# 1436 front deck framing - - - - - - - - - - NEW PICS PAGE 2!



## Jeffrey (Feb 27, 2013)

I asked about having the battery and gas tank close to each other in an earlier post. Most of the guys here advised me not to do it. That would especially hold true in a totally enclosed storage compartment, where gas fumes could accumulate.


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## chevyrulz (Feb 27, 2013)

never seemed to be a problem in my I/O boat, which had 2 batteries, then again it had a blower fan to reduce volatility. this jon boat battery will be in a covered battery box. they're correct to advise against it, it's safer to have them separate. imagine attaching jumper cables & then BOOOOOOM! lol

maybe i'll put one of them in the rear to be safe. 

anyone have advice on how to frame up my deck? i am open to design changes, also been tossing around the idea of 2 hatches on the port side storage area. i'm thinking i may not be able to get the strength i'm after if i use huge hatch door.


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## bigwave (Feb 27, 2013)

If you can afford it, have someone weld some square tube to the dimensions you desire......if not you could use aluminum angle and secure the square tubing with either rives or self tapers. It really is easy....there are plenty of people on here that did both......Johnboat Jerrys mod is a very good example of how to frame with aluminum.


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## FishingBuds (Feb 27, 2013)

You can click my boat link to get an idea how I did my 1436.

Still holding together, have not had to fix anything still yet!!


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## chevyrulz (Feb 28, 2013)

thanks, i just looked @ both of those builds. i would still love someone to help me draw up a schematic of how to frame the below deck portion. i have access to square tubing, & angle. i do have a pop-rivet gun & pop-rivets. 

here's a blank canvas you can modify:







all i've done so far is put a floor between the benches in the middle of the boat. need to try & figure out how to build the front like i want it


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## dejamat (Mar 1, 2013)

It's hard for someone else to frame in your deck without dim's. It appears that the hatch for the fuel tank is quite large and may have to be shrunk down some. Make sure you put a brace under each hinge and frame in the hatches. Framing should include legs to the boat bottom (ribs) for support. You have the right idea though, to draw it out to scale to be sure everything works before proceeding. Keep us posted on your progress.


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## chevyrulz (Mar 1, 2013)

10-4, thanks

johnboatjerry's "alumazilla" has some great pictures for sure, i'm being greedy i guess by wanting more :twisted: 

the bench to bench dimension up front is 58" & the hull floor is 36" wide, i haven't measured the width from rail to rail, but it's probably around 4'. i'm not too concerned with specific dimensions as this will be assembled piece by piece as a custom fit, the boat is a 1994 year model so it's not perfectly in square. i'll make all my joints square, but the actual cut lengths will vary with the hull.

the main help i need is how to frame the openings for the hatches & how to frame the perimeter of the deck while being frugal w/ the pricey aluminum yet maintaining strength.... so pictures showing how to setup the side supports & the reveals for the latches / hinges would be so helpful. i've never done this type of work, & i'm only a novice woodworker. i have a buddy who builds & installs custom cabinets so i'll try to get him over to help me, but i'd much rather do it myself & impress him....or at least not take too much grief from him lol

i'll probably order 1.5x1.5x96 sticks of 1/8" (0.125) 6061 aluminum angle to frame this up. i could get by by w/ 1x1 but i think the extra 1/2" will be very helpful in framing the hatch opening reveals & for strength in general, plus it's only an extra $30 or so to go from 1 to 1.5

i asked if they can make me some 2x3 angle in 0.5" thickness to, if the answer is yes then i'll be starting a home-made jack plate thread too :mrgreen: 

the TH marine jack plate is rated up to like 150 hp v6 or something & it's made of 2x3 angle that's 1/2" thick, mines only a 30 horse 2 stroke, but i need to get it up about 5 or 6" since it's a long shaft, my transom height is about 15 & 3/8", so i figure a 21" stick of angle on each side should do the trick. basically i'm building one of these $180 jack plates for $60 or $80 (however much it costs if i can source this 2x3x0.5 angle...) what i'm trying to make is this:






