Rotten Bayliner Floor

[beliskner]

Hey All,

I am currently working on a 1984 Bayliner Capri bowrider. Like most bayliners from this time period, things are starting to rot out. Namely, the deck. I have removed the rotted plywood and water-logged foam. The stringers are in good shape and I am only replacing which plywood is rotten as I am looking to get this done ASAP (I realize down the road I'll most likely have to completely remodel despite this "quick fix" I am at peace with that) I have removed everything except for the plywood surrounding the drivers seat box. Now I have a few questions.

1.) I understand the foam to be a two-part, pour-in, urethane expanding foam. (correct me if I am wrong). Where do I purchase this material? Do most marinas carry it?

2.) I have heard alot of different opinions on plywood. I intend to use half inch. I have been told that pressure treated is only good so long as you let it dry for a good many weeks (I dont have that much time) and I can't find out where to buy marine grade plywood. Would normal half inch untreated plywood work?

Any help in this matter would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[clockwatcher]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

The best price I found for the foam: http://www.jgreer.com/boat-foam.htm

Floor material is documented in most posts here. 1/2" exterior should be fine if you seal it well with resin.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

Hello beliskner..

IMHO..if your going to just patch ..then patch away..

No foam..no resin.. just screw and glue m8.. putting foam in there will only create more work in the short term future if I get this right...

Update the boat when you can in the fall/winter..go have fun as long as The boat is "safe" for use right now...

YD.

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

one of the things about the bayliner is that the capri NEEDS foam for the structural value of it....the anti crush strength of the foam is necessary.

as you know....you can feel the waves lapping at your legs in the cockpit thru the hull.

i would re- install the foam. if you choose not to.....then i would reinforce the fiberglass hull from the inside. its easy and fast.

i just finished my capri and the hull is very thin....a few trailer bumps with out foam and you could be looking at stress cracks in the glass.

not to contradict YD...but the early capris used the foam to back up the hull, as the mfgrs tried to cut resin and glass costs during the initial build.

cheers
oops

 

[lowvlot]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

So then how would one go about reinforcing the hull from the inside if they did not want to re install foam

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

add a few layers of glass.

that means scuffing the hull to prep for the glass.

one layer of 1708 will be sufficient, but than also means 5 gallons of resin. and that is more weight than the foam.

there are people that have not reinforced the hull, and left out the foam...
but i KNOW my bayliners hull WAS NOT thick enough. (90 capri 19 foot)

 

[jason32038]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

Use pool noodles if you want to get it back out on the water this summer. You can worry about the foam and the other wood later. I would suggest that you do everything at once though. If some wood is rotten then there's a chance that the other stuff is weaker than it should be from moisture. Do it all at once and you wont have to worry about it for a very long time as long as you keep water out and take care of her. P.S. Even with a boat cover and a tarp over my boat last winter I still had a load of water in it. Not sure if it was from the rain or if it was in there since the summer before. The drain was clogged.....something to pay attention to guys. When you take the plug out and see nothing dont expect there to be no water in the boat. Always stick a long screwdriver