Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

[marineman16]

Has anyone experienced success getting all the wood out from under the floor of their boat? After patching my rotted floor, I'm going to try to find an alternate method when I rebuild the entire floor. Perhaps a metal frame as opposed to wood stringers and a plastic or acryllic floor? Anything?

 

[mtnrat]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

I am using this. http://www.fisheriessupply.com/onli...ode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A01/Ntk/All

I gave the site of a supplier with a price list so that you will know how expensive this is from the outset. Very easy to work with. Actually cuts and sands easier than plywood.
I am in the middle of replacing my transom stringers and floor with it.

 

[sdunt]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

Ok, lets see the original wood and fiberglass floor in this boat lasted how long? And your rebuild using modern quality materials will last just as long or longer, so the boat will need a rebuild when your Great grandchildren inherit it??

My 1960's boat floor lasted from 1960 - 2000 = 40 years.. The floor I put in should last just as long so in 2050 someone might consider rebuilding it.

Just my $.02

 

[BillP]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

Pressure treated wood will give the biggest bang for the buck and never have rot worries. Greenwood brand pressure treated xl ply panels are what boat mfgs use but you may have a hard time finding sheets locally. When I looked for it they would only do a special order to get it. Poly resin sticks to dry cca pt the same as regular untreated ply. Its also a boatload of $$$ less than composites.

If you go with a composite like Coosa don't overlook their advertising that says... "Typically used as a low stress structural component". Structural composite sheets from other brands were amost double the cost of Coosa and finished weight was more than using plywood when I priced the stuff for a project a few yrs ago.

bp

 

[mtnrat]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

Coosa Bluewater 26
quote from their website "Coosa's strongest and stiffest panel"
"Typically used as a structural component"
" 30% or more lighter than plywood"
From my correspondence with coosa:
"Thank you for your email. Yes, our Bluewater 26 material is appropriate for your decking, stringer and transom applications. For your stringer application, whether you laminate several of our thinner panels together or merely use our 1.5" thick material - the strength is the same. The decision is up to you."

I don't buy the assertion that there are never rot worries with pressure treated plywood. It is wood, it will rot. It is in a boat, it will never stay dry. Therefore it will rot. Yea it may take a while, but I like the idea of almost forever.
I will be handing down this boat to my nephews who are 9 and 13 so longevity is taken into consideration.
Yep cost is high, but there is always enough money and time to do it twice but never enough to do it right the first time. I am just lucky enough to have the extra money right now. I also paid up for epoxy.
Some may think I am crazy and wasting money, but I get high satisfaction from doing the best job I can with the best materials I can afford. It makes the job more fun, exploring the use of new materials. It is the whole chase, source it, buy it, ship it, explore its workability and properties, and create.
Cheers

 

[marineman16]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

Ha!!! Maybe I'll just pay the man's price and hope he does it right when my patching rots out!! I don't even have the tools to split the boat to fully access the floor. Boats - what a total pain in the butt!!

What's the difference between the "marine" ply and pressure treated ply?

 

[BillP]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

Coosa Bluewater 26
quote from their website "Coosa's strongest and stiffest panel"
"Typically used as a structural component"
" 30% or more lighter than plywood"
From my correspondence with coosa:
"Thank you for your email. Yes, our Bluewater 26 material is appropriate for your decking, stringer and transom applications. For your stringer application, whether you laminate several of our thinner panels together or merely use our 1.5" thick material - the strength is the same. The decision is up to you."

I don't buy the assertion that there are never rot worries with pressure treated plywood. It is wood, it will rot. It is in a boat, it will never stay dry. Therefore it will rot. Yea it may take a while, but I like the idea of almost forever.
I will be handing down this boat to my nephews who are 9 and 13 so longevity is taken into consideration.
Yep cost is high, but there is always enough money and time to do it twice but never enough to do it right the first time. I am just lucky enough to have the extra money right now. I also paid up for epoxy.
Some may think I am crazy and wasting money, but I get high satisfaction from doing the best job I can with the best materials I can afford. It makes the job more fun, exploring the use of new materials. It is the whole chase, source it, buy it, ship it, explore its workability and properties, and create.
Cheers

You may want to find different sources for info if you think pt ply rots. Sure you may find a defective batch that wasn't done right but that goes with any material. I toured the plant that makes foam stringers...they had a large pile of defective ones there. Anyway, pressure treated plywood sealed in glass doesn't rot even if it gets wet. The preservative doesn't leach enough to let it happen. Commercial grade pt is speced for 30yrs burried in the ground. I have pt planks on my dock that are original and we had it built 37 yrs ago...it looks weathered and been renailed but there isn't rot anyware. It's never been sealed or had additional preservative applied either...yada, yada, yada.

Marineman...Greenwood's xl panels are pt marine plywood...lifetime warranty against rot. Regular pt ply from homedepot is lower grade wood and specs.
bp

 

[stylesabu]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

marine plywood doesn't have any knots

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Non-wood materials to rebuild a boat floor

Please do not answer or dig up posts that are over 2-1/2 years old..... I am certain the original poster found a solution.

I will close this one.