Well a few guys have been asking me how I added the deck and gun boxes in my hull, So I figured I would write this. I bought the hull last year and loved the way it rode but hated the fact that it had no storage. At the time I had a 23 bandi on it so the hunt deck wasn't needed. I started out by buying enough 1"x1"x1/8" aluminum angle. I am sick as hell right now so bear with me.
First the front deck. I cut a smaller square out to make sure of what braceing was in there ,but since I have been there I will just cut to the point. There is a 1x2 box tube about every 12 inches across the boat for the front deck. I cut the hole 1 inch shorter on each side of the lower deck. So the hatch measurement could be from gutter to gutter. the top was cut at 3 inches from the top and then trimmed to the box tubing. Next I tried to cut the foam with a sawzall, tried a shovel ,then a pressure washer with a ROTATING CONCRETE TIP. Pressure washer was the way to go. Took 15 minutes and all of the foam was gone. Make sure to wear a face mask and a long shirt , that shit is no fun. After I got all of the foam out I cut some 1/8th inch plate for the floor. I used silicon and pop rivets to install everything with some spot welding. I then used my miter saw with a wood blade to cut the alum. angle to fit inside of the cutout. Basically one side of the angle was riveted to the inside of the cutout and the other side stuck out 7/8th of an inch. I made the top out of a piece of plate and butted the sides up too it.

The back pods were about the same as the front. With the back I didn't want the hatch going all the way to the floor so water runoff wouldn't just enter the box. The distance between the edge of the plate and the blade on most skil saws is one and a half inches so that was how high I kept the opening off of the bottom. For the side cuts I made sure to keep it behind the step up in the floor and about 10 inches from the back to clear the blind. The top cut is a little tricky. measure down one inch from the top in one spot, then measure up from the bottom for every other mark. The pod boxes aren't perfect and its important to have a true square hole. You may have a little difference in the measurements from the top cut line to the top of the box ,Let the hatch hide the difference and keep the cut square. I cut the holes, removed the foam ,and added the angle as described above. For the floor of these boxes I cut pieces of plate and welded them to the side of the hull and siliconed them on the other side. I welded all the spots I could but some places ya just can't reach, Just make sure to use a quality 100% silicon. Silicon sticks excellent to aluminum and stays flexible.

The hatches need to be about 1/2" bigger than the opening all of the way around. The front hatch I made the same width as the floor and a quarter inch shorter than the deck. Also if u use 1x1 angle your return on the hatch should be 7/8". Back hatches should measure the half inch bigger and have the same 7/8" return. Have to get a shop with a break to make these for ya. I got some aluminum piano hinge and rivited it to the doors and boat. The front hatch mounted to the floor. The rear hatches mount to the pod and should have some fudge room to make them parallel to the top of the pod.
To be continued...

weres the pics!!! i been wanting to modify my gd 18x60 rear pods thanks for some advice bud!

I will post pics next week when the blind comes off. The sad part is I done all of this work and the boat doesn't fit me.

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If you zoom in you can see the back hatches. I didnt add to the front deck ,just removed the foam and added the hatch. I still cary 12 gallons of fuel in the hatch.

hey sorry for the delay guys but Damn both them rigs look sweet i got the poling platform and when i shut down i get swampped i really am considering removing this foam and making two storage hatches or aka gun boxes!! the one thing is i have a full bench in the middle and the 20 inch fish deck i really was wanting to get up under the deck and make a storage hatch as well possiable put fuel tank and battery there any ideas on this would be great!! are u close to houston or do you know a aluminum guy in the area that can help me out!!! thumbs up for the mods I was a bit disapointed when i got my gd rig trying to fig out why they sell a winch mount but no way to run wires and some of the welding looked like crap my paint started to come off the first day i will be taking mine to camo desighns by rick in la to get a new spray job then going to send coco the bill !!!! lol

What are you guys using for hatch covers on the rear boxes? Can't find plastic hatches narrow and long enough. Thanks.

What are you guys using for hatch covers on the rear boxes? Can't find plastic hatches narrow and long enough. Thanks.

That is a nice ass boat

Quick question. Did removing that foam reduce a lot of wieght ? I'm bout to remove the foam from 18-56 Go-Devil boat

Yea AKA like what u did with the front deck !

I completely removed the rear boxes in my 1644. The foam wasn't saturated but it was eating the aluminum. Ended up having to weld 75-100 spots between both sides. Also got a new piece of aluminum and extended floor. I Also took the foam out the front (which sucked but well worth it) and made storage room.

This stough is hard as a rock !

Looks like it.....u might have to cut that chit out

Renovator
I'd like to see some pics of your rig. Especially the gun box in the pods.

Did you guys gut the foam in the front by cutting out the vertical panel that faces the motor?

I don't th no I have pics of that rig anymore. Yes cut the wall out in the front.