Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

[Purduebarry]

I have a 1988 Bayliner 1950BR. Save the jokes, I like my boat. Thankfully, I have only one small soft spot as I've read these boats can be prone to problems. <br /><br />The boat is dry stacked year round which hopefully helps. Anyway the spot is back by the engine cowling on the part of the deck where you would enter the boat from the swim ladder. My theory is that repeated entry of wet swimmers took it's toll. <br /><br />I was going to tear up the carpet from the floor (plan to replace it anyway) and inject epoxy resin into the soft areas using a Cattle syringe. This is a trick we used on our 1962 Mahogony Chris Craft for boards that could not be removed and or refitted. Then I'll sand (if necessary) and put down new carpet. <br /><br />The soft area is only about two feet in diameter and I'd guess 80% firm. There are just a few spots I want to firm up before replacing the carpet. What do you think? Is this a good plan or do I need to go for a more comprehensive repair involving replacing the wood, laying up glass etc.

 

[fishingdan]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

I think the rot will continue to spread unless you remove it. You also need to do as much inspection as you can to see if you have any rot in your stringers too. Hopefully, you caught it early enough and it is simply a problem with your floor. <br /><br />I would take up your carpet and cut/remove all rotted wood. Then replace it.<br /><br />Do you have a picture?

 

[brine]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

fishingdan is right on the money. Remove it and you will be able to trust your boat.<br /><br /> I repaired a couple of soft areas in my Bayliner<br />2050. It took more time to put it off than it did to do it right. I was able to peel back the carpet, cut out the rot, check stringers and foam, seal up some wood and install it, glass the whole patch, and here is the bonus...the original carpet went right back on top without a trace.<br /><br />

 

[Solittle]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

Soft spots are the result of wood rot which is caused by a fungus. It has got to go or it will spread. I tried a product called Git Rot some years ago & found it useless. It does not penetrate the rot.

 

[vano6990]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

I have a 1976 Ranger 175-A and its floor has many soft spots. Right infront of the livewell in the back of the boat is almost completely rotten. How do you glass the patches and what specifically do I look for in the stringers?

 

[ImaDirtyBoater]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

You'll never fully know just how bad the rot is with out really digging in. I had the same problem on my boat, just a few soft spots, but after taking up the carpet and floor, the damage was much more severe. I had to replace 2 stringers and a bulk head. It was alot of work, but in the end I have a boat I know I can trust with me and my family on board.

 

[vano6990]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

I am a little new at this. What is a stringer?

 

[Solittle]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

Stringers are the structural members of the boat that are glassed to the hull to give it strength. They run fore and aft under the deck and ,for most boats, are made of timber and hopefully encased in fiberglass.

 

[vano6990]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

how did you get the fiberglass inner frame set in the hull out? My 1976 ranger has fiberglass coated actually the floor is part of the bottom/hull half? It seems the inner fiberglass part of my boat with the console was done outside and livewells attached then droped into the hull part with the floor fiberglassed in and then set inside and secured with rivits and the trim that goes arround the boat????

 

[Bondo]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

My 1976 ranger has fiberglass coated actually the floor is part of the bottom/hull half? It seems the inner fiberglass part of my boat with the console was done outside and livewells attached then droped into the hull part with the floor fiberglassed in and then set inside and secured with rivits and the trim that goes arround the boat????

Ayuh,....... that's how most boats are Built.........<br />

how did you get the fiberglass inner frame set in the hull out?

Piece by Rotten Piece.......

 

[MrBill]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

I had a soft spot in the same place last Spring, about 6 inches in diameter. I repaired it just like a dry wall repair. Peeled back the carpet, carefully cut out the soft spot in the floor. Cut a piece of pressure treated ply smaller in width but longer in length than the hole cut in the floor. Used water proof glue on the piece of ply, put it in the hole and pulled it up to the underside of the floor and screwed through the floor to hold in place. Then I cut out another piece the same size as the hole and glued and screwed the plug in place. <br /><br />A few additional hints:<br />- pre-drill holes in the floor where the screws will go to grab the piece which attaches from the underside.<br />- put something, a screw, small hole, etc in the piece that will attach from the underside to be able to pull up while securing the screws from above.<br />- seal the entire patch with epoxy, exending beyond the patch to the old flooring to help preserve while the carpet is pull back.<br />- use carpet adhesive (waterproof) to glue the carpet back down. If you made clean, straight cuts (sharp knife and straight-edge) the carpet wil go down perfectly and you won't see the repair.

 

[EZLoader]

Re: Soft spot in floor...wanted no more!

I always liked the Classic Mako Project boat site where many owners are replacing rotten deck floors and transoms, refinishing or painting gel coats, etc.. <br /><br />Bookmark this link and read through the photos documenting each project boats restoration. You'll learn quickly about the full restoration process...<br /><br />I'll edit and add some more links to other good restoration sites later:<br /><br /> http://www.classicmako.com/projects.htm <br /><br />Here's Boomyal's restoration link:<br /> http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,92,00.html