Making Battery/Charger compartment

[Griggs]

I'd like to add a compartment for my battery and onboard charter. As you can see from the pic, the back of my boat is open and those two boxes, back left and back right are not storage and do not have doors.

I was thinking of unscrewing the top off one and cutting out (I think its floatation in there) an area for a battery and the charger.

When I put the top back on there won't be much airflow, should I install a vent on the side? If so what do I use to cut a hole?

Does this plan sound ok, or do you have any better ideas?

[Griggs]

Also, if you know anybody who can work with aluminum, I'd like to make a door that can open and close to the compartment. I may need some stuff cut.

On that note, I'm also thinking about closing off the back of the boat and making a casting deck in between those two boxes in the back. I'll need a frame for that as well, so if you or anybody you know could help with that, that would be great. Thanks.

[iffy]

Griggs: Not being from Mpls, I wouldnt know anyone there who would build your things. But I can tell you that its pretty easy to do. If you have woodworking experience, you can work with aluminum. Carbide will cut it like butter. The aluminum is readily available up on Washington avenue at any of the salvage yards there. You can bend lighter guage sheets at any hvac shop, or just do it yourself. Clamp it between a couple angle irons and bend. Riveting is the best method to fasten the aluminum to your boat, and anyone can do that with a simple hand riveter. Good luck.

[primetime49]

Yes those are foam compartments,make sure that when you resell boat you have added as much to rear of boat as you took out.Float level from Coast Guard if reason foam is in that area .If boat were to fill with water it should be able to support boats maximum weight and all water in it to save your life.

Personally I have taken these off for years and put aluminum or stainless piano hinge on them and reused this cover.

Oh yea I do it for a living so I do have to replace that many square inches of foam,dont i?

Sylvan,Northwoods,Smokercraft and other companies would sometimes come up short when float level test would come from Coastguard,they would send us big blocks of foam that we were rquired to put in back of boat and ruin all storage.

Whats really odd is we are not required to to make any flotation in boats over 20 feet.

does that mean that people in boats over 20 feet cant sink?

[iffy]

Whats really odd is we are not required to to make any flotation in boats over 20 feet. does that mean that people in boats over 20 feet cant sink?

Nahhhhhhh... They just decided to let em sink.

[chris63]

If you change any floatation from the factory on any vessle the warranty will be void and your insurance will (most likely) be void as well.Im not trying to be a *!#*&!@ here I just hate to see someone make the mistake of not being covered if things go south! Now lets go fish! c63

[Griggs]

Well the insurance company would get an ear full if they get to take my money every month and decide not to cover me.

What do you use to cut the alum? I feel like I'd wreck my saw cutting it.

I really need some storage and would like close off the back part of my boat for a casting deck in the back.

[BobT]

Quote:

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Well the insurance company would get an ear full if they get to take my money every month and decide not to cover me.

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That's assuming they are aware that you have altered the boat so that it no longer meets the specifications which they based their premiums on. Put yourself in their place. You agree to a contract to insure someone's boat and unknown to you the other party has altered it in such a way that it is no longer safe. Should you be held to the contract?

Bob

[Griggs]

Well I'd sure like to add some storage and I'm not sure where else to add it.

[gunflint]

Couldn't you incorporate storage onto a rear casting deck without removing flotation?

[Griggs]

Maybe, it would be small though, because I will have a battery and the gas tank under there if I make a rear casting deck.

If I could pay someone, I've got $100 if someone can make an aluminum frame that will fit the rear of my boat for a casting deck.

Any takers?