specs on above image here: https://www.thmarine.com/products/Outboard-Jack-Plates/Static-Height-Plates/CMC-Static-Jack-Plate-5-inch-vertical-extension

it's actually on sale for $140 here: https://www.wholesalemarine.com/p/T-H-50012/TH+Marine+CMC+5+Inch+Motor+Mount+Vertical+Extension.html

also, i almost made a big mistake when i went to lowes & home depot for aluminum, then i found onlinemetals.com (thanks tinboats!)

it's so much cheaper for a better product with onlinemetals.com, & i don't even have to get out of my seat until the doorbell rings

lowes / home depot r selling the "architectural" angle for a much higher price than "structural" angle from onlinemetals.com, i can buy 8 sticks of the lowes stuff from onlinemetals.com shipped to my door for the price of 3 sticks @ lowes or home depot, wow!


edit:

revised my drawin for y'all, please save, edit, & post your ideas!


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## dejamat (Mar 1, 2013)

Keep in mind,"Jonboat Jerry's boat" is 6' longer than yours and is wider also. Your boat will be nowhere near as stable. That motor your planning on using is way to much for the boat. check the rating plate before you actually try this. The framing plans will probably work (down scaled) for your build, but you must think about Safety. Start slowly and test for stability as you progress. Make sure your not over doing anything and it still handles good. Good Luck with your project.


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## chevyrulz (Mar 1, 2013)

my build won't be anything like the alumazilla, other than using his framing techniques for the decking & for hinges to be snag free. my deck will be lower & only on the front of the boat. the hull is rated for a 135lb motor & mine weighs 118lbs. i realize the hull is rated for a 15hp motor but i'm not concerned in the least about the 30 2-stroke as i've driven the exact same hull/motor combo & it's perfect. plenty of speed to spare when driving solo, & just enough power under a full load...plus my other boat is rated for a 60hp but it has a 90hp on it :wink:

hp ratings are under-rated for safety to avoid lawsuits. practically, a non-idiot can safely run more than the hp rating on every hull i've ever seen. talked to a tourney fisherman who told me to put a 60 evinrude 2 cylinder on this hull, lol no thanks! 

the 1436 being so narrow is already going to be tippy & unstable so i'm not concerned about that either, i have a flats boat for stability on the water. this is my beater boat to shoot ducks & pick oysters. i've shot plenty of ducks out of the white boat, but i'm tired of cleaning the pluff mud off of it...plus it's kinda big & white lol, my deck will only be the height of the existing benches which is 4" or so from the gunnel height. the purpose of decking is 2 fold, i need storage and it makes it much easier to go back & forth between the boat & river bank, especially for the dog. the motor being 5" higher than normal will increase "tippiness" a little, but not enough to be a big deal. i'm young, & 5'11" 160lbs with good balance. 

i'd like to be able to put the gas tank up front & the battery in the back to help the boat not be too stern heavy when i'm riding solo. my buddy's 1436 w/ 30hp has the gas tank in the back & no battery or decking at all just a plywood floor, & the boat needs bow weight when he's alone or it likes to porpoise. i do appreciate all the input & advice, thank you!


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## dejamat (Mar 1, 2013)

This is how I would start the layout. Don't forget to legs to the floor ribs for strength. I did mine using 2x2's and it is Probably the same size with 5/8 plywood and total weight of 100lb's


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## chevyrulz (Mar 4, 2013)

thanks dejamat, that's kinda what i was thinking

i finally have all the pieces to the puzzle (hopefully), so now, i just need the time to marry everything together!

here's a few pictures of the cockpit floor installed & trailer bunks re-carpeted:


