12' Casting Deck Project-Photo's & Questions

[12_Tinner]

Hello all, first off my name is Mike and I am new to the forum and you seem to have a wonderful place here to say the least. I have been looking at my 12' Aluminum for some time now and want to put a casting deck into the front of it but I have some questions about the job. I'll post some pictures of the setup I have below but here it goes.

I have 2 seats in the boat mounted onto thick wood overlaying the aluminum bench seat's their selves. I want to take the wood out and put the two seats side by side in the back of the boat leaving 1ft of space(approx) between them. and have them on 6" steel risers to keep them up a little bit. Next is to create a casting deck. I want a guest to be able to stand in the back of the boat in the space between the middle bench and the back bench(enough room trust me) then I want to be up front. The idea is simple, a deck reaching from the start of the middle seat to the tip of the front seat. A hinged door in the floor itself would be nice but the idea is to have it lay on top of the two bench seats...get me idea?

I got a 30lb Kota Transom mount that I'll put upfront along with the battery for now but ill put in a bow mount in 2 years or so. I got the motor and battery and I only use the boat on small bodies of water fishing for bass mostly. That, 2 new paddles and 2 handles that I put into the back of the boat + a portable fish finder (Eagle Fish Easy 2) is what I have put into the boat so far.

Here are some pictures...I know it needs a paint job too

Pic 1

Pic 2

I know there are lot's of things to consider here. I am mainly interested in the wood I should use...1/2" Ply, 1" Ply...how can I support it...should I look for Marine Grade wood...etc...

Hope I can get some help here. I've looked at a few 12' projects but none casting deck specific. Share a link with me if you can

Thanks,
Mike

 

[phxbuckeye]

welcome mike! i am kinda new to the this as well but everyone has great insight and opinions as well. i am by no means a pro at this. you can look at what im doing to my boat and maybe get some ideas if you want. thats what i have been doing. i kinda had an idea in mind but the more i look at others boats i take bits and pieces. know what i mean? anyways, because you have a 12 footer i would go with 1/2 inch, maybe 3/4 inch, but 1 inch is definatetly overkill. i havent seen anyone on here go with 1 inch. you have to take into consideration how much support you have all around it *** well. i have a 2 built in bench seats for support so i could get away with 1/2 inch. but im a freak and decided to go with 3/4 inch. haha. you have a lot of options. how far back to you plan on running the deck?

Nice bass by the way. remember, the boat doesnt catch the fish!

 

[12_Tinner]

See the middle bench seat well starting with the side closest to the back of the boat I want it to run from the middle bench to the front bench then stop to give me that narrow space in the front to put the battery or anchor or something. 3/4" sounds fine I guess too.

I'll have a look at your stuff, thanks for the reply

 

[bAcKpAiN]

If I were you, I would get a larger boat if a raised desk is a must have for you. It would be safer, and more comfortable if you were to put a flat floor in there as low as possible. I can see that boat getting tippy and dangerous real quickly if you raise the center of gravity any. I might consider taking out the little bench in the front and having a floor up there between the bow and the middle bench. Even at that the front of that boat might be very tricky to stand in. I would take it out and (wearing a lifejacket) walk around on the bench tops and see how it feels stability wise, especially on that front bench. If it is in the least bit uncomfortable don't even mess with a casting deck.

 

[Jim]

:WELCOME:

Thanks for joining!

Nice fish! :beer: and great looking boat.

If you have not already, check out this link for mods done to V boats: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3156