To Deck or Not to Deck that is the question.

[Muddy Moe]

I have a 14ft Crestliner. It has-eth no decks. I am putting in a piece of 1/2 treated ply covered with carpet ( that green fake grass looking stuff) under foot. The floatation boxes under the seats look like they might not keep water out, so I would like to inject foam or maybe cut them open and put in closed cell ridged foam. Will the injected foam that comes in cans expand and damage the boxes? Is it dangerous to cut the boxes open? ( I am pretty good with tools and think I can close them up.. butta. thought I'd ask for advice.

Also, and this maybe the newbee question of the day :

I have seen modifications where folks have put decks in these smallish fishing boats. I want to maybe to this also, like make a casting deck on the front. BUT, It gives me the willies, thinking that if I were to hit an underwater obstruction like a log or a rock while under-way.. I'd be thrown off the decks into the murky depths. Are these decks safe :?:

 

[smackdaddy53]

Treated wood will corrode aluminum

 

[Ranchero50]

Honestly I think every question you asked has been answered dozens of times throughout folk's builds.

I have a mid deck front and rear on a 600 lb 16' x 48" Mod V flat bottom and it's very comfortable to fish out of seated. Standing not so much with 2 guys fishing.

 

[Muddy Moe]

I play in shallow waters, maybe the decks are a bad idea anyway. I do go slow and watch out, but the trees and stumps do kick up the outboard and scares the dickens out of me. Because the bottom is curved, putting a flat sheet of anything raises the deck up about 4 inches. It feel less stable to sit on the factory seat and have my knees up on a raised deck , like I'm sitting on a kiddie seat. Sitting on a raised seat and holding the throttle/control arm for my 18 Johnson feels wrong as well, more like a launch pad if I hit something. Cutting a hole where I sit for me feet to be lower makes me think my ankles may get caught, if I was thrown forward. If there are threads I am missing, send me links. Thanks for the help. Forgive the newbie questions; fishing for ideas not flames.