Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Just bought four sheets of FRP... gonna get started with the underskin tonight... will post more later.

more info please pics? Price? Where did you get it?

We wait patiently!

Had to relocate sensor wires for depth finder...

Tried to cut FRP with jig saw...haha...epic fail

Got the stuff at Lowe's. .. about $150.00 including rivets...

4' x 8' sheets... .090"... $33.00 each

3/16" x 1/4" rivets...$5.28 each

Using vinyl cutting shears now... works great... no dust!

3/16 drill bit...MIA!... will have to pick one up in the morning...

A few other things that I have done to the boat...

Added a Lowrance elite5-hdi Depth / fish finder, GPS / chart plotter... love the thing... one of the greatest things I have added to the boat...


GPS Mount


GPS Mount again...


Wiring for the docking lights... all heat shrink connections


Docking lights


Also added a minn kota trolling motor and minn kota mk-1-dc charger for the trolling motor battery...will get pics of those on later.... the battery charger is awesome. .. charges the trolling motor battery when the engine is running...

the battery charger is awesome. .. charges the trolling motor battery when the engine is running...

So it works thru the engine alternator?

RcgTexas wrote:

the battery charger is awesome. .. charges the trolling motor battery when the engine is running...

So it works thru the engine alternator?

Yes...

Decided against the FRP... our boat is 24" on center cross members... I don't think FRP will be strong enough for how I want to install the underskin...

Was at Lowe's getting aluminum angle pieces this morning... and a drill bit ... and ran into a guy I work with... told him what I was doing... about having second thoughts about using FRP... he tells me our local race shop (race connection) has aluminum sheeting! I go over there and sure enough.. they have it in stock... several sheets of .063 4' x 10'... he had atleast three sheets of plain aluminum and all kinds of other colors... anyway, I picked up 2 sheets ($90.00 each) and had to order the rivets ($13.00) for a box of 250... he can get the 3/16 dia. with the large 3/8 head rivets like they use on the race cars... they will be in on Wednesday...

Then I went to a local fab shop to get the sheets cut to size... their shop guys work Monday thru Thursday 5:30 - 4:00... what a coincidence. ..so do I... they wanted $60.00 to make the cuts... could have left the sheets there and picked them up on Monday.... but I had a better idea... we have several HVAC shops in town and I know they have hydraulic shears for making duct work...

Off to Redd's heating and air conditioning I go...they make all the cuts for $20.00!!!

Including the miscellaneous aluminum, jig saw blades, drill bit from Lowe's... I'm at about $350.00... well, well, well worth the extra money!

Cut sheets...


That's the protective plastic coating on the aluminum giving it that wrinkle look... not sure what grade it is... but it will work just fine...

They have the aluminum 3/8 rivets in stock. .. but the nail part was steel... I had him order the all aluminum rivets...

In the interim I can cut all the angle pieces and get ready to install when the rivets come in...

I like it when I see a man on a mission. You have it going your way!

That's a deal on the aluminum. I paid $402 incl. tax for 3 4x10 sheets. The. 3/16" structural aluminum rivets were $80 for 200, air riveter $35 from HF, drill bits, self-tapping SS screws (for side panels), bonded SS washers, sealant, etc. totaled almost $600.

I just posted before and after pics today.

Good luck! It will look great.

Made a little progress on the underskin...

Got tired of waiting on the big rivets that are on order... so I decided to use the small 3/16 rivets on the side panels. ..

side tabs


top angle bracket and small two inch strip to tie everything together... the angle bracket and panel are both .060" so the finished thickness is flush with the existing pontoon bracket... that top 2" strip will give something for the 4' piece to attach to and prevent any major flexing on the sides of the big sheets...


bottom angle bracket... makes it nice and sturdy...


full panel... light weight... very strong... easy to remove... only have to drill out six rivets to take it off...four across the top and the two outside on the bottom... I'm thrilled at how it turned out... can't hardly wait to finish and take it for a test run!


I decided to make small panels for the sides instead of overlapping what is already closed in... and 4' pieces down the middle... if and when I have to remove it to run wires or plumbing it will be much easier and I should be able to handle each piece by myself...


bought a pneumatic rivet gun... well worth the $45.00... as I used 27 rivets on that one panel! Ha Ha! Good thing they are feather light.. even with the tabs and angle pieces combined it doesn't weigh much at all...

Looks good

Looking good keep up the great work.

RcgTexas wrote:Looks good

redbeard wrote:Looking good keep up the great work.

Thank you... I've really enjoyed this project... it's a lot of fun working with aluminum... Lord willing I'll have it finished this friday and on the water Saturday...