i'm 25 and I recently purchased my first big boat project. I got the motor running,now the question i have is what about the floor? i started tearing up the floor and notice there is rot so i know i need to do a complete over hull of the hull. The thing that dumb founds me is how the foam was used as the main support for the old ply wood. The hull has the harden foam, ply wood, and then a layer of fiberglass. Im removing the fiber glass(ouch/itchy) so i can remove the wood, and then the foam sense its soaked with water. What purpose does the foam have? does it help with buoyancy? Can i frame a new floor in with the running boards or do i have to create a similar type of floor that was in there in the first place?
Also when framing i want to make it as level as possible with the least amount of wood, so should i use 1x1 or can i use 2x4 ? With adding a new floor should i add new foam ? Can i do without the fiber glass or can i use a different adhesive ?
The next thing is, can i use something like Kiwigrip as a carpet substitute and save on weight/money? or what would be the lightest way ? Carpet seems way to expensive. boat vinyl seems like a good thing to but I'm not sure how much weight that would add.
I know my post is kind of all over the place but this is the only thing holding me from the water.
Also when framing i want to make it as level as possible with the least amount of wood, so should i use 1x1 or can i use 2x4 ? With adding a new floor should i add new foam ? Can i do without the fiber glass or can i use a different adhesive ?
The next thing is, can i use something like Kiwigrip as a carpet substitute and save on weight/money? or what would be the lightest way ? Carpet seems way to expensive. boat vinyl seems like a good thing to but I'm not sure how much weight that would add.
I know my post is kind of all over the place but this is the only thing holding me from the water.
