bench removal

[Toulle]

I am still not entirely pleased with the middle bench on my 14/32 boat. I am thinking of removing it entirely. The wide open center would be nice as well.
I think there are enough ribs around it as it is so that I don't have to worry about structure. Is that right?
Has anyone done this?
There are around 30 large rivets holding it in. How would I fill the holes if I remove the bench by drilling them?
Toulle

 

[fowlmood77]

I for one am not for removing seating. Yes it would be nice to open the floor up a bit, but the designers put them there for a reason, be it structural or for flotation. With that being said it has been done and if you drill them out, you can get someone to weld up the holes, use a bolt/nut/silicon combo, epoxy, or cabelas has a product for aluminum repair.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[FishingBuds]

Fatigue is what will happen.

Imagine your boat sitting in the water all alone with no middle seat. Its setting up above the water fairly well. Now add your items of intrest. Slowly the wieght factor adds up and deeper the boat sets in the water. As the boat sets deeper the water pushes against the walls of your boat. Now you set in the boat, Finale weight factor. The boat is now setting very deep in the water and needs a good structual body to keep it from inploading. with the middle seat gone you no longer have a good structure body therefor the boat is very capable of structual failure, if it does not fail at this fishing trip it could fairly well fail at the other or next one after that due to stress.

Remedy is the correcting of missing support. This has been done on other modifacations and, it needs to be done. Proper bracing and I'm not the one to do it.

I for one chickened out doing this, To much of a risk for me. Hope this helps

 

[RStewart]

check this out. https://www.myjonboat.com/index.html . this guy explains how to do it right.

 

[minicuda]

i removed both of mine https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3153

 

[russo]

you removed them but put other crossbeam supports in.. so really it events out