MV 1448 Deck Question

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HeavyHook

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I am trying to clean the back of my boat up a little bit while also giving cover to where I store my batteries. I want the back covered in the two areas similar to how the newer models come with the corners covered to step on.

The problem I am running into is how to frame it with the aluminum angle. So far the plan is to end up with the frame being about 1/2" - 1" lower than the bench so I can place a wood surface (carpeted) there that is removable in order to reach the batteries when needed.

The frame also would need to be wide enough if I ever wanted to remove the batteries. Instead of riveting everything together I guess I could just nut and bolt them... I am thinking I almost have to build the frame around the batteries while they are sitting in order for them to fit.

I am trying to do this without drilling holes in the side / transom of the boat. I will rivet angle to the bench seat if needed.

What are some of the ideas you guys have about going about this?

(I am also putting a small floor in the center back that is removable to reach the drain plug.) That one should be fairly easy.
 

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tom.goins said:
My thought would be to deck the entire area and put in 3 hatches.

I thought about that but decided I want full access with removable boards. Right now it is hard to deck with steering cable and other cables from motor etc going to the console.

Your idea is in theory the best way to do it...
 
Finished one side - first time using aluminum angle to frame. Hard to do with the transom angled and the corner being covered.

I was able to put all my weight on it without any problems and then added some more cross support that can be removed to reach the battery if it needed to be replaced.

The middle board is being cut / sealed / carpeted today along with the top of the corner piece to cover the battery. The opposite side is still being worked out since there are a bunch of wires / steering cable etc to work around.
 

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The picture doesn't show it well, but are those battery posts able to touch that cross-member if the battery slid around? If so I'd re-think what you're doing, epoxy a battery pan to the bottom or something to prevent contact with the aluminum. At the very least you should get some straps to tie it down to the floor tight so it can't hop while trailering.

I'd bet 1/8" aluminum angle contacting both terminals would make a hell of a boom.
 
The battery is going to sit closer to the side of the boat strapped down... The picture is just to show the size and room in the frame compared to a normal battery.
 
Also there is a cap for the battery tray.

Also I could just turn the battery 180 degrees which would keep anything from hitting even if it bounced around lol...
 
I thought it was probably just that it was an in-progress picture...never hurts to ask. I wish I had your transom width to put the battery back there with the gas tank - I've got my thru-hull transducer, bilge & livewell pump on one side and they don't leave enough room for the gas tank.

Are you using rivets or bolts to hold those aluminum angles together? I can't tell for sure, they look more like small bolts, but if they're rivets they aren't going to hold for too long with the load bearing straight down on them. Otherwise it's looking nice and clean so far.
 
onthewater102 said:
I thought it was probably just that it was an in-progress picture...never hurts to ask. I wish I had your transom width to put the battery back there with the gas tank - I've got my thru-hull transducer, bilge & livewell pump on one side and they don't leave enough room for the gas tank.

Are you using rivets or bolts to hold those aluminum angles together? I can't tell for sure, they look more like small bolts, but if they're rivets they aren't going to hold for too long with the load bearing straight down on them. Otherwise it's looking nice and clean so far.


Appreciate you asking - like you said "never hurts to ask".

I think based off of you asking I am going to turn the battery 180 degrees so the terminals could never hit the aluminum.

I used bolts to hold the aluminum together instead of rivets. The surface isn't going to get much standing time and only used maybe to step on or off the boat. I wanted it to mainly cover the battery and for safety in case someone stepped there.

Do you think the bolts were the best way to go? I thought rivets were better but I've heard a few times that they wiggle loose...

Having the room in the transom area is great. I have a battery on the opposite side for starting the motor and fish finder. I do have the tank in the middle area though because of weight to keep the boat sitting more level. Otherwise it gets heavy back there and hard to plane. It also would have the bow up too high when someone sits in the swivel chair fishing with two batteries / tank & motor.
 
You can see in the picture where I took my dad out where I have the gas tank. There is also a giant tackle box he feels the need to bring haha. I always mess with him about it but you never know what you might need.
 

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Bolts are definitely the way to go if you're going to hang one piece of aluminum under another by only the fastener - I wouldn't even trust my stainless rivets to that type of load bearing.

If you've got a battery box you're fine, turning it 90 degrees might cause you to have to pick it up over the rib and bring it that much closer to the aluminum...makes no difference if they both contact the same rib or different ribs as it'll all be tied together through the boat hull. Your best bet is the battery box. I ordered plastic hatch covers for over my battery rather than the aluminum ones I'd originally intended after I started thinking about those terminals especially when trailering the boat on the shitty roads we have in CT.
 
It sits on the one rib that is back there but I have it level with padding (strong foam).

Looking at it now and I am going to turn it just to be 100% positive it wont hit any metal. You have me questioning the placement of the battery now that there is aluminum going across it. Turning it 180 will avoid any metal touching it even if it were to bounce around.
 
Is your trolling motor in the front? May i ask why you opted to position the batteries and gas tank in the position that you did? My boat is similar to yours with side console, 2 batteries and gas tank. I currently have my 2 batteries and gas tank in the back and looking for ideas to reposition...
 
You're better off with the weight in the back if you can configure it that way - keeping the weight bearing on the part of the boat that stays in contact with the water when on plane takes stress out of the transom.
 
does your gas tank ever get in the way? why didn't you put it with the batteries in the back since it looks like there might be room
 
I have the trolling motor up front foot controlled.

The reason I have my boat set up like I do with the gas tank in the middle is because it was so heavy and the bow would be way up in the air when trying to fish. The trolling motor would barely reach the water. (This only happens if fishing with another person because they would be sitting in the back with 200lbs)

Also I have it that way because where I fish you don't get on plane because it's a river that is speed restricted the whole way up and down. (Idle speed) Having that much weight directly in the back made it difficult to steer / operate.

It's either I move the tank to the back and put the batteries in the center storage or just keep the tank where it is.

And to be completely honest having the tank where it is has caused no problems. I'm fishing from the chair up front and the second person is in the chair on back so not much moving around at all.
 

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tom.goins said:
I like how it turned out. I've been looking for ideas of how to frame mine back there. Mine is tiller steer, so no issue with wires...yet.

Next week I'll take time to try and frame the opposite side. It was really nice having that extra surface fishing yesterday. Was able to land a few fish off the back and it started raining in the way back which the cover worked perfectly as everything was bone dry when I got back.
 
Finished the opposite side and cutting wood for that side now. Have to make to cut outs for wires.
 

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