# cutting in to my bench seats



## back4more (Mar 21, 2011)

due to a lack of storage space on my alumacraft 1232, Im thinking of cutting in to my bench seats. I know plenty have done this before but Im wondering how this will affect a small 1232. if I cut as proposed in the pic below, will I lose strength in the benches when sitting on inserted seats? BTW, I will be installing 19/32 plywood w/ outdoor carpet on the bench tops before reinstalling the seat inserts and bases. when removing the foam under the bench, does this hurt the flotation of the boat? or is this only in case the boat flips?

also, when installing hinged lids, what type of hinges do you guys use? and they attach to the bench surface (and not the wood next to it) right?

edit: forgot to ask, when taking out the foam, are you guys removing all the foam for the bench or just some/most of the foam?


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## Brine (Mar 21, 2011)

Cutting into the benches as drawn should be fine. 

The foam only helps the boat float upside down. 

I used aluminum hinges from Aircraft Spruce for my hatches.


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## reedjj (Mar 21, 2011)

I am going to put some storage in my middle bench. I am very nervous about cutting into my new boat.

There is nothing to worry about with the floatation. The only time the foam in the seats will matter is if your boat is full of water.

With your proposed cuts it wont affect the structural integrity.


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## back4more (Mar 21, 2011)

thanks guys. another thing I forgot to ask (but have since edited the post to ask), when taking out the foam are you guys removing all the foam for the bench or just some/most of the foam?


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## jellio5 (Mar 22, 2011)

When I did mine I just removed enough for the room I needed.


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## Ictalurus (Mar 22, 2011)

I'd go through the top of the benches, having to reach around and under them is going to drive you crazy.


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## Froggy (Mar 22, 2011)

Ictalurus said:


> I'd go through the top of the benches, having to reach around and under them is going to drive you crazy.



+1


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## back4more (Mar 22, 2011)

yeah I would have liked to go through the top but Im putting carpeted plywood on the top and didnt want to have a hinged seat. I made the cuts today and dug out some foam #-o . what a pain. I ended up taking out all of the foam from the middle bench. Ive left some of the foam for the back bench and havent decided if I will take it all out or not.


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## bassboy1 (Mar 22, 2011)

back4more said:


> yeah I would have liked to go through the top but Im putting carpeted plywood on the top and didnt want to have a hinged seat. I made the cuts today and dug out some foam #-o . what a pain. I ended up taking out all of the foam from the middle bench. Ive left some of the foam for the back bench and havent decided if I will take it all out or not.



If you've pulled some, may as well remove the rest, as if you capsize, the boat is going to sink whether you have no buoyancy, or only part of what you need. It's all or nothing.  

However, on some of these little boats, the seats are made from very thin aluminum, so what makes them strong enough to sit on is being filled full of foam. On some that the foam has compressed, the seats develop a significant sag, and yours without foam might 'oil can.'


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## back4more (Mar 22, 2011)

bassboy1 said:


> back4more said:
> 
> 
> > yeah I would have liked to go through the top but Im putting carpeted plywood on the top and didnt want to have a hinged seat. I made the cuts today and dug out some foam #-o . what a pain. I ended up taking out all of the foam from the middle bench. Ive left some of the foam for the back bench and havent decided if I will take it all out or not.
> ...



after I removed the foam from the middle seat I noticed that the bench wasnt as sturdy. but I will have my swivel seats/seat inserts & bases attached to plywood (19/32) so Im hoping the stability will be fine.


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## back4more (Mar 23, 2011)

so my plywood has been added to the benches and my holes are cut and foam removed. I think Im finished. I decided not not to cut in to the very front bench.


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## Big_spur (Mar 24, 2011)

I put a smaller piece of plywood inside of the bench storage area, then bolted the seat through both the top and bottom wood. That sandwiched the metal from the bench and made it stronger/less flex.


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## bushead11 (Apr 12, 2011)

this might be a dumb question but what tool did you use to cut into the bench? I am looking to do the same thing with my 14 foot v-hull mod.


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## Froggy (Apr 12, 2011)

I have some detailed info with pictures in my build link below.


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## Ictalurus (Apr 13, 2011)

Your boat looks good B4M, can't go wrong with more storage  



bushead11 said:


> this might be a dumb question but what tool did you use to cut into the bench? I am looking to do the same thing with my 14 foot v-hull mod.



I drilled four corner holes and then cut the aluminum with a jig saw on my center seat. Good luck.


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