Wood placement for floor

[SS66]

Here is the picture <br /><br />Ok guys, I dont know how to repair my floor. The part I dont understand is how 'far' to go with the wood. This floor was replaced by the previous owner, so I have no idea how the factory had it. This guy had the plywood stretching from point 1 to point 1. Im wondering if I should go as far as I can from edge of the boat to the other edge, or maybe from point 3 to point 3. This is a 16ft tri-hull fiberglass boat made by Sea Raider. I cannot find ANY information on Sea Raider boats. Thanks in advance

 

[SS66]

Re: Wood placement for floor

C'mon, surely one of you guys can guide me in the right path

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Click the link to my webpage below, then ask away.

 

[SS66]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Ive been to your page many times, because your boat ( before the resto ) was almost exactly like mine. I even planned on doing the casting deck.. though I have no desire for a center console.<br />I dont know which way I should do my floor, because I dont know how the factory did it. I guess I will probably just put plywood over the entire area.<br />P.s. Nice site

 

[santa666]

Re: Wood placement for floor

SS66, <br /><br />Floor replacement huh? Well look for the telltale sign of where the original floor was... Look at where the FIRST floor was joined to the hull vertical wall inside somewhere at or above the waterline. There may, or may not be cut or grinder (?) marks... Obviously the first floor was at a level at the top of the stringers or floor support members. Look where the second owner laid in fiberglass, made cuts, did sanding, drove screws, etc... Even old layers of paint COULD give clues as to where things were made in the factory... Structurally, the more glass the better (in theroy), but keep an eye on weight, or you may inadvertantly make your speedboat into a tug. Overkill can be a bad thing.<br /><br />"measure twice, cut once"

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Theoretically, you can do the floor any way you want. You could rebuild it to be above the waterline and install scuppers, you can run it as low as you want. You just have to make sure you glass everything in really well. I would say you can't go wrong with just laying the floor in all the way from side to side #2 to #2.

 

[SS66]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Ok Guys thanks, Im just going to go from one side to the other... JasonJ, Has your boat lost any structural support by cutting away the sections you removed from the top part of the boat?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Not at all. If you look at the pics on my site, there is one pic that shows that I glassed in 1/2 inch ply as a bulkhead to maintain torsional strength after cutting out the side consoles. If anything, the boat is stronger after the conversion.

 

[SS66]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Whats odd is if I lay a board between 3 and 3, the stringer gets in the way.. its too high. If I lay between 2 and 2, the stringer is too low and there is nothing to screw into. I dont know what was done to this thing lol

 

[GeeFrankk]

Re: Wood placement for floor

send me an email and will put you in touch with another website w/pictures. Have replaced floors, not a bad job, just itchy..

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Wood placement for floor

Geefrank, if you have access to info that is helpful, you post it here, that is what this forum is for. It is not just this one person who benefits, it is the countless people who come on, do searches, gather info, and proceed with their projects without ever having posted any questions.<br /><br />SS, you can glass it any way that works. The floor height or any of that does not matter, it is more of a personal preference. If you want to go from #2 to #2, then lay in a stringer that will be at the height that will allow for it. All you need to know is to lay it out the way you want it to, and glass it all in following the rules of whatever glassing method you are using. Good luck...

 

[SS66]

Re: Wood placement for floor

How can I email you without your address?

 

[gt1000]

Re: Wood placement for floor

ss66,<br />Your Trihull looks similar to the trihull I'm finishing (1977 Thundercraft 16ft). It has a large center beam/stringer (about 7" at max depth) with 2 small stringers (2" at max depth) at Points 3 & 3. The floor in mine was repair with a layer of fiberglass so it should be original. Also, the small stringers tapered towards the front and ended at the half way mark.<br /><br />The decking in mine goes from Point 1 to Point 1 and they used a 1/4" ply coated with fiberglass and resin. The floor originally sloped slightly towards the center (i'e not flat, hense the use of 1/4" ply-bendable).<br /><br />They might have left out the smaller stringers when they did the floor job on yours. The smaller stringers in mine were more for floor support than hull support.<br /><br />Let me know if this sound similar to yours. If so I can post some pictures.