Installing Floor in Aluminum Boat

I'm new to this community - hope this is the right place to post this question! I have a 1979 Lund 14' deep V aluminum boat that I would like to convert to looking more like a bass boat. I would like to add a floor and also a casting deck up in front.

I have concerns and am wondering if anyone has experience doing this? My boat has 3 benches so I've considered removing the middle bench, however I've heard doing so severly affects flotation since styrofoam flotation is within the benches. I'm also wondering the best materials to use for the floor - I'm assuming some type of marine treated plywood with marine carpet?

If anyone has done this before and has tips for how to design/construct this I would love to hear from you! Thanks!

 

we call it a sole, there are two types broadly, sealed and lift up
you could make a sealed one this way
clean the alloy and then glue with sika flex, wooden cleats around the margins Then using ply as your sole boards. You epoxy the ply to seal it and you could fill under with foam or (dont laugh, plastic bottles There is no reason that it could not be watertight The other way is to loose fit the sole floorboards Sika is amazingly strong, it bonds to metal
the other way is welded framework, but your boat is too light and probably to thin skinned to do this

 

....and leave the carpet at your terrace.....

It is one of the best killers of maritime structures.

Regards
Richard

 

Apex has uttered the gospel. Forget the damned carpet, your boat is not your living room. Carpet accumulates moisture, fish hooks, worm guts, evil bacteria, and fish smell, all the while setting up a perfect atmosphere for wood rot.