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## chevyrulz (Mar 7, 2013)

aluminum ordered on 3/3/13 arrived on 3/6/13 from onlinemetals.com

same thing on the hinges from aircraftspruce.com , they seem kinda thin but i bought the cheapest ones they had @ $5 each for 3' long so i have 0 complaints, WELL worth every penny!

all parts received, hopefully i'll put a big dent in construction this weekend! i have some wiring & details to figure out before i can really go too far on framing, decking, & hatches because i don't want to get ahead of myself & then have to redo stuff


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## chevyrulz (Mar 9, 2013)

cardboard template for aluminum angle:





before:












framing begins:



























more to come


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## chevyrulz (Mar 11, 2013)

When I started Sunday Morning: 












When I stopped Sunday afternoon:











the beefier angle is 2x2", everything else is 1.25x1.25", all 1/8" thick, i used 2" rather than 1.25" for the locking gun box latch (sry didn't take a pic of the latch):






close ups of framing:

view of gun box's fore nailer





aft views of gun box port & starboard nailers
















view of gun box's aft nailer







went ahead & installed the bilge exit while I had the 5200 open:













i've been taking it slow, figuring out the plan as i go along. only had to redo one thing so far, i had to relocate a support to make the interior of the gun box work out. i have a few more wires to run after i figure out where i'm mounting my switch box, then i can cut out the gun box interior floor & sides. the gun box is going to be lined with 1/4" oak plywood sealed up most likely with some Australian timber oil i have lying around, poly on top of that too for longevity. after that i'll secure the battery, & begin the hard part of installing the diamond plate decking. it's going to be tricky to scribe the diamond plate deck floor to match the sides of the hull, i'll be using a cardboard template on that for sure!


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## chevyrulz (Mar 12, 2013)

i tried last night to get the deck floor cardboard template cut out correctly to match the curve of the the side of the hull, but i couldn't come up with anything other than just eyeballing it over and over again until it fit perfect which i chose not to do...yet... any tricks to share?

i was thinking of taking lateral measurements from the 2 longitudinal center supports (the middle ones) to the sides of the hull on 3" or 6" center to get a rough polygonal shape of the deck floor piece, & then freehand the curve between the points on my polygon to create a pretty close cardboard template which i could trim to fit perfect before transferring onto my diamond plate. i installed those 2 center supports to be square with each another as well as be perpendicular to both the front bow rail & the middle bench. 



obviously, i want to try & minimize the amount of water which can get under my front deck since it's being used for storage, and i realize having a good fit between the deck floor & hull sides is important for that. i will definitely cut the deck floor piece big, & fit it to the hull, but i am just trying to get that "big" piece as close as i can since cutting the diamond plate takes some time & 5200 only covers so big a gap...ideally there will be 1/16" all the way around


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Mar 12, 2013)

Get piece of cardboard wider than the boat and lay it over the boat. Now trace the outline of the boat on the under side of the cardboard. 
Now cut out the template and cut the template in half lengthwise. Lay the two halves of the template in the boat they will overlap in the center. Adjust both halves and tape the two halves together.


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## chevyrulz (Mar 12, 2013)

=D>

thanks lck, i have posterboard that's not as wide as the boat was gonna tape a bunch of it together, prolly need to get a fridge box or something bigger & thicker to get an accurate template without working too hard, definitely going to try your method


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## chevyrulz (Mar 14, 2013)

it worked like a champ! i found a big screen TV box on side of the road on my way home yesterday. i put it on top of the rails, traced down each side, cut the template down the middle, slid the template together taping if up for a perfect fit & then traced that onto my diamond plate. i didn't have to do any trimming or anything on the diamond plate, it dropped right in & fit like a glove. i'll get some pictures up soon


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## chevyrulz (Mar 18, 2013)

i've been slacking on pictures

here's a few for now, more to come

this is the rear deck floor & template: 





i added another support on the far right side to make sure the deck stays in place after i cut the door for the gun box since the deck floor will be pretty narrow in that area:





i decided against flooring the gunbox with 1/4" plywood, just didn't seem sturdy enough, plus i had a waste piece of diamond plate which fit perfect after some finesse work w/ my angle grinder:





& here's the sides of the gunbox, 1/4" oak plywood + 5 coats of minwax clear gloss polyurethane for floors:





the gunbox plywood sides were attached w/ 3/16" pop rivets plus 1" x 3/16" stainless washers. all that's left is to figure out how the hell to cut my hatch doors in the correct size/location. any tricks to share? lol


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## BassBlaster (Mar 18, 2013)

Looking good!!

