Putting in a new floor

[storysunfolding]

I'm about to buy a boat that I know needs a new floor. The previous owner found a bit of rot under the captains chair and tore the old one out and was halfway through adding a new one before a kitchen remodel diverted his attention.

Anyway- I've inspected the boat and the stringers, hull, transom and everything else is in good shape.

I plan to pick up where the previous owner left off, finish cutting the plywood, put an epoxy coating on it and calk the edges. Will this hold me for the season? I'm sure there's a better way to do this for the long run, but I'd rather enjoy the boat for the summer and work on it in the winter. I do the same thing when I fix up old motorcycles that are fun to ride. I get them mechanically sound then worry about aesthetics at a later time.

This isn't quite a direct comparison but will I be alright here? Also, is there a preferred type of wood or thickness for doing this?

Thanks,
Steven

 

[iwombat]

Re: Putting in a new floor

Is this a fiberglass boat? If so, caulking the sides is NOT what you need to do. You'll need to glass it in to the hull. If it's a 'lumey (aluminum), just seal up the sides of the wood with resin and skip the caulk.

 

[gregtobin]

Re: Putting in a new floor

I did this last year on a 70s bowrider with a soft floor. I ripped out the soggy plywood floor and found that the stringers were in good shape. I replaced the floor with 3/8 inch marine plywood ($80 a sheet!) that I had painted before installation. I pre-drilled screw holes and filled them with caulk before putting in the screws. In hindsight, I didn't need to use nearly as many screws as I did.
I then caulked the seams well and put a carpet over everything.

With the installation of new back-to-back seats ,the boat looks OK, but I'm now questioning the logic of having a carpet floor on a small boat. Perhaps I should have gone with thick paint or gel coat that would make the floor water-tight (sort of) with less water laying around after a trip on the river.

 

[storysunfolding]

Re: Putting in a new floor

Is this a fiberglass boat? If so, caulking the sides is NOT what you need to do. You'll need to glass it in to the hull. If it's a 'lumey (aluminum), just seal up the sides of the wood with resin and skip the caulk.

It's a fiberglass boat. I've been poking around and I've seen alot of guys that using a fiberglass tape to seal the sides and a spar urethane varnish to seal the plywood. Given that I'm just going for short lived function 2 years, would it be in my best interest to put in a urethane coating instead of glass? I want to get the most use out of the boat as I can this summer. I can always redo it in the winter.

 

[Robj]

Re: Putting in a new floor

You need to tab the new floor to the hull with glass and resin. It becomes part of the structure, and simply caulking it is not the correct way of doing the repair. You should be able to tabb in a floor in a day easy. Maybe with prep work, grinding two days max.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[dvan1901]

Re: Putting in a new floor

Take some fiberglass mat and resin and mix it up to make a sort of paste (some say peanut butter consistancy) then pack that into the seam between the floor and the side wall. Then, after that sets, grind/sand "smooth" and then use cloth and resin to go from about 4-6" from the floor to 4-6" up the side wall. This will add a lof to regidity to the boat and make it water proof. Make sure, even though it is marine grade, to seal the plywood (especially the edges) with a couple coats of resin. When putting the floor in, if possible, run a nice bead of calk on the stringers first. This will help hold the floor while you screw it in and seal the screws/joint from underneath moister. Then, drill your screw holes, fill with resin and the put the screw in to seal (can use calk instead too). That will just about guaranty a water proof floor. Then finish it off with non-skip paint/gel coat of some kind. Or, get some snap in carpet made for it.

 

[storysunfolding]

Re: Putting in a new floor

Thanks guys. I'm learning more every day. My plan currently is to reglass the stringers. Run a nice bead of calk on the stringers, add the floor coated in resin with stainless steel screws with calk in the pilot holes. Use the fiberglass putty to seal the edges then run a 8 inch strip of resin and cloth down the sides with 4 inches on each side. Then add a nonslip paint (any recomendations?)

New questions- How do I make the paste? Do I just cut up pieces of mat and mix it with resin?

How many layers of glass do I use for the edges?

Thanks

 

[sourbsted]

Re: Putting in a new floor

Thanks guys. I'm learning more every day. My plan currently is to reglass the stringers. Run a nice bead of calk on the stringers, add the floor coated in resin with stainless steel screws with calk in the pilot holes. Use the fiberglass putty to seal the edges then run a 8 inch strip of resin and cloth down the sides with 4 inches on each side. Then add a nonslip paint (any recomendations?)

New questions- How do I make the paste? Do I just cut up pieces of mat and mix it with resin?

How many layers of glass do I use for the edges?

Thanks

i have more of these pages if you want? How to rebuild floor..

 

[Robj]

Re: Putting in a new floor

How to make the putty. You can buy chopped strand or you can cut up a bunch of matt, you want the strands to be about .25 to .5 inches long. Mix and kick the resin, add some Cabosil and then the chopped strand, mix well. Keep adding cabosil until you get a peanut butter consistency. Then get to work.

If you say that your stringers are in good shape, they why are you reglassing them?

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[loquito]

Re: Putting in a new floor

i have more of these pages if you want? How to rebuild floor..

This job is in my future and I learn visualy. I would appreciate any of these photos you would be willing to post.
Steven

 

[sourbsted]

Re: Putting in a new floor

Enjoy! Hope this is of some help..cheers.
jason

 

[storysunfolding]

Re: Putting in a new floor

I'm reglassing the tops of the stringers because the previous owner in removing part of the floor took off a few spots of fiberglass. Not enough to show bare wood but enough that I'd feel better if I touched it up.

That said, what's the best way to remove the plywood from teh stringers? I don't see any screws and it appears that it is adhered to the stringers by some form of adhesive.

Thanks,
Steven