# Safety questions for my newest mods......



## pbw (Nov 19, 2007)

I want to remove the middle seat in my jon boat is this safe? 
I need a longer front deck, front seat needs to be back another 12 inches. Sunday while out fishing it was the only concern I have. I'm six ft tall so I have these stupid long legs  I did fish for about two hours from the rear deck its huge and I love all the space. 

Looking at the photo below you see my trolling motor is mounted at an angle to center the prop when in the water. What affect will it have if I move the entire mount up flush with the edge of my boat? So when the prop is in the water it will be on the bows port side. I've noticed the tracker alum boat mounts are set to the port side, then noticed the lowes do the angle mounts to center the prop.


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## pbw (Nov 20, 2007)

Where is bassboy1? Figured he would answer by now.


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## Captain Ahab (Nov 20, 2007)

I am not ignoring your post - just do not have any useful advice.

What do you think the danger in removing the seat would be?

Are you planning on removing the entire assembly - and supports? Or just building over them?


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## pbw (Nov 20, 2007)

esquired said:


> I am not ignoring your post - just do not have any useful advice.
> 
> What do you think the danger in removing the seat would be?
> 
> Are you planning on removing the entire assembly - and supports? Or just building over them?



No legal concerns here. :lol: 


I'm going to cut it out! I'll have one box alum support replacing it where the front of the seat was..


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## Waterwings (Nov 20, 2007)

Hard to say about removing the entire seat. Might cause some structural weakness, but just guessing. I'd personally add some type of brace where the seat was just for good measure. No real thoughts/ideas about moving the tm. I've seen boats with the tm mounted real close to the side, whereas the prop was not centered on/near the bow. May tend to track off-center (very slightly), but just guessing again.


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## pbw (Nov 21, 2007)

Looking at the seat last night some more, I may leave the front three inches of the seat then brace near the top/middle/bottom with some alum square box from side to side.


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## Jim (Nov 21, 2007)

pbw,
I have been watching this thread too, but I have no comments. I just simply dont know. I would hate to see you fall in the drink though (unless its a warm summer day).


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## pbw (Nov 21, 2007)

It seems the HydrillaGorilla jon boat bible book says you can.

Then I've read people saying don't do it, but if you do make reinforcements. 

I think the bottom line is maybe I shouldn't do it. I just wanted to make a rod locker and some storage.


I like tinkering with things this won't be my only jon boat build up. I'll have some photos up this weekend.


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## Waterwings (Nov 21, 2007)

pbw said:


> ...I like tinkering with things this won't be my only jon boat build up. I'll have some photos up this weekend.



Look forward to seeing the pics


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## pbw (Nov 21, 2007)

I may have to start these mods on Saturday, Friday I'm now going to be replacing motor mounts in my car! After 190,000 I noticed couple had some tears and ordered them on Tuesday off e-bay thinking it would take a couple of weeks to get them but ding! They came today.


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## Captain Ahab (Nov 22, 2007)

Glad you are keeping busy :roll:


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## bassboy1 (Nov 23, 2007)

pbw said:


> Where is bassboy1? Figured he would answer by now.


Sorry, been busy. 
For that middle seat. You said you wanted to extend the deck back a foot. How far back from that is the middle seat? If not far, you may just want a larger casting deck, that extends to the seat. Otherwise, pull it, and add some structure. 
The way that the middle seat ads strength, is it keeps the boat from folding in half. Basically, when the boat trys to fold, the gunwales will pull out, or squash in. Take a small box, like a cereal box, and cut it the shape of the jon (ie, cut the top off) Now, try folding it, bow to stern, or vica versa. See, the sides of the box more than likely bow inward, or outward. The middle seat keeps them the same distance apart. Now, with that seat in there, it still could fold, one side would bow inward, and the other outward, with the seat still attached. But, the boat has enough other strength to keep that from happening. 

If you remove the seat, attach a couple cross braces, probably of a stiff aluminum tubing, that attach the sides together top and bottom. These can be at the back of your casting deck, as it needs structure anyway. Now, you are going to wanna attach a triangulation piece in between the two, as the front and back of the seat were solid, thereby making the top and bottom all together as one. This is part of that strength that I mentioned, that keeps the boat from folding, where one side bows in, and one out. Or, using ply, or aluminum, you could attach the top and bottom together, all the way across, and forgo the triangle (ie - have a piece of sheet material that goes all the way across the boat, and connects the top and bottom crossbar) 

Does this make any sense? I would draw a diagram for you, but I am going to try and catch 20 minutes of sleep, before we have to go take a couple large loads of limbs to the dump, rent a splitter, and rent a splitter and flooring nailer, to take care of the 4 cords of firewood, and 1100 pounds of flooring we have here. If you are confused, just post here, and I think I will be free later to do a diagram of sorts.

Now, for your trolling motor, go ahead and mount it straight. On a long run, you will feel it pull to the right a tad, but not enough to worry about. You have to keep your foot on the pedal anyway, so a minor course correction (I am talking very minor here) is not going to kill you. Having it hang off the side like that is just asking for trouble. Someday, you would snag something with it, and it would yank right off.


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