# Seats and floatation foam for aluminum boat



## davethomasowns (Jun 9, 2010)

Hello guys,

I just purchased a cheap 14’ Aluminum Starcraft V-hull to fish from. This is my first boat and I do not know much about these things. I have a couple important questions.

1) I am not sure if the boat came with aluminum bench seats or what, but all it has right now is wood bench seats (see below.) I want to put a nice pedestal and swivel seat on each bench so I was recommended to put a piece of aluminum angle under each seat. I purchased 1/8”x1 ½” to put under each seat, does this sound sufficient?

2) More importantly, I keep hearing about floatation foam. My boat is literally an aluminum shell with two bench seats so there is no foam at all. Do all boats, jons included, have foam in them? Is this something I need to somehow add? 

If anybody has a solution for mounting seats and adding foam, please let me know. Thanks!


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## Nevillizer (Jun 9, 2010)

davethomasowns said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I just purchased a cheap 14’ Aluminum Starcraft V-hull to fish from. This is my first boat and I do not know much about these things. I have a couple important questions.
> 
> ...


1) Really depends on how much weight that it will be supporting. 
2) Those type seat are common on older V bottoms. As far as adding it you would have to do a mod on the boat to add flotation for positive buoyancy. It can be done.


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## BaitCaster (Jun 9, 2010)

Without foam your boat will sink if swamped. You might want to consider adding some.


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## davethomasowns (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks for the replies.

That is what I am asking. How do I add foam to a boat that is literally just an aluminum shell?

Thanks.


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## BaitCaster (Jun 9, 2010)

davethomasowns said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> That is what I am asking. How do I add foam to a boat that is literally just an aluminum shell?
> 
> Thanks.



You will have to build some decking and put the foam in there, or do a flat flooor and put the foam underneath.


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## Nevillizer (Jun 9, 2010)

BaitCaster said:


> davethomasowns said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the replies.
> ...



Or box in the underside of your seats and fill them with foam. When you box them, if your do it right this will also fix you structural support issue for the seats you want to install.


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## devilmutt (Jun 9, 2010)

I would say those seats are way low, compare them with the seats that are in my Starcraft.

About half way down the first page.
https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=13674


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## Froggy (Jun 9, 2010)

I agree with Mutt, maybee this boat was an ocean liner for little people.... seats are on the floor!!! easy fix though, no worry.


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## BaitCaster (Jun 10, 2010)

Froggy said:


> I agree with Mutt, maybee this boat was an ocean liner for little people.... seats are on the floor!!! easy fix though, no worry.



You should fully deck along the chines where the current seats seem to be resting. Do foam and storage under the floor/deck and install a couple of pdestal seats on top.


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## bobberboy (Jun 10, 2010)

Like those guys said. It's funny that the seats are so low and there's no evidence of them having been attached elsewhere. If it wasn't an ocean liner for wee'uns, it must have been for someone really tall who needed to keep their center of gravity low. In any case, trying to do anything from those seats would be pretty hard. Seems like decking both the front and back would provide lots of opportunity to add foam, provide a place for pedestal seats and room for storage. There are lots of examples here to get ideas from. Post pics along the way.


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## jtbriles1 (Jun 10, 2010)

I have basically the same boat and if you don't want to add decks and all go crazy then I would add sides to the seats that turn down and are scribed to the hull to make a boxed seat and then you can fill each seat with flotation foam.


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## davethomasowns (Jun 11, 2010)

Thanks for the advice.

I took out the existing benches, purchased some lumber and made new ones. They seem much sturdier. I raised them higher up and then decided to just mount the swivel seat to the benches and leave out the pedestal.

Now I have one more question; I am going to somehow close these benches in so I can put foam inside. At Lowes today I asked what type of foam I need. He walked outside with me where a semi-truck was dropping stuff off and asked for some foam. I got 12 of these blocks for free:






Will these get the job done? I was thinking about cutting them to size and placing them under the bench seat. Will these absorb water and if so, is there anything I can spray on them to help?

More importantly, how do I calculate how much I need to put in the boat? Willing filling the two bench seats be enough?

Thanks!!!


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## davethomasowns (Jun 11, 2010)

Anyone?

Thanks


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## jtbriles1 (Jun 23, 2010)

Sorry about the slow response and I hope this is not too late. I used a pourable marine foam in my boat and it is a Urethane foam that will not absorb water. I don't really know if the foam blocks you got will absorb water and I don't think it would be a big deal because it's only going in the seats. You could in my opinion put a sealer of some sort on the blocks to help keep out water maybe an oil based polyurethane.

As far as flotation goes I think those blocks are fine and just remember that each cubic foot of foam will give you approximately 60lb of posotive boyancy. You have to add the weight of everything like the boat of course, gas tank (full), gear, the motor, batteries and so on...
once you have that close then you know how much foam you will need so that it is "unsinkable".


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## wasilvers (Jun 28, 2010)

Yes, those blocks will work just fine. But as they get older, some may flake off and get in your boat. They are not fuel safe- so try not to spill in the boat - I think that's always a good plan anyway :lol:


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