for $20 bucks versus the $150 models everyone else sells. It will work fine.
Good Luck
 
I am a Lucky fellow. I ran into a guy who not only has modified his boat, welds, and has all the equipment to weld aluminum. I told him what I wanted to do and he said no problem he could take care of it all. He has all the material for the front deck and I am buying the rest from a local aluminum shop. He will remove the seat and either weld or rivet the old rivet holes. Build a new rib from flat bar aluminum and weld it to existing ribs of boat. He will build the front deck out of all aluminum nothing special here just extending the deck 3ft for storage no hatches it will remain open for access in the front, on this deck goes a pedestal seat. He is building a raised platform for the electric motor. For the floor 1 sheet of .125 of aluminum and is getting a few support braces. Will mount a pedestal seat on the rear bench and other than carpet thats it. End result is storage space in front, wide open boat no middle seat, and if I am lucky this will all cost a little over $300.00. I drop the boat off on Monday and will leave him a camera to get the pics as he does the work. He will work on it in his spare time and proly be about 3-4 week turnaround.
The only drawback to this project is he lives 2.5 hrs away but I am not complaining I think I am getting a great deal! Alway's had a wood deck that weighed a ton this should be a lot different.
I will get the pics up after I get the boat back Till then SEA YA! :D
 
On the way to drop the boat off I bought the Aluminum and much to my surprise I think I got a great deal.

1 sheet of 4x8ft .125 5052 135.00
1 1 1/2 x 3/16 12ft flat bar for new ribs after bench seat removal 10.00
1 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 3/16 25ft floor support 50.00

Angle was alittle expensive but I thought the sheet price was going to be more. Any way it turns out that after my friend who is doing the work looked over the boat he let me know I won't be needing all the angle because the floor just won't need that much support since I got the .125 instead of .090 ( which was 110.00 ) so he will buy the left over angle from me or knock it off is labor cost. He is going to take the pics as the work is being done and as soon as I get them I will put them up, since he is doing this in his spair time for under 100.00 which includes all the aluminum to build the new front deck, new motor mount, ect it will be about a 3-4 week turnaround and a ongoing picture show..............
 
fish18 said:
On the way to drop the boat off I bought the Auminum and much to my surprise I think I got a great deal.

1 sheet of 4x8ft .125 5052 135.00
1 1 1/2 x 3/16 12ft flat bar for new ribs after bench seat removal 10.00
1 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 3/16 25ft floor support 50.00

Angle was alittle expensive but I thought the sheet price was going to be more. Any way it turns out that after my friend who is doing the work looked over the boat he let me know I won't be needing all the angle because the floor just won't need that much support since I got the .125 instead of .090 ( which was 110.00 ) so he will buy the left over angle from me or knock it off is labor cost. He is going to take the pics as the work is being done and as soon as I get them I will put them up, since he is doing this in his spair time for under 100.00 which includes all the aluminum to build the new front deck, new motor mount, ect it will be about a 3-4 week turnaround and a ongoing picture show..............
Angle was probably still high as it is old stock that hasn't been sold yet. The price is going down starting at the suppliers, so most prices on new shipments will be lower.

After getting a deal like that on the labor, and bow deck aluminum, be sure to tip that guy well, and offer to take him fishing. You got a steal there. 1 - 1.5 hours labor in most places, and I assure you that project is going to take him more than that.
 
Friend has been working full time lately but finally started on the boat, yea just my luck he has some time and it pours down rain all day. :D He has removed the middle bench and has started the front deck. Work in progress Well worth the wait...........
BoatMods photobucket.jpganother angle
photo3.jpg
 
A few more pictures, the new ribs where the bench seat was, and the aluminum for the front deck. Nothing is riveted to boat yet,
th_bm8.jpg
th_bm7.jpg
The new ribs have been welded, and will be pop riveted in place using the same rivet holes that held the seat inplace.
 
Larger Pics
New1.jpg
New2.jpg

The ribs also have a 45degree piece of flat bar welded inbetween the bottom ribs and side ribs.
They are hard to see in the picture but they are there for added support. What's left to do is add support to the front deck for the pedestal seat and rivet it to boat, build and attach the trolling motor mount to front deck, cut the new floor, , after cutting the aluminum for the floor the left over is going to be cut and supported in the rear of boat for the batteries to sit on,build the rear pedestal seat mount support. Hope the larger pics help. I think if you click on the pic it gets even bigger?
 

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