New help on how to start on Subfloor on 14ft aluminum boat bow

Hi All ~

Well I exhausted a few hours on YouTube without much luck so I thought I would try here since everyone here is so helpful. I’m trying to create a floor or casting platform that I can store my 2 trolling motor batteries at the bow. I’m having a hard time figuring out how to support it since I don’t have the little seat right in the very front that most aluminum boats have. Anyone have ideas or has done this before…??

Trying to keep this short as possible but trying to add a trolling motor mount to my boat and want to store the batteries underneath (while flat) essentially. See pics below…

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Maybe it might be easier and better weight distribution to make longer battery cables and position the batteries behind the bench seat?

Hard to tell from the pictures. But I would extend the deck a foot or so past the seat, over the top. Then mount your seat base in the center of the existing seat. This will give you a solid base. Mount the batteries aft of the existing seat where you have more room. Use the tight v space in front for anchor, rope, life jacket storage. Only other thought. One quality trolling motor & battery will run a 14′ boat a long time. Unless you are in big current. Maybe you have a 24v motor, you didn’t say. I’ve built a few, and an aluminum skin deck blind when I had a small fab shop. A couple took all winter, and a lot of beer. For ideas. Check out “Tiny boat nation” on you tube.

I would remove/ rebuild the bench seat into a battery box and hinge the lid, no loss of room and you can “pin” the motor wiring under the rail w/ cable guides to keep your feet tangle free

What kind of material support should I use to support the floor? I have been on tiny boat nation and it’s hard to tell what they are using for supports and how to anchor those supports. I’ve also seen someone use wood, but thought that might be too heavy to use… not sure.

Also it’s a 24v trolling motor system so I need to accommodate 2 batteries.

Think TBN uses aluminum for most everything exc decking. But I don’t doubt some of their builds far exceed $10,000 – $20,000. If you are just doing a deck in an older boat. I would use wood with aluminum brackets. Sealed cap screws thru the sides. I have marine rivets, and the tool to set them. But not needed.