14' Alumacraft 1st time remodel project

[Lukey27]

This site is so addicting!! I have spent almost 2 weeks reading post after post. I spent my entire weekend removing EVERYTHING out of my recently acquired 14' Alumacraft boat. Finally sprayed it down last night to get all the gunk out. Now I'm ready to start making my own fishing machine. I've considered painting the outside to make it "look appealing" but in the end I just want to be organized and comfortable on the water. I'm pretty sure the fish aren't going to care if my hull is old aluminum or black. Someone please tell me if my plan is on track or not.
a. replace wood inside/outside transom - (see small project below)
b. replace floor - how important is foam for flotation? I removed old rotten foam when I gutted it out. What purpose does it serve? Foam was on the sides too???
c. Use aluminum for framing with rivets
d. Use aluminum to cover bow to make flat surface for bow-mounted trolling motor
e. Run electrical (I'll need a whole forum for this one)
f. Plywood/carpet entire framing - with storage compartments of course
g. install swivel chairs
h. install Trolling motor
i. install fish finder
j. create custom boat cover with tarps & grommets
k. GO FISHING!!

First things first I need to be able to put the motor back on, right?

I have removed the old wood both inside & outside of my boat's transom. Based on several posts from this website I can put two 3/4'' pieces of plywood together to get my inside wood thickness. I was hoping to clarify the steps I need to do for this transom project. First I have some general questions.
- I know about pressure treated (bad for aluminum) and marine treated (expensive) plywood. I see many people reference "exterior grade" plywood. Does it say exterior grade at the store? I can't recall seeing exterior grade at the store.
- Any luck with using Loctite plumber/marine adhesive instead of 3M 5200?
- I typically shop at Menards/Home Depot and can't find "West Marine 105 epoxy" - only thing I can find is this little two syringe thing of Marine epoxy but I know this isn't the right stuff for putting over exterior grade plywood. Does Home Deport or Menards carry something equivalent to this epoxy I referred to?
- Can I glue the wood together & then epoxy? or do I need to epoxy separately then glue then UV protect?

1. Cut the patterns out of the wood & pre-drill holes oversized for sealing with epoxy/stainless steel bolts/3M 5200
2. Epoxy all wood (2-3 coats) with West Marine 105 epoxy
3. Glue wood together with Titebond III waterproof glue
4. Apply 1-2 coats on exposed sides with Spar urethane - Helmsman brand
5. Place sheet of aluminum where brackets are to prevent digging into the wood & ruining epoxy seal. I have '77 25HP Johnson outboard that had really sunk into the wood here.

Any/All suggestions I appreciate!
Thank you,
Lukey27

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Replace the old foam with blue or pink insulation panels. The foam will keep your boat from sinking if it flounders.

 

[MrSimon]

You are certainly on the right track! Your transom plan seems good to me.

Be careful not to bite off more than you can chew with lots of decking and storage areas. Sometimes simple is best.

 

[Ail]

A good exterior ply is A/C fir. I found some at a local lumber yard for pretty cheap.

I had similar aspirations when I bought this jon boat last year, and at this point I am settling for decent seats, a nice sturdy, long lasting transom, and a nice paint job. I was going to do the whole decking, lighting, storage, livewell mod, but soon realized less is more. More time on the water especially. I ended up replacing my foam, topping the seats with epoxied, and carpeted ply, putting in a learning experience temporary transom, and then fishing for a month straight. Now this year I am putting in a permanent transom, recarpeting the seats (the last stuff was outdoor carpet free from my parents and just temporary), putting in a drain pipe and painting it. Aside from minor additions for fishing, that's it.

I guess my point is, don't get stuck on one idea or vision as your plans will change as you begin to work. The most important thing for me has been the learning experience and evolution of my original intent.

Good luck and have fun.