Help with ideas for wood floor on my 14′ v-hull

Please advise me on suggestions on making a wood floor for my 14′ v-hull style aluminum boat. I was thinking about 3/4″ plywood (with spar varnish)on some type of frame, covered with marine grade carpet. I need ideas on the how to design the frame and decking around the BENCH SEATS. Open for all suggestions or advise including kits or websites.
Thanks

The way I have seen it done, the floor was made in sections for getting under the bench seats. ½ inch plywood was used to cut down on weight. It was framed out with 2×2’s at the rib supports on the floor. It was plenty solid.
I’m sure you will get some great idea’s.
Good luck with your project!

Bret

IMO.. floors arent very useful in bench type boats. They dont add much advantage because you are still jumping hurdles and have to elevate every seat someone has to sit on(short pedistal), and the floor just adds a bunch of weight and performance issues become a problem unless your are running max hp.

I have modified several bench boats. What I do is run a deck from the tip to about 2′ behind the 1st bench(room for more storage or livewell behind front bench). Add another deck/enclosure in the rear going from the rear bench to the transom makes a nice area for driver to set stuff). The REMOVE the center bench and install a flat floor in the center of the boat. Aluminum *I beam* type supports under the floor work great. 3/4″ is fine for thickness. After I have the floor installed I run a livewell along the side of the boat(can be storage also) too add more functionality, and it adds structural support. The framing must be attatched to the floor and side of the boat. When all that is done, install a pedistal of choice on the front deck, a removable seat in the center, and a swivel seat in the back for yourself. Go fishing and kick your feet up.

Keep in mind this does add a lot of weight to the boat. If its a wide boat there will be less loss in performance, a narrow boat will sink in further and require more hp to get on plane. Its a good trade off.. speed for a comfortable boat.

I’ve done a few boats this way and have learned its a waiste of time and money by the time you get it done 2 weekends are shot and you have more in the boat than its worth! or could sell and upgrade to one with a floor. The best thing in my opinion is find a boat with a floor and sell your boat. If your gonna do it anyway I used 3/4 or 5/8 plywood on the floors and benches you must make cross braceing underneath and it in 3 sections I screwed thru the floor onto cross ribbing in boat being very selective on screw length not to go out the bottom of the boat.carpet was installed befor screwed down the radiuses are very difficult. good luck on the project.

I have heard that the new chemicals used to treat exterior (green) plywood are very corrosive if the wood is placed next to aluminum. If that’s true, you’ll want to use regular exterior plywood or marine plywood.

Jerry

Consider putting down styrofoam and then sheet metal over that. Adds flotation is lighter and then I put a interlocking rubber matting over the sheet metal. You’ll end up replacing the ply wood every so often. This will last longer and be lighter. my 2cents.

Agreed on not using the green-treated plywood. It still rots!

I recommend going to regular plywood and using a fiberglass resin to seal it up.

Be aware that you have to resin up any holes you drill for seats or other accessories. Otherwise water/moisture will get in there and rot.

I pulled a center bench out of an older alum. boat and intalled a floor. Put in a back deck from the transom to the rear bench. Then installed a front deck from the bow to the front bench.

Worked GREAT! Didn’t cost more than $150 for everything. And only took a weekend to get it done!