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I have had a 16 ft poly square back canoe for several years. I found it impossible to sit on the factory bench seat and be able to start and tiller a motor that was directly behind me. I mounted a side motor mount that worked but the center of gravity was way off when I put my Merc 4 on the side .I actually carried a barbell weight to compensate. I was always somewhat afraid of the very limited flotation the air pockets in the seats provided. Especially with a 50 lb motor and other gear. So I modified things. I installed a 6 inch motor board on the extreme left side of the transom on the outside . It sticks up 2 inches above the transom so the motor clamps can grab it. The canoe molded corner braces only allowed the motor to be mounted in the center. With this setup the motor is mounted on the rear and all the way to the left. No cavitation problems with the 2 inch lift . Next I removed the center and rear seats. I bought a 54 inch round towable $59 overtons and installed it in the center of the canoe and it is held in place with treated 1x6 and a few pickets. WaLa 850 lbs of flotation. Next I installed a rear 1 x 6 crosspiece to carry a tempress seat w swivel disconnect. That seat I installed as far right as it would go and still swivel to access the motor . The motor being left and seat right balances things nicely while providing a normal seat / tiller orientation . I fashioned the same tempress seat to the one remaining front factory bench. Have to keep the 1 st mate happy. Mods are fantastic and boat is comfortable and safe. See pix . Ps I am 68 live in So Jersey and boat in the tidal rivers along our coast.

Alright, so yesterday while in the midst of a new project on my Jon boat I found that the foam in my boat was completely water logged. It was so bad that I could cut a chunk of it out and squeeze the water out to the point where it must have lost like 20X it's weight. I then realized that it was the reason my 1448 seemed to weigh 600 pounds and the reason that the tongue weight on my trailer was just more than 25 pounds. I concluded it absolutely needed to go. The problem is that I don't just want to replace it. All over online people seem to just hate foam weather it is closed cell or not, and I can now say that I share that hatred. Point of the matter I just don't know what to put in instead of foam. I thought that maybe instead I would get some big inter tubes at Fleet Farm, and just inflate them with like 5 psi every season. I thought that maybe I would fill the compartments with milk jugs and small plastic pop bottles, and I also even considered filling one of the compartments with some orange life jackets. I don't know what I am going to use yet, so I just want to know what you guys think would be the best alternative to foam. I realize that foam has great sound dampening quality's, and that is the sweet spot I'm trying to find. All help is appreciated, and 'bad' ideas are welcome too; some how I seem to like them more anyways.