Tracker PT 175-Adding support-angled aluminum?

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pt175ept

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Hello tinboats!

hoping for some help on my 04 PT 175. Currently recarpeting the boat, and want to add some extra support in places I think its needed.

I had my drivers side seat collapse/break away and was real loose. It still held but it was kinda like a soft spot. I ended up adding some screws and it did help....but it was not a long term support. Now that I took off the carpet, I can see the rivets holding the metal in place had busted. Plan is to just rerivet and prolly drill an extra rivet or 2 in. Im a big guy (250lb) so need all the support I can get.

Im wondering...can I add in some angled aluminum, or something under the seat to give extra support beside what is there?

Heres the whole seat area.


Here you can see the busted rivets and where I jerry rigged some screws a few months back


This is the drivers side with the busted rivets. Seat goes over that...and I dont really use that storage space so dont mind blocking it off with support


Here is the same shot where I wonder if there is some sort of cross brace/support to help disperse the load of me sitting there. I fish rough water....so there will be some slamming due to bad water so I wanna make sure no rivets ever bust or anything like that since I had to remove the carpet to really see and fix the problem.






ALSO....The center of my boat has no foam and is just open space. The deck/floor is only 1/2 (not 3/4 like casting deck) inch and I just dont like the idea of 1/2 inch plywood and that much open space. Im not jumping in the middle of my boat trying to break through the wood....but I can see something crazy happening or something where cracking/breaking it is possible. Removing it was a pain so if I ever have to do it again ill prolly sell it lol

Bad pic because of the console, but you can see where the framework would be underneath.



Can I add supports here in the red?
 
Added support, especially if rot-proof, is usually a benefit.

If you can make some diagonal braces that will gusset your added braces to the vertical walls, you will get more bang for the buck. Think of a truss design. It would be best to have them right where the seat screws down.

An easy fabrication to make a knee brace is just to notch the ends of alum angle & then bend the leftover tab 45 degrees.

If you really want it super strong, overlap the notched ends with a cutoff pcs so both flanges are tied together..

Always keep in mind how strong the material you are riveting to is, & whether you are creating a high stress point that will crack when boat flexes.

Whatever you don't drill holes thru the hull!
 
that sounds above my level...but that "knee brace" sounds very doable. When you say bend in the tab 45 degrees...so the angle aluminum will be more like a V than a right/90 degree angle?

What size angle aluminum would you recommend? Do you think I can make a notch with something like this...in a heavy duty drill though?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XX25FPQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AXK4HRSD2GT4N&psc=1

or whats the easiest way to notch the aluminum? I dont really have the tools for this...but can always hit up harbor freight if I have too! lol

thanks
 
What I have done is to cut a square out 1 side of the angle at the end, using a hacksaw.

If you have a vise that makes cutting much easier, otherwise maybe use a c-clamp to a bench top to hold it. Then you have a tab left over that can be easily bent. You can bend it with a crescent wrench, again use a vice or clamp to hold the main part. Bend tab to 45 degree angle. Do this to both ends.

Then drill holes for rivets, at least 2 at each end & rivet in place. It will be surprisingly strong after it is in place.

I would take a photo but my boat is in storage.

1-1/2 x 1/8 angle is plenty strong, could even use 1-1/4. 1/16 inch wall is too thin in my opinion .
 

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