Please Read. Bass Boat Repair.

[docta snuggles]

I recently bought a bass boat for tournaments and recreational fishing this winter. I bought it cheap and it needs work. Its a late 70's 15 ft ProCraft. The engine is in perfect shape. The wood in the floor is a different story. I was going to buymarine plywood but it's hard to find and it is very expensive. So I was wondering ifanyone knew of an alternate wood for the floor that would last at least 2 or 3 years. I heard that exterior plywood would work and i heard regular treated plywood would work if you sealed it right. Again this is just a bass boat so all I would be using it for is fishing and maybe occasionally tubing since I have a nice fast engine. So I would like to know of any other plywood that works and if it needs sealed, what to seal it with and how to go about doing it. Thanks!

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Please Read. Bass Boat Repair.

Any plywood wrapped in fiberglass will last a good ten years or more. The trick is laying down the new deck in a way that is water tight, wood gets wet and it will rot. Keep it from getting wet and it will last. I just replaced the deck in my 1976 ranger bass boat with 3/4 cdx plywood, wrapped it in glass. I expect it to last 10 years or more.

 

[docta snuggles]

Re: Please Read. Bass Boat Repair.

okay thank you.

 

[docta snuggles]

Re: Please Read. Bass Boat Repair.

how thick should the plywood be? and what fiberglass sealent works the best?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Please Read. Bass Boat Repair.

Some people use 1/2". My personal opinion is 5/8" minimum and I went with 3/4" on both my projects. Your main resin choices are epoxy and polyester. Epoxy is much more expensive but has greater adhesion. Epoxy can be used by itself (though will be much stronger with glass added), polyester really needs to be used with glass to have any real strength.

 

[Mideerslayer]

Re: Please Read. Bass Boat Repair.

I came across this ost and had to ask a question.

I am replacing the casting decks on a bass boat i picked up, the question i have is since i am on a very tight budget, can i use 3/4" plywood and cover it both sides with ice and water shield( the stuff they use on the first 3 feet of a roof here in the north country)it is a rubber material that prevents water from getting to the plywood on a roof. I have a full roll of it in the garage and i am never going to use it.

I know fiberglass/epoxy is the number one choice but do you think this would work to seal the wood?