So I'm looking into getting a new duck boat. I found a good Alumacraft riveted boat that doesn't have a floor. Once I add a plywood floor I would want a seats and wanted to know if there were pedestal seats I can add to 3/4" plywood floor? Or a better option?

To be honest with you in my opinion, I would not put any pedastal bases in the floor. We ordered our new rig with 3 bases put down the middle of the boat and I wish I would have saved my money. If I had to do it all over again I would have saved my $$ and just bought some nice fold up chairs. This way if you hunt 2,3,4 guys out of your boat you have the option of putting the seats wherever you want depending on the # of hunters you have for the day instead of being limited to the location your seat bases were installed at. JMO

Agreed.

So not to be rude here, but I'm just looking to see if it is even possible ?

of course its possible, you might have to double up the floor under the base to make room for the seat post? people are giving their opinion so when its done, your not pissed that they are not in the optimal locations....


Sent from my iPhone using 2 somewhere in the swamp

If you are deadset on adding bases do what I did. Get some 1X1X1/8 angle. Cut them to lenght to fit between ribbs and have them welded in place. 2 for each base spaced the distance of the base holes. To make mine sturdier, I even used the rib for 2 of the screws.

Also, stay away from 3/4 ply. 1/4 is plenty enough. Only problem is the sides in between the ribs. To fix that, I flush welded aluminum angle between the ribs about 1/2" off the side walls. No flex at all.

I'll dig through some pics I have and see if I can post them.

In these pics you can see my bases. My ribs are 2" tall. I didn't have to cut the base tube. If your ribs are less than 2" tall, you will have to cut the tube that holds the pole and the pole so it doesn't hit the bottom of the boat. Or you will have to shim up the bases.

This is better for me because I can remove the seats and everything is pretty flat. My boat is 14' so I only hunt 2 people out of it. 1 in the front seat looking forward, 1 in the back looking backwards. We also can sit side saddlea face the side f the boat if needed.

In the pic you can see how the ply follows the side of the hull. Under each tab is aluminum angle. It holds the ply from flexing. The aluminum is lighter than ply so there is no need for ply over 1/4".

Sorry I don't have any pics of the floor off.

Here are the pics I said I'd get.

A couple more pics

As I mentioned to you. I'd stay away from foam. You can replace the angles along the sides with blocks of wood screwed to the bottom of the floor. They will absorb water and rot eventually.

I had access to a welding machine and did all the welding myself, so I just bought the material from a local aluminum supplier.

Also the bases are from Wal-Mart and are the swivel-eze aluminum ones.

Best thing about my setup is I can take the floor out without taking up the pedestal bases. I can even take the seats out and have an open floor.

WOW, that is pretty nice ! Sinse I have no welding skills, couldnt I add the floor and then instal the pedestals into the wood floor? I guess it would not be truly flush, but it would save me finding someone to weld them in like that !? Im just worried if it would be sturdy enough? Most pedestal bases look like they have 4-6 holes for mounting. I dont see why 4-6 bolts wouldnt hold up, I only use the boat for hunting.

just get some of these and dont worry about puttin anything into the floor

I had some permanent bases put in my boat mainly for hunting. I didn't want to take up too much space with the movable bases when hunting. I can put the seats and an extension in and Gond that's mainly when we have to hunt from the boat. But I really like the movable bases so Daniel is making me some like this.

If it works out you could stack these without a seat attached of course.

Open floor and hunt off a dove stool