14' Klamath- A work in progress in need of advice

[R-K]

As the post states, I bought a 14' Klamath, 1989, with a 15hp 2-stroke Suzuki and a trailer a couple years ago. It fit my budget at the time, and... Well, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I can fish out of it. Mostly.

First action was to take it to the car wash and spray out the inch of mud in the bottom so I could see what I was working with. Since then, I've redone the trailer lights & wiring, replaced wheel bearings & seals, new tires, fixed the front jack, replaced the winch, added motor safety chains & lock, and fully cleaned the carb, replaced a cracked oil injection tank, etc. Attempted to patch a couple leaks under the middle bench with epoxy putty (worked for a year). I've been wanting to replace the bench seats for a while, but the cost of wood has me re-evaluating currently, with 1/2" marine-grade fir at $140 and 3/4" at $180 (mahogany was $160 and $250).
From the looks of things, the previous owner used screws to secure the bench seats in place, which have since rusted/corroded/failed- looks like cheap stuff that created a galvanic cell with the aluminum. I'm looking at removing these and adding pop rivets instead, and keeping the current wood for the time being. The wood isn't exactly the best quality (see below), So I have four main questions (for now):

1. Can I actually keep it? It doesn't feel soft/rotten, so that's where this all spawns from.
2. Can I do anything to help the finish of the wood? Should I sand it, round the corners, paint, seal, etc? Need help here...
3. Do I need to seal the holes before adding the rivets? Epoxy/varnish, caulk, etc?
4. What's the technical name for the braces that connect the bench to the gunwale, and are these actually necessary with the bench supports welded in place to the hull? I'd like to get rid of them to free up some space if at all possible (mostly for rod storage). Hesitant to call them seat hangers, since the seat doesn't really hang- it's on top of the aluminum.

The wood I have to work with, two years ago:


The setup (with makeshift bow lounge chair):



Other to-dos:
- Patch haphazard drill holes in the hull from the previous owner- can I use aquarium silicone to fill? Should it be caulk under a rivet? Would rather avoid the look of the rivet if possible.
- Install bilge pump with float switch
- Build dedicated battery box/platform in front area of boat
- Replace anchor rope with something thicker/easier to lift. Eliminate "runner" system.
- Add a floor- going to try talking to the local road department for old aluminum signs if possible.
- Re-secure the driver's seat- feels unstable when I sit in it.
- Add a shelf / bench on the port side, level with or slightly below the bench top level.
- Patch two 1/2" long transverse hull cracks that also cracked through epoxy putty over the winter. I can't access the area from the inside, so I'm open to suggestions. Please don't say welding...
- Check the current scrap price of aluminum in case none of this works and I just give up.
- Buy some matches, use the remaining gas in the tank to burn it and walk away.

Thanks for taking the time to read the novel. Wish I had some "before" photos of what I started with- it might not look like it, but it's come quite a ways. Open to any advice I can get on this.


The current look:



Bonus pics- What I do with this thing:

Catch small fish:


Sometimes better fish:

 

[briangcc]

Just an FYI: Your links are asking me to sign into Google photos to view them.

 

[R-K]

Just an FYI: Your links are asking me to sign into Google photos to view them.

Well that's annoying. Should be fixed now.

 

[briangcc]

1. Probably.
2. Probably not - looks aged and whatever finish may not stick to it all that well.
3. Check with the Starcraft guys - they'll know better but if it were me, putting some 4200 into the hole before cinching the rivet down doesn't sound like a bad idea.
4. Angle braces, keeping the sides of the boat in shape so it doesn't flail apart. Keep, do not remove. My uncle stored his oars in there. If you're not using them for that purpose, put your fishing rods in there - natural holder for them.

I personally wouldn't add a floor as you're adding weight to a rather small boat.

As for cracks, what some Starcraft (and other aluminum boat owners) have done is to create a patch larger than the crack. Smear with 4200 (check this I could be off), attach to boat, and then using solid rivets cinch it down. Prevents future cracking and creates a watertight seal. Others have gone to radiator repair shops to have them weld it - may not be possible if the crack is on a factory seam with sealant.

 

[R-K]

1. Probably.
2. Probably not - looks aged and whatever finish may not stick to it all that well.
3. Check with the Starcraft guys - they'll know better but if it were me, putting some 4200 into the hole before cinching the rivet down doesn't sound like a bad idea.
4. Angle braces, keeping the sides of the boat in shape so it doesn't flail apart. Keep, do not remove. My uncle stored his oars in there. If you're not using them for that purpose, put your fishing rods in there - natural holder for them.

I personally wouldn't add a floor as you're adding weight to a rather small boat.

As for cracks, what some Starcraft (and other aluminum boat owners) have done is to create a patch larger than the crack. Smear with 4200 (check this I could be off), attach to boat, and then using solid rivets cinch it down. Prevents future cracking and creates a watertight seal. Others have gone to radiator repair shops to have them weld it - may not be possible if the crack is on a factory seam with sealant.

Thanks for the reply. I'll keep the current wood and angle braces, maybe do something about the odd splinter. Not much rain where I'm at in MT, and I keep it covered in the winter, but I probably should still use the sealant on the wood holes before adding rivets.

And an oversized patch should work. My preference would be to add it to the inside of the boat, but like I said- it's sitting under the middle bench. Hesitant to make it an external patch, since gravel tends to peel back aluminum edges, but rivets, sealant, and a sanded edge might be the cure for that. Thinking JB marineweld this time instead of the JB marine putty.