14 vhull mirrocraft

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Rookie1719

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Hi everyone,

I did some searching around here and see some people have done what I’d like to do. I have a 14 ft mirrocraft about 2 years old. I hate having 3 benches in it, used it a lot last year and jumping over the middle seat.

Can I actually remove it ? I’ve seen a lot of mods on here with people who have. Does it cause weakness to the boat ? I’d add the flooring to the bottom the whole length of the boat. Just looking for ideas ... if anyone has a thread I can look at let me know.

Thank you
 

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Welcome aboard.
You may want to checkout "Boat Benches" in the link for boat modifications.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3156

Good luck.
jasper


Rookie1719 said:
Hi everyone,

I did some searching around here and see some people have done what I’d like to do. I have a 14 ft mirrocraft about 2 years old. I hate having 3 benches in it, used it a lot last year and jumping over the middle seat.

Can I actually remove it ? I’ve seen a lot of mods on here with people who have. Does it cause weakness to the boat ? I’d add the flooring to the bottom the whole length of the boat. Just looking for ideas ... if anyone has a thread I can look at let me know.

Thank you
 
I left the foam filled benches in my boat. I bought a brand new boat in 1999, a month after I bought it I put a hole in it and it filled with water. It was totaled but without the floatation it would’ve sank with all my gear. Add floatation if you remove it, perhaps under the floor.
 
I've read other posts that talk about big environmental cleanup fees that can apply when a boat sinks. That might be another factor to consider if floatation is being removed.

Or, maybe it is better to remove all floatation and let it sink out of sight, Then when the environmental consultant experts come you can say "Boat, what boat?" (only kidding!).
 
My dad removed the center seat in a 16 ft Lowe V - the floor flexed quite a bit an created all kinds of loose rivets - tried flaring them and after they started leaking again, put a 3 inch aluminum square tube down the keep and began using JB weld on the rivets.

The seat is a support, you will need to do something to stiffen the floor.

See how much foam you have in the boat - 1 cubic foot of foam will float about 60# - figure out how safe things are. You ideally want a level float so the boat doesn't roll.
 
After some research and discussions in other forums. The middle bench is a floating device ... correct. Adding a sub floor with foam will add more floatation than 2 seats. Removing the middle bench and adding a storage bin ... basically a box from the back bench to the front will provide just as much stability.

I’m still deciding if I want to do that or make it a walk through. Nonetheless the floor is going in a deep v is awkward to fish off of.

Thanks for the input ... except for the environmental bs comment. Cheers.
 
20181130_161555.jpg20181130_160006.jpg

I had the same boat. I cut center bench and added removable flat floors. Front and rear casting decks. Left foam in 2 bench seats. The boat fished great after the upgrades.20181130_161511.jpg
 
Here are some pic's of mine thanks to input from TinBoats.
Be Careful mods can become an addiction.
 

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I took all of my seats out to put in a flat floor and a bow deck and my hull is stable in rough water, no flexing.


But the thing to remember is that not all hulls are the same thickness of aluminum. Also, not all hulls have the same amount of ribs in the floor.

My boat is lousy with them, something like every 10".
 
GrandRiverMan said:
Here are some pic's of mine thanks to input from TinBoats.
Be Careful mods can become an addiction.

This is the design I made in my head ! That looks great ! I have the tendency to jump into big projects. Hell I built a Jeep when I was 19 from the frame lol. But this one I’m nervous because I’m not a boater ... no knowledge on boats. But I have been reading up on what people have been doing. I love the design you have great job!

I’m starting with the floor l, just trying to find a place to buy the proper plywood. Literally no place that sells lumber has marine grade where I’m @.

If you have a write up on your build let me know, if not that’s okay lol.
 
There is no real advantage to Marine plywood for our use. BCX plywood properly sealed will last a long time. I like using Old timers formula.
 
GrandRiverMan said:
Here are some pic's of mine thanks to input from TinBoats.
Be Careful mods can become an addiction.

What kind of boat is it? I still haven't done anything to mine because I'm too nervous. I keep reading mix feelings on removing the middle bench... I need a floor because its too Deep (V) and extremely uncomfortable to stand and fish all day. This year we bought a brand new 15 hp suzuki electric and due to covid I started cleaning the boat to repaint it. But the floor needs to happen 100%

My thing is ... if I take out the middle seat leave the supports on the side. Then build two compartments from the front bench to the back bench... then fasten to the floor (which would be fastened tot he ribs)... THEN add 1 or two more supports (hangers) from the top of the side of the boat to the top of the compartment... Would that strengthen it where it wouldn't flex? I did some research the aluminum thickness seems to be average 0.062.

4650 Deep Fisherman (2010 I believe)
 
RaisedByWolves said:
I took all of my seats out to put in a flat floor and a bow deck and my hull is stable in rough water, no flexing.


But the thing to remember is that not all hulls are the same thickness of aluminum. Also, not all hulls have the same amount of ribs in the floor.

My boat is lousy with them, something like every 10".

Yeah I don’t recall the number of ribs ... 15? Spaced out every 11.5”.

The aluminum is standards 0.063 ... I feel that if I remove the middle bench and the side compartments. And then add a live well closer to the front (initially replacing the middle bench) the structure should be fine ?
 

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