I just got a 14' vhull last week and I was wanting to put a casting deck on it.  What I was wondering was if I could just lay the plywood over the front seat and the small one it has right in the front then mount it to this or if I would have to take them out?  I figured that leaving them in and mounting the boards to them would give alittle more support but I wasn't sure?  And if I can what type of screws should I use to attach the boards down.

Thanks

That is what I did in my 14 footer. its a little high, but easy to use. Use SS screws.

I used deck screws from Lowes and dabbed a bit of clear fingernail polish over them and haven't had any problems as of yet. Then I mixed some resin and went over the whole thing. The deck screws (like the deck on the back of a house) I used are those beige ones they sell at Lowes. I built my son one of those jungle gym like playsets in the back yard and had a ton of them left over.

Those screws have been out in the rain and weather for 13 months and look brand new. My boat stays in the garage and the deck rarely gets water on it. I figured if they lasted that well on his playset, the boat should have no problems.

I've got a 14' Sea Nymph and I just finished putting the front deck in. I didn't attach it permanantly to the seat. I rested it on the seat and the hull up front with some braces I built. I used deck screws also. Very simple to build once you get the shape cut out.

I'll take some pictures for you and try to post them.

I'll probably make a thread about the whole build whenever I finish the back deck.

Thanks guys this is a big help.

Here's the pictures.

Can't see real well, but under that 1st class upholstery job are two pieces of plywood screwed to the edge of the deck to increase the area that is pressing in the hull.

Here's the deck. Very sturdy. It can handle a 180 lb. kid jumping on it.

A picture to show the scale and how much room you have. Not to bad for a 14' boat.

I have the same boat as Joe, and am looking to do the same thing. I never thought of making it removable like that. If you could give me more detail Joe that would be sweet! Like how did you brace it to the hull in front?

I have the same boat as Joe, and am looking to do the same thing. I never thought of making it removable like that. If you could give me more detail Joe that would be sweet! Like how did you brace it to the hull in front?

Well basically it fits the curve of the hull well enough so it doesn't need any vertical support. I did put two extra strips of wood near the sides to increase the area pushing on the hull, but I doubt it was necassary. Pretty much what you see is what you get.

I did this last year to my 1993 Sea Nymph 14R.  

The space between the front seat and bow is about 4'.  I made a template out of carboard sheet, cut out the deck of 3/4" ply coated in epoxy.  I also used SS deckscrews.    

Next I took a rope or a piece of tape and strung it from the seat to the front of the bow where the deck would rest.  

I then measured every 1" from the seat to the bow, and from the floor of the boat up to the piece of rope.  I marked the rope and trensfered the distance and height measurements on paper.  I then transfered the measurements onto the ply.  The final part fits in between the centerline of the hull and provides vertical support.  Since it fits inbetween the seat and is even with the top of it, the deck does not move.  

I then attached the center hull support to the center section under the deck.  It is one solid piece.  

The bow on my boat is completely double rivited, I am not an engineer, but this is the strongest part of the boat.  Plus I would rather have vertical support, that horrizontal support pushing out on the sides of the hull.  

Hope this helps.