Help With Casting Deck

[rjn cajun]

I`m looking into putting a casting deck on my 10ft livingston. I`ve been around on different sites and have found some info but no how to`s.I`ve read that there a great boat to do this with. Wondering if anyone could weigh in on this or has any experience with building a casting deck. Don`t know if I should build a removable deck with a frame or a removable deck with angle iron on the boat. A new boat is not an option right now. Thanks for any help. cajun

[Amx]

If you do any metal, use aluminum. That's what I used for the 2 deck extentions in my boat. Or you can use wood like 2x4s. I wouldn't use steel as it'll rust easier, and is heavier than aluminum.

[FishingFool]

maybe this site can help.

http://www.tinboats.net/

['OL GREY DOG]

your Livi is a glass boat right ???...metal brackets through bolted to the hull can be problematic..a lotta weight/presure especially if you step over on the edge.... in a bad direction/angle on the glass....even if you put it low enough that it rested on the center thing (i got the right boat i think)and on the bolted supports/angle iron you could still risk break'n your GLASS...
i did a 12ft Columbia tri hull a few years bk and the guy that bought it and brought it bk and asked if i could build a removable bass fish'n set up for it..."nothing too fancy" and "fairly" easy to remove/install....so here's what i did...
i bought 3 sheets of 5/8 marine ply ...the deck was a simple/plain wood floor covered in carpet streched over the top around the edges and secured with a thou staples or so...no hatchs..front trolling motor bracket and seat base bolted on...the edges and front and back "lips" were built up out of layers of (scrap) of the above 5/8 ply...the area where the seat/motor bolted on i layed up and glassed in a 2nd layer/piece guesstimated to be big enuf to take the extra strain and give more meat to bolt too...the front and bk "lips" were built to rest on the front 'n middle seats...the 1s along the edges were just a single ply piece about 2 inchs wide on the flat.. lay'd up and glassed in ...i built 3 .. 2" X 2" "L"s.. again out of scrap..that i ran across the bottom from side to side...and glassed 'em on ...the whole deck being 1 piece at that point i put 1 more coat of resin on it and no gelcoat since it wouldnt be expozed to the light...now here's the sorta nasty part...to support the middle/edges... i sanded off a section of gelcoat down to raw glass to accept 2" strips(of scrap) and lay up and glass from the front to middle seat..3 layers created about a 2" lip for the deck/edge to rest on...try'd to match the gelcoat as close as i could...the deck was then attacked DOWN to these "ledges" with 4 lag bolts..WOW huh?...was CLEAN tho..had a huge storage area below deck..accessed fron under the middle seat..the batt for the troll'r was secured under/to the middle seat...the guy bought a lil 15 ft fish/ski boat i did a few years later for family trips..so i dont know if he ever took it off but he could..GL..DOG

[bcalvert]

maybe this site can help.

http://www.tinboats.net/

+1

[rjn cajun]

your Livi is a glass boat right ???...metal brackets through bolted to the hull can be problematic..a lotta weight/presure especially if you step over on the edge.... in a bad direction/angle on the glass....even if you put it low enough that it rested on the center thing (i got the right boat i think)and on the bolted supports/angle iron you could still risk break'n your GLASS...
i did a 12ft Columbia tri hull a few years bk and the guy that bought it and brought it bk and asked if i could build a removable bass fish'n set up for it..."nothing too fancy" and "fairly" easy to remove/install....so here's what i did...
i bought 3 sheets of 5/8 marine ply ...the deck was a simple/plain wood floor covered in carpet streched over the top around the edges and secured with a thou staples or so...no hatchs..front trolling motor bracket and seat base bolted on...the edges and front and back "lips" were built up out of layers of (scrap) of the above 5/8 ply...the area where the seat/motor bolted on i layed up and glassed in a 2nd layer/piece guesstimated to be big enuf to take the extra strain and give more meat to bolt too...the front and bk "lips" were built to rest on the front 'n middle seats...the 1s along the edges were just a single ply piece about 2 inchs wide on the flat.. lay'd up and glassed in ...i built 3 .. 2" X 2" "L"s.. again out of scrap..that i ran across the bottom from side to side...and glassed 'em on ...the whole deck being 1 piece at that point i put 1 more coat of resin on it and no gelcoat since it wouldnt be expozed to the light...now here's the sorta nasty part...to support the middle/edges... i sanded off a section of gelcoat down to raw glass to accept 2" strips(of scrap) and lay up and glass from the front to middle seat..3 layers created about a 2" lip for the deck/edge to rest on...try'd to match the gelcoat as close as i could...the deck was then attacked DOWN to these "ledges" with 4 lag bolts..WOW huh?...was CLEAN tho..had a huge storage area below deck..accessed fron under the middle seat..the batt for the troll'r was secured under/to the middle seat...the guy bought a lil 15 ft fish/ski boat i did a few years later for family trips..so i dont know if he ever took it off but he could..GL..DOG

Wow Dog that sounds great and sounds like you put alot of work into it. It is the glass one with the seat in the middle. I`m still looking at options. Found a guy that does small boat conversions. He`s booked up for a month. Wants 400$ to do mine and I think I`m gonna have him do it.

['OL GREY DOG]

glass work aint that hard but its messy and isnt a wam bam kinda project...took it up when i couldnt pound nails for a live'n....works out good for a old gimp....theyre my projects so if my broken bk gets to complain'n...i just drop the tool 'n go 'n lay down...it'll be there another day...boat build'n/fix'n goes in steps anyways...each 1 need'n its dry'n/cure'n time....$400 sounds reasonable to me ...bet its why the guy is busy lolol...GL...DOG

[davidwat1]

rjn, would you mind sending me the contact info? I promise not to try to squeeze in ahead of you! I'm interested to know what his work entails.

Thanks!
Dave

[rjn cajun]

rjn, would you mind sending me the contact info? I promise not to try to squeeze in ahead of you! I'm interested to know what his work entails.

Thanks!
Dave

Will do and don`t worry about cutting in front of me as it`s going to be a while before I`m ready to have him do mine.

[AJ's Dad]

This guy might help you out. I stumbled on this ad in the Seattle craigslist.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/2468340130.html
He does conversions on livingstons and they look great in his photos. Good luck.

[BassinBomber]

This guy might help you out. I stumbled on this ad in the Seattle craigslist.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/2468340130.html
He does conversions on livingstons and they look great in his photos. Good luck.

I believe he joined WL and is giving WL members a great discount.

BB

[BigWerm]

"Wow Dog that sounds great and sounds like you put alot of work into it. It is the glass one with the seat in the middle. I`m still looking at options. Found a guy that does small boat conversions. He`s booked up for a month. Wants 400$ to do mine and I think I`m gonna have him do it."

Who's the guy? i want my 12ft livingston done....

[Ezlivn89]

i want my 12ft livingston done too.. haha