# Removing seats in 14' aluminum boat



## Bass_boy7 (Feb 1, 2008)

hello everyone I need some help, I have a 14' mirrocraft aluminum boat, I have the 3 bench seats in it, I am looking to remove the middle seat to create some more walking room, and I would be installing a floor from front to back. I was wondering how I go about doing it so I don't ruin my boat by removing the seat bc I have heard you can ruin the structure of the boat??, any help would be great, thanks alot.


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## bAcKpAiN (Feb 1, 2008)

Welcome to the forums! That is a question I have asked since I bought my Lowe sea nymph. From what I have been told it is more risky than it is worth. Apparently if you put enought structure to replace the bench it should be fine, but nobody has ever told me how much is enough structure.


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## Jim (Feb 1, 2008)

Welcome Bass_boy7,
Welcome to tinboats and thanks for joining! I cant help you!, Hopefully someone will chime in and be able to give you a more solid answer.
How about decking over all the seats (1 big floor and then using the space between the seats as dry storage and or a livewell?


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## alumacraftjoe (Feb 1, 2008)

check my 14v mod thread. I removed the back and middle seat to take out an old floor which was put in under the seats. I am going to put the back bench back in and leave out the middle seat. I am going to deck from the front of the boat back to where the seat was using the brackets that the bench was riveted to, however I am going to put in some type of bracing to keep structural integrity and also add some flotation foam which is being removed with the middle bench.


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## Captain Ahab (Feb 2, 2008)

I have a 16 foot Mirrocraft deep V. I see no reason why you cannot remove the middle bench, it does not appear to have much to do with the structure of this boat anyway. Take it out and see if there is additional flex in the hull. If there is, use some aluminum angle bar to create bracing to stiffen the hull.


Welcome to TinBoats - keep us informed as you progress with this project


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## Bass_boy7 (Feb 2, 2008)

yes my boat is exactly the same as yours the deep v hull but the 14', so you feel its not a vital part of it? I want it out so I can make a descent floor to walk/cast from, then create a casting deck front and rear of the boat.


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## alumacraftjoe (Feb 2, 2008)

On mine the middle seat didn't seem to be doing much either. The rear seat however was wedged in like a sardine and I will definitely be putting it back in. Even though the middle bench does not seem to be required in mine for structural reasons i am going to brace it when I deck it just to be on the safe side.


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## Bass_boy7 (Feb 2, 2008)

yea i think if i do take it out I will re-enforce the floor where the seat was below my decking. i have seen pics of one without the middle seat but i don't know waht the person did as it was a for sale add in texas i think lol


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## Nickk (Feb 2, 2008)

* I have no experience in this area but my 2 cents is:

If you think you need the space, get rid of it, build a brace to replace it in that area but maybe half the height, then you can still have storage space. I know that some companies have both open and bench seated floor designs available, I agree on replacing the floatation foam too in the event of a capsize.


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## bassboy1 (Feb 2, 2008)

The biggest thing the middle bench does, is keep the sides from either folding in, or bowing out. When they do that, the boat will start to fold, and loose a lot of stiffness. When you remove the seat, you need to make sure that there is ample support keeping the gunwales the same distance apart. Now, if you don't want the support piece to be at the same location as the seat, you will want to put a horizontal of some sort, along each gunwale, and attach a cross member to it, nearer the bow and stern.


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## Captain Ahab (Feb 3, 2008)

Now that my Mirrocraft is back on the keel - I noticed that mine has 4 rows of seats, but the middle two are hung from the sides and do not provide support . You should be fine removing that middle bench seat


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## bassboy1 (Feb 3, 2008)

esquired said:


> but the middle two are hung from the sides and do not provide support .



The middle ones do provide some support. Read my last post. They keep the gunwales the same distance apart. Otherwise, they would fold in, or bow out, and the boat would fold up. (I have seen an aluminum canoe that made it over a set of falls, and folded up. The gunwales had folded in, almost flat to the bottom of the hull, and the center thwart was folded in half) 

Now, on a vee, the hull shape is a bit stronger than on a jon, and more resistant to folding, and you could probably take the seats out just fine, but remember, they were there for a reason.


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## Captain Ahab (Feb 3, 2008)

BassBoy1 - on my 16' Mirrocraft they most certainly do not provide much support - the seat are hung not hard mounted to the sides. Maybe on other boat, but not this Mirrocraft. 

BTW, there are support ribs that run parrallel to the seats (ie side to side). Now these ribs do provide support


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## bassboy1 (Feb 3, 2008)

Alright, I may have snapped down a little hard. Sorry.

Now, about these seats, what do you mean by "hung" in there? I am a little confused.


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## bAcKpAiN (Feb 3, 2008)

NOTE: All manufacturers designs are different, furthermore each model is different. So one boat the middle seat might be holding the thing together, where another brand or even model in the same brand wmight be totally different. It is a real sticky situation to just start taking seats and floatation foam out of a boat, even when it doesn't seem to make a structural impact. Most places I have read (including manufacturers) say do NOT take them out. Part of me thinks it is probably just to avoid lawsuits, but looking at boat designs, almost every one that has no middle seat has some sort of full gunwale structure on each side to make the boat rigid. So another part of me, particularly the part that thinks about the times I take my wife and son on the boat, says I can work around them.

I had the same desire, and in some ways still do to remove the middle bench. But for me the risks far outweighed the desire to have no middle seat bench. If you do take it out be sure to test the structural integrity before loading it up and heading out. The real problem with these kinds of situations is you normally don't see the situation where too much stress is there until it is too late and the gunwale splits wide open or something freaky like that. Different situations particularly when dealing with a structure that is not on a foundation i.e. floating in water make the structural needs almost changing with every wake we hit, or current rip we enter. It is your boat, so ultimately weigh your options and do what you want. Everyone here will offer our opinions, but in the end it is your boat that you will be in time and time again on the water.


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## Bass_boy7 (Feb 3, 2008)

wow guys thanks for all the information I definately am going to really review how my boat is set up and decide on the proper move to ensure safety and to allow me to move around it without tripping or fumbling over all the seats , any more input is always welcomed.


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