simple front deck - how to frame?

[akjw7]

Hi all,

I want to do a simple front deck on my jon boat. Just had to remove the front step thing to do some plate reinforcing behind the bow handle and instead of putting it back in want to do a small deck to give some storage up front.

Can anyone give me the basic standard for framing it? I want to use aluminum angle on the boat gunwale then I was thinking of using 2x2 for the frame - maybe with a vertical support or two in the middle of the deck - with some 1/2" ply on top (it's what I have)

Maybe 2' or 3' tops on the deck length - not a big one...

If anyone has any pics or links to a step by step of a simple deck I'd love to see. Been browsing quite a bit, but there's a ton of great projects here and I'm not finding what I need yet!

Thanks

 

[Jim]

:WELCOME: aboard!

Thanks for joining.

Look at PBW's thread for some good ideas for your deck.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=964

 

[dedawg1149]

:WELCOME:

 

[Waterwings]

Welcome Aboard! 8)

 

[akjw7]

Thanks gang, friendly board here!

That's quite a thread you pointed me to. Wow! I like those brackets mounted to the ribs to hold the vertical posts - seems like a great idea.

But my front step is out, so I can't use it for support (that's why I thought of the aluminum angle riveted to the sides). There aren't any ribs up there and I'm only thinking of bringing it back to just aft of the very first rib, so I can't really use that to anchor my vertical posts anyway.

Maybe I'll have to put a piece of plywood down on the floor and screw my vertical posts to that...it wouldn't be a very big piece.

You can see from this pic that I had a floor right up to the front step so a lot of my new deck will already have a floor under it that I can attach to easily...now that I think of it, I might want to consider cutting my floor where it meets the rear vertical wall of the front deck so that I don't have to pull the front deck to remove the floor...hmmm)

Sorry - I'm thinking in type here and muddying the thread. Back in a minute!

(of course you can also see my giant aluminum plate...there is a badly busted seam below the bow handle, the bow handle itself was cracking the aluminum and ripping out, and there was a nasty crack right in the middle of the top of the bow...just plating everything and then hide it behind the deck. Get some welding done to seal up the seam on the front more for cosmetic reasons than anything else...the structure is solid with this plate riveted in! )

 

[smoody]

AK, i think this is what you are looking for, i did not design this, but i modeled my own jon framing by it, this guy did a jam up job on it,aluminum is the best way to go. good luck

https://www.guestfamily.com/robertg/jpdeck.htm

 

[akjw7]

while I'm trying to think of what question to ask next in this thread - a little about me!

I'm in Alaska and we use our jon boats a little differently than many of you, this one has a 50hp jet on it! (its a 16' x 36"...I guess it might be a little overpowered!) I use it running rivers chasing fish and critters. Been out moose hunting the past two weekends in it... I just got this boat and am fixing some leaky rivets, a few cracks, and other abuses and

 

[akjw7]

AK, i think this is what you are looking for

wow that's some deck, I don't think I can afford that much aluminum though, I'm just going to buy a couple feet to use as brackets for 2x2's...much cheaper (I really like that aluminum rig though, just too much $)

Anyone able to explain to me the downward angle of that deck? Is it so it's level sitting in the water or while up on step?

 

[smoody]

AK, i dont know your budget but you can by that for less then $120 and it will outlast you. i know a site you can get aluminum pretty cheap, its saved on my favorites at work, will post tomorrow. 1 1/4 x 1 1x4 x 1/8 aluminum angle is all you need.

no matter what you use good luck and post pics.

regards

ja

 

[smoody]

AK, i think this is what you are looking for

wow that's some deck, I don't think I can afford that much aluminum though, I'm just going to buy a couple feet to use as brackets for 2x2's...much cheaper (I really like that aluminum rig though, just too much $)

Anyone able to explain to me the downward angle of that deck? Is it so it's level sitting in the water or while up on step?

AK, as for that angle, yes it was designed that way to be level, but it was designed for that boat which for some reason had a very small bow deck. You would modify that obviosly to fit your boat, I also think the link above to that floor framing is pretty awesome with the 2x2's. only thing with wood is if you ever fish in the rain and it gets wet its gets heavy, even marine ply will absorb some water. seal your wood with epoxy or a good sealer. epoxy resin being in my opinion the best option as a sealer, another tip is to use a wood putty to fill the voids on the edge of your ply, then seal.

FYI - some sealer contain chemicals that will corrode aluminum, so check that before application.

 

[akjw7]

mine has (had now I guess since I took it out for the plate reinforcement job!) a very small bow deck...I actually call it a step, that's really all it is to me.

I priced that angle at lowes the other day - I want to say it was over $25 per 8'...I'll have to go look again, but at any rate it's more than I can spend. I can rip a $2 2x4 and have all the framing lumber I need...pretty cheap and not much time to redo when it rots out in a couple years. I really like the arguments for building it to last a lifetime and if I had the $ I would, but I can't justify the cost when I can just put some elbow grease into redoing it in a few years and save some money for gas today!

