How to replace wood floor in a boat?

I need to know how to add a wood floor to a row boat that has permenatly mounted bench seats.?

• My boat has 3 bench seats plus a smaller one in the bow and i am having a really hard time trying to get ply wood cut just right to fit perfectly in the space in the bow. the problem is the slant of the sides as it comes to the point in the bow with it being a v-hull. any recomendations would be nice and i can't use the old floor for a pattern since there is no old floor. any GOOD suggestions would be very helpful thanks.

• Answer:

  Try this! Make a cardboard pattern of the bow section, and then measure the height of the wood that you're going to use, then measure the distance of the widest part of the peice, at that height, adding a slight bevel to compensate for any angle that may occur at that height on the sides. ( example ; the straight cut at the rear is 12 inches, but you're using 3/4" plywood, and that same measurement at that height on the sides is 13". You now know that you have to set your saw blade to make a 1/2" angle on the sides.) You can set your saw blade at that angle, and when you cut the peice out, it shoud fit very closely. If not, use a rasp to clean up the edges until it pops in perfectly. Remember that since it's in the botom of a boat, it may get wet at times, and leave about a 1/16" - 1/8th inch all around for expansion and contraction.