That plywood isnt going to last though unless your gunbox is 100% water tight. Polyurethane is for interior applications only. It will start to deteriorate fairly quickly. Spar urethane is for marine applications.


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## MNHunter505 (Mar 18, 2013)

Bassblaster is correct...spar urethane or spar varnish (same thing, companies use different names) for exterior applications. Rustoleum now has a spar varnish which is water based, no order and easy cleanup. I used them. Good result.


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## chevyrulz (Mar 19, 2013)

i've noticed everyone here seems to use spar urethane, now i know why, thanks for the info y'all

i think my poly job should last a pretty good while since the wood won't see sunlight under my deck. i definitely opted for diamond plate floor on the gunbox since it must hold up to standing water & impacts. i'm fairly confident in using this oil based "for floors" poly for waterproofing wood. i've had it on my pine kitchen counter top for 2 years & it still looks great. this is despite having water sitting on it often around the sink, there's no signs of water damage. my bar is also poly'd the same & showing no drink rings despite the infrequent use of coasters coupled with a high rate of sweaty beverages sitting on it :mrgreen: 

i cut out the 1st of my 3 hatches in the deck last night. i took it nice & slow since the plug from my cutout will be the hatch door for the gun box. it was too dark to get good pictures by the time i finished cutting. I will put up some better ones tonight or tomorrow showing the progress to date, but here's the hatch laid out before i cut it:












i mounted the gunbox hatch piano hinge, and test fit my cutout. it needs some relief on the back side to allow the door to open more fully. i'll work on that tonight. it's going to be great though having a deck with nothing to trip over + tons of dry-ish storage!


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## chevyrulz (Mar 20, 2013)

the top side of the decking will all be black bedliner, then when the gunbox is opened it will be wood & shiny diamond plate (hopefully the ducks think it's purty):


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## chevyrulz (Mar 22, 2013)

scored a nice trailer for $450 off craigslist & sold my old one for $200 on craigslist, so i have $250 in this pretty much new 2010 galvanized trailer. i'm pretty happy because it would've cost me about $250 to fix the old trailer up myself as it needed lights, winch, jack, tires, axle, hubs, & leaf springs. so, basically, i got out of doing all that labor:







the trailer is a tad short. i've moved the winch as far forward as i'm comfortable, i don't want it any closer or the corners of the hull will be able to hit my tailgate on real sharp turns, they'd hit it now if i jackknifed but not planning on doin that lol. currently, i can turn 90 degrees with about a foot from tailgate to front corner of hull which is plenty for maneuvering in parking lots. ideally, i will extend the tongue 1-2' or add a folding tongue. i'll probably just rock it as-is though. i'm just glad to have a nice dependable trailer, Lord knows i don't want my hard work to wind up sliding down the road


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## chevyrulz (Mar 26, 2013)

installed the 1st two of my 3 hatch doors in the front deck. i still have to install the locking latch on the gunbox hatch as well as the slam latch & the handle for the battery hatch. the attwood battery box i got is really cool, it has a button to show how much charge is left in your battery, plus it has two 12v cig lighter plugs so i can charge my phone or whatever. here's the only 2 pictures i took (sorry, i'll take more soon): 











as you can see i was liberal w/ the 5200 since it's all getting covered w/ truck bed liner


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## chevyrulz (Mar 29, 2013)

the deck construction is finished, proper build thread here: https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=29851


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