Anyone know a way to work with diamond plate without a brake? I've got a 2'x6" piece that I'd like to bend to form a cap for the top of the bow...but in the front it needs to be at greater than a 90* angle and the rear needs a 90* angle. I guess I might have to cut it and take it to a shop to be welded.

 

[SlimeTime]

I wouldn't want the deck much higher than the seats, but.....your boat. Keep the COG lower, it'll make it more stable.

Get 2 pieces of heavy angle, hang 1 over a workbench to make a clean (sharp) edge, lay your material down on it & C-Clamp the other angle on top of it, lining-up your mark (a 1/8" cut with a hacksaw on your mark will help). Work slow, use a piece of 2X4 & a hand-sledge for uniform bend.

ST

 

[akjw7]

It's a narrow boat, I defintely agree the deck needs to be low! Sorry if I confused things with that off topic diamond plate question. That is a separate issue, I just want to cap the top of the bow. Purely cosmetic since it's got a nasty crack there.

That is separate from the deck. I plan the deck to be about the same height as the old 'step', just extended aft a bit further for a more secure footing when stepping in off a steep bank and also for some storage. So it will be 3" or so below the top of the gunwale and extend aft to just beyond the very first rib.

 

[smoody]

mine has (had now I guess since I took it out for the plate reinforcement job!) a very small bow deck...I actually call it a step, that's really all it is to me.

I priced that angle at lowes the other day - I want to say it was over $25 per 8'...I'll have to go look again, but at any rate it's more than I can spend. I can rip a $2 2x4 and have all the framing lumber I need...pretty cheap and not much time to redo when it rots out in a couple years. I really like the arguments for building it to last a lifetime and if I had the $ I would, but I can't justify the cost when I can just put some elbow grease into redoing it in a few years and save some money for gas today!

Anyone know a way to work with diamond plate without a brake? I've got a 2'x6" piece that I'd like to bend to form a cap for the top of the bow...but in the front it needs to be at greater than a 90* angle and the rear needs a 90* angle. I guess I might have to cut it and take it to a shop to be welded.

AK, I am not knocking your idea, I actually misred your first post about using aluminum, i thought you meant the entire framing. I wasn't trying to argue the point, just helpful advice.
good luck and sorry again.

 

[bobessary]

no matter what you decide to do on the front deck one of the easiest ways if learned how to come up with a plan especially when you are working with tough angles and awkward measurements use cardboard to make a template and then you have a stencil to go off of you can build a whole false deck out of it to see how big you want the deck to be also hope that helps

 

[Berk]

I am a new member here and i would like to say that i would use aluminum angle for the frame with a composite plywood decking or some material that will not rot if it gets wet. The angle is lighter than wood supports. You can mount the angle to the support ribs inside that stick up with pop rivits or short screws. i would recomend pop riviting every 3 inches so it is sturdy enough to support the pressure and then the angle that will support the plywood you can bolt it all together to make a square and then set it in to top it off. Also i would put some stirofoam underneath it to help with bouyance. Becasue you are adding more wieght to the boat and these boats really arent made to stand up on leke bass boats. I just started mine so when i get some photos of it i will get them posted.

 

[dedawg1149]

welcome berk good looking job

 

[akjw7]

yep looking good, keep at it!

Smoody - no need to apologize, keep the ideas coming!

I went by the steel shop and can get 25' of 1 1/4" x 1/8" angle for $33...not too bad, I was surprised. Much better price than home depot!

I may use the angle after all, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to do it in places where the angle needed is less or more than the 90* of the angle. Example - the front of the deck at the bow, probably only a 40* angle from the bow surface to where you'd want your deck resting to be level...how do you adjust using 90* angle? Bend it? Shim it somehow? Same goes for the rear support. That very front rib (that will be the aft end of my deck) is canted as well.

I'm thinking of something like this for the framing using angle. Thoughts? Especially need help on how to make the front piece of angle produce a horizontal surface for the decking. Same for the small pieces of angle that will be on the floor that the vertical posts will attach to - how to get them to produce a level surface. Actually that last bit might not matter...as long as there is a piece to bolt to the bottom mount wouldn't need to be level...

 

[akjw7]

just realized my aft vertical post needs to actually be two supports with them spaced however far apart I want my opening for storage to be. No problem.

I'll finish the rear vertical part with another piece of ply with just a hole cut out for the storage area...no need for a door, it's a small space and will just have some life vests crammed in there and anything else that will fit. Mostly doing this to hide the plating work and to give a bit larger landing pad for steping into the boat off a high cut bank. (so I do want it strong)

Suggestions? comments? Disparaging remarks? Ok maybe not that last one...

thanks!

 

[akjw7]

Mods - I didn't see the subforum on jon boat mods. Sorry for the extra work if you have to move this thread. Thanks