Spud
09-29-2007, 06:57 PM
Last fall I built a stitch and glue skiff and got some great advice from this forum. You talked me out of trying to use sandwiched foam and put me on to the right plywood. I finished it in March and it is a beautiful little boat that is a joy to fly fish in. This morning I bought a motor for it, but wound up taking a very sound Alumacraft 16' utility boat with it.
I have been thinking about building a lapstrake V hull this winter, but I like the hull configuration of this boat. If I could remove the benches, put in a floor and pedestals or a U shaped rear seat like the one in my skiff (six foot long seats on both sides joined to form a cross-beam seat at the mid line), and a bow casting deck, I would just use this hull.
Is anyone experienced with the process/difficulties of removing the aluminum bench seats and flotation and then installing a floor and/or attaching wood seats in a semi-V hull and willing to provide some ideas? For instance, are the benches likely to be glued in or will the come off if I just drill the rivets? What structure should be used to support the flooring? How should it be attached to the hull? How can I bond a wood seat to the sides or could I preserve the brackets that now hold the benches and attach to them and not have to bond to the sides?
I have been thinking about building a lapstrake V hull this winter, but I like the hull configuration of this boat. If I could remove the benches, put in a floor and pedestals or a U shaped rear seat like the one in my skiff (six foot long seats on both sides joined to form a cross-beam seat at the mid line), and a bow casting deck, I would just use this hull.
Is anyone experienced with the process/difficulties of removing the aluminum bench seats and flotation and then installing a floor and/or attaching wood seats in a semi-V hull and willing to provide some ideas? For instance, are the benches likely to be glued in or will the come off if I just drill the rivets? What structure should be used to support the flooring? How should it be attached to the hull? How can I bond a wood seat to the sides or could I preserve the brackets that now hold the benches and attach to them and not have to bond to the sides?