Imperial Deck Help

[imperial200]

I am restoring a 1988 19' Imperial with a cuddy. I am looking for advice on replacing the floor from the front seats back. In all my inspections it appears to me that I only need to replace that much everything else seems to be solid. Any pointers? Im looking for some advice before i remove the carpet. I can get to the floor from the bottom for my inspection due to a in floor cooler near the front. So please help I know like 4 things about boats. . . .I will post pics if you need to see them to give me ideas. Also has anyone ever herd of a boat having termites? The boat is fiberglass besides the deck but when i pulled back the carpet in a small corner i swear i saw some little bugs that looked like termites.

 

[APPALOOSA2]

Re: 1988 Imperial

Re: 1988 Imperial

Welcome to I boats.
.
I have seen carpenter ants here in the north east eat the wood right out of the fiberglass stringers so I would guess termites would do it too.

We like pictures !

When you rip that floor up you will the get to see the stringers and the condition they are in. You can not really tell when the floor is still in. It's amazing how things change when the floor is out and you can see everything.

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: 1988 Imperial

Re: 1988 Imperial

Chances are if you need to replace the deck (floor), then you most likely will need to replace stringers.

While you are at it, I would also recommend a core test of the transom. Seems like if one is bad, then your odds are increased greatly for all three needing replaced.

For more detailed instructions or advice, pictures would be nice or a better description of your actual problems...i.e. soft deck, wet/rotted wood, etc.

 

[imperial200]

Re: 1988 Imperial

Re: 1988 Imperial

soft deck. . . .the transom is good as are the stringers believe it or not. the boat was well taken care of untill recently where it was left uncovered causeing the rear portion of the deck to get "soft" the good news is the bugs are not termites. . . .the floor is not even soft everywhere its like 3 spots i will try to get some pictures up this weekend. Another ? is if i use marine grade lumber do i have to coat both sides with resin?

 

[imperial200]

Imperial Deck Help

Ok as i posted before i am doing a little work on a 1988 imperial which i felt i got a good deal on. Im looking to repair the deck. The stringers are solid (hard to believe but they are) as is the transom. Im looking to replace just a portion of the deck and need some advice. I am wondering if i can replace the midsection without touching the sides of the boat. I would like to just glass it in without ever even getting to the sides I dont even want to take the carpet off if i can help it. Sounds half a@@ I know but im looking to spend as little as possible and just get her sea worthy agian. I paid 1000.00 for it and am just hoping to get a couple years of fun out of it for my family. Also opinions on am I just being cheap and should just do it right?

 

[imperial200]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

this is how i was thinking of replacing the sections that are bad

 

[imperial200]

Re: 1988 Imperial

Re: 1988 Imperial

here is a pic of what im working with

 

[Lightnig]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

Do it right the first time and replace the whole deck.

If the floor is rotten then chances are extremely good any foam underneath is waterlogged - which adds much weight and removes any buoyancy in case of getting swamped.

Do the job right, make sure it's 100% safe before taking your family out in it...

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

Ok as i posted before i am doing a little work on a 1988 imperial which i felt i got a good deal on. Im looking to repair the deck. The stringers are solid (hard to believe but they are) as is the transom. Im looking to replace just a portion of the deck and need some advice. I am wondering if i can replace the midsection without touching the sides of the boat. I would like to just glass it in without ever even getting to the sides I dont even want to take the carpet off if i can help it. Sounds half a@@ I know but im looking to spend as little as possible and just get her sea worthy agian. I paid 1000.00 for it and am just hoping to get a couple years of fun out of it for my family. Also opinions on am I just being cheap and should just do it right?

I can't tell from the pictures but are those access holes or holes created from rot? If they aren't rot and are access holes, you might be able to do a plug, for lack of better terms. If it's rot, then I'd replace the entire deck.

I agree with the above post. Do it right the 1st time and you'll save yourself money and headaches in 2-3 years plus get 10 years or more out of the boat. I always ask myself this one question when working on my boat..."By doing this make my boat safe to take my family in?"

If you have to ask if you're being cheap then you already know the answer.

 

[APPALOOSA2]

Re: 1988 Imperial

Re: 1988 Imperial

I would rip the hole floor out and double check all your stringers. Looks like your stringers are exposed " no glass" covering them. If so I would pour cuprinol on them then put the new floor in.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1988 Imperial

Re: 1988 Imperial

Merged your threads..... no need to start a new thread with the same information.

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

When I started mine, we figured just pull the rear section of deck and replace the busted motor mount. Found stringer to be "solid" too, until we removed the whole deck then it wasn't so solid anymore. Did core samples on the transom and found bottom 1/3 of it rotted. As it stand right now we are VERY happy and confident in our boat. In removing the entire floor we also found some cracks in the hull.

 

[imperial200]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

the foam is not water logged i tested it. I still think the stringers are good and have tested the transom and it is good! i guess i will wait untill i remove some of that bad floor before i make a final decision. . .the holes are acess holes and the spots where the deck is soft is the surrounding areas. So i guess you guys are telling me that replacing the deck all but 1 ft from the edge is a bad idea?

 

[imperial200]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

i removed the center piece. . .like i thought stringers are solid go me lol they are in fact still covered in glass even though it doesnt look like it. I know it sounds half *** but i really dont want to put much money in this boat shes just a starter for me and well to be honest i want a bigger one but this is where the budget starts me! What i want to do is go from stringer to stringer on the sides. You guys think i can just put like a mock stringer in (just for floor support) and then lay the new floor glassing it to the floor next to it without actually going all the way to the hull?

Also when laying new floor and using marine grade plywood do i have to glass both sides or do you just coat them with something?

 

[jonesg]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

The exposed section of stringer looks new.

Is it a previous repair job?

 

[imperial200]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

i dont think it is but i suppose it could be. . . if it is a previous the stringers were done very well and the deck not so good. Did they ever have screws holding the deck down from the factory? If not then yes this is a previous repair job and all the rot is right next to the old repiar, which im guessing would mean the last guy did not prepare the wood properly for reinstall. The peice i removed was in the center and covers only the gas tank. Im going to cut out the two other sections this afternoon and i will put up some pictures to show what i removed and how i plan to replace the bad sections of deck.

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

If you don't want to spend much money on this then why use marine grade? I'm using Baltic birch at 40 per sheet, the boat builder where we buy our fiberglass uses ABX ply which I'm sure is around 30-40 per sheet and they do amazing work.

 

[brianvolt7]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

Clearly you want to do this as inexpensively as possible. We have all been here. I just did my boat last year and I only did the spots you are showing and also the ski pocket between the seats. My stringers where good. I cut out the old plywood and covered with regular plywood. I used a gelcoat on the bottom of the plywood and regular glass blanket on the top. I did it for around 300 including some new outdoor carpet from The Home Depot.

Is it the right way? For me it was. Is it the way a pro would do it? Not even close. Works for me and my family and keeps me from falling through the floor. Best 300 I spent on my boat, looks new and you can?t even tell I replaced the floor.

GOOD FISHING TO ALL

 

[imperial200]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

here are pics of the section im going to repair

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Imperial Deck Help

Not real sure why you harp on being cheap yet ask about the marine ply? Marine ply runs around $100 or more!

FYI...wood is wood, it all eventually rots, including treated unless done correctly.

Why waste the time asking when you are going to 1/2 @zz it anyway?