How I added decks, storage, and floor to Alumacraft 1442NCS

[akboats]

I like the boat man. can not wait till i can get me one and work on it. but at the moment its bills and planning a wedding.

 

[LDUBS]

If I drop a pair of pliers, it is guaranteed they will land in the water instead of on the deck! Hahaha

 

[-CN-]

The carpet is enough to distribute the load so you can stand on it without dimpling the foam sheets? That's awesome!

I'm surprised at that as well, but I suppose it's possible? I'd be worried about dropping a set of pliers and god forbid I drop a downrigger weight.

You guys have any experience with the density of closed cell foam board insulation?

In another thread before building this boat I mentioned that I experimented with the material with the intention of utilizing it anywhere I could. I placed a sheet flat on the floor at my place of business in a high traffic area and walked on it every chance I got. It is supportive when there is flat supporting structure such as a deck or floor under it. I'm not spanning it any distance at all without existing or constructed support under it. You're just talking pressure that may squish the foam board. When your weight is distributed by the sole of your shoe or bare foot, or even your knee, it compresses - but not permanently.

I would contribute some of its long-term integrity to the carpet glue that is used - it's the layering-like lamination of the foam/glue/carpet combo that makes this a functional floor sheet and I have no concerns about its durability.

Hmm, a downrigger weight - not sure what that would do - maybe make a little dent? When dented though, the foam has been proven to flatten back out with just a little bit of time, and you can compress down around a dent with your foot to make it come back up and be flat again.

I fish hard out of this boat 2-3 times a week. When the above pictures were taken, over 75% of the material and 100% of the high-traffic area had already been installed and in use for a year and a half. I just recently finished the sides and the battery compartment lid - which is plywood anyway. You're not looking at pictures of freshly installed experimental material. The material's ability to serve my intended function for it has already been proven to me. And it can be seen in the pictures.

 

[LDUBS]

Shoot, I wouldn't want to drop one of my DR weights on my plywood floor much less a sheet foam one. But regardless it sounds (and looks) like your method has held up pretty good. Might be a light weight option to consider. Even if you skinned it out with thin sheeting before carpeting to give it some additional dent resistance, it would still be a significant weight savings. Definitely an "outside of the box" approach.

 

[-CN-]

A big GRINNING factor contributed to the saved weight is the speed I'm getting out of this F25 engine. The engine is stock. Boat is decked out as shown and has 2 size 29 batteries and 3 gallons of fuel. With just my fishing gear which consists of 2 large tackle boxes, 8 fishing poles, required safety gear, mimimal tools, 1 anchor, a large cooler full of ice, and myself...29.7 mph on the GPS. :mrgreen: