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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ray Clark" data-source="post: 497662" data-attributes="member: 31103">Regarding bench removal, I recently posted this in another thread on the board about removing benches in aluminum boats:"If there is an existing bench in that boat: My concern about just cutting a pass-through an existing bench is altering the lateral strength of the hull. I think those benches provide a fair amount of rigidity to the hull. I've considered doing that to my V-hull tinny, but the structural integrity risk stopped me. I converted my middle bench into a battery box."  My engineer son-in-law shares my concern, and he has some experience with boats of varying structural integrity.  Rigidity removed from the hull in the center needs to be at least partially replaced in my view.As for sealing rivets with silicone, I've read here and in a number of other places that silicone is not really suitable for sealing boat rivets below the waterline.  I don't have first hand experience on that; maybe others will chime in.Regarding boating on rivers with a 3.5 HP motor:  I wouldn't do it.  You said the river is of medium current.  How I might test that motor safely for use on the river:  Take the boat and motor to a lake and determine your top speed with the boat loaded at max weight.  Compare that top speed with the speed of the river current.  The boat has to be faster than the current, or you can't just control it.  If it was me, I'd want to be faster than the current by 5 mph or more.  You need to be able to go upstream at a reasonable rate of speed.  Additionally, river conditions can change quickly.  You don't want to be underpowered on a river.</blockquote>

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