87 glassmaster floor repair

[Drewmanselle]

I am repairing my Glassmaster floor. most of the floor is in pretty good shape but one area was particularly bad. Most of the demolition is complete except for some bad wood that is under a glassed in box at back of the boat where the transom and hull meet. These boxes are on both sides but the bad wood is under the starboard side "box". Does anyone know what these "boxes" are for? they look original and an old video of a guy selling his Glassmaster had them also. they are built on top of the floor and then glassed to blend into the floor when I pull some of the rotted wood out from under the starboard "box" the glass coating that was on the floor is still intact. I cant reach up into it from the bottom. It is glassed in at the top also although not as smooth. One friend said it might just have foam for flotation and serve no other purpose. Another friend said it might have some structural purpose to tie the hull and transom. My questions to the forum, can I or should I remove them to get to the rotted wood below? If not, I will replace the cut out area with epoxy coated wood tie it as bet as I can to the edges and try to forget that there is a little bit of rot left under there somewhere.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I highly recommend you check out the stickies. especially #14 on the list http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...r/295740-how-to-s-and-other-great-information

the boxes are floatation foam, as well as a bit of structure.

Im trying to scratch my head and figure out what all the wood is in there between the stringers. if you added the wood, then you are not understanding stringer/hull repair.

 

[Drewmanselle]

Thanks so much for the reply. The "extra wood" is actually foam. It's original and discolored. It just looks like 2x4s. You are right about one thing I am a novice and without the things I have learned on different threads and advice from folks like you, I would never even try. Is it worth messing with the "boxes" to get all that bad plywood? I am confident I can make the new floor sound but hate the idea of rot still in there even if isolated. Afraid of messing with the structure though. Thanks again!

 

[gm280]

I was thinking the "wood" look material was foam. I had some of the same looking foam in my boat when I did the demolition work. But is that foam totally dry and really light in weight, or damp and a little heavier then expected? If it isn't 100% absolutely dry, replace every bit of it. Now is the time to do things like that while it is wide open. You could build it back without the foam and then use mix and pour foam after the floor is installed. A lot of boaters do that. Your choice. JMHO!

 

[Scott Danforth]

now is the time to replace everything wet, damp, or rotten. that includes the foam filled boxes.

 

[Drewmanselle]

No Title

Took the advice all rot gone, now time for reconstruction

 

[Drewmanselle]

No Title

New floor dry fit, a few questions for the experts.....

Anyone have the recipe for the peanut butter everyone talks about? I would use this for the fillets and filling any gaps correct?

I would also like opinions on sealing the wood underside and then glassing the top vs glassing both sides.

My floor crowns in the middle. I am worried that if I glass the underside it wont flex enough when I install it.
old floor was glued to the stringers. Since it crowns I am considering screwing it down. Any advice here would be appreciated also.

 

[Drewmanselle]

No Title

bilge box installed, New flotation added, floor glued and screwed. Now to peanut butter the edges and fillet the inside of the bilge edges. Then tab in the edges and glass the floor surface. lots more to do but making progress.

Any advice on final coating for the floor? I will carpet the main area but was going to paint the bilge and the area that isn't going to be carpeted. Any suggestions on paint type??

 

[Woodonglass]

What did you seal the backside of the deck with? If you're gunna carpet it, I;d recommend using polyresin and two layers of 1.5oz CSM to finish off the deck. I'd use Oil Base Rustoleum with the added Hardener.

 

[Drewmanselle]

What did you seal the backside of the deck with? If you're gunna carpet it, I;d recommend using polyresin and two layers of 1.5oz CSM to finish off the deck. I'd use Oil Base Rustoleum with the added Hardener.

I used poly resin and two layers of 9oz. regular woven. it was a little hard to work with but it worked out ok. I was going to put 3 layers of that on top. Also when I look up oil based rustoleum, I see tons of products. is there a particular one you are referencing?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Drewmanselle]

would rust-o-leum top coat work?

 

[Woodonglass]

Just Plain ole' Rustoleum Pro. You can buy the Acrylic Enamel Hardener at Tractor Supply or most auto supply stores. When added it makes the paint cure hard as nails, enhances the gloss, and speeds up the cure time to about 4 hours. You'll love it!!!

 

[Drewmanselle]

UGH!
I made my first mixture of PB to fillet the edges of the bilge box and transition to the transom. I used it to fill the gaps between the floor and the old floor edge. I used too much chopped fiberglass (or too long of strands) and not enough thickener.

It was the consistency of gelled snot. when I would fill a gap and screet it off it would pull the material out of the gap. The bilge box was very hard to reach and i was doing some of it by feel. What a miserable mess! I did the best I could. I will have lots of sanding to do I'm afraid.

I keep telling myself:
The floor will be sound
It will be waterproof
the parts that people will see will be sanded smooth, painted and covered by carpet.

Off for spring break. will get a new sanding wheel when I return.

 

[ondarvr]

I used poly resin and two layers of 9oz. regular woven. it was a little hard to work with but it worked out ok. I was going to put 3 layers of that on top. Also when I look up oil based rustoleum, I see tons of products. is there a particular one you are referencing?

Thanks for the help!

Never use any type of woven glass by itself with polyester resin, you need to use mat as a first layer, and in between each layer of other types of glass.

One layer of 1.5 oz mat and one layer of your 9 oz material would be all that's needed over plywood for the top side.

 

[Woodonglass]

Nice catch ondarvr. This is SOOOOO important for NEWB's to understand and learn. That's also why I for one, like to push the 1708. It has the CSM stitched right on the fabric so it's kind of a No Brainer.

 

[Drewmanselle]

what is the problem with just woven?

 

[Drewmanselle]

Am I going to have to rip it out and start over?

 

[ondarvr]

Am I going to have to rip it out and start over?

How much of it did you do like this? On the bottom side of the floor I would just leave it, if you did other structural work it needs to be redone.

 

[Drewmanselle]

just the underside of the floor and the outside of the bilge box (facing the underside of the floor inside the boat) I was going to glass in the outward facing side with the top of the floor. Ill use csm and then the woven. I'll also use the csm layering with woven to tab in the edges.

The dude at the composites store said I didn't need csm but just multiple layers of the woven. He builds kayaks and surfboards. They sell it so I'll pick some up.

anything else I am in jeopardy of screwing up?

 

[ondarvr]

With epoxy, which is what most surfboards are made with, you don't need CSM, with polyester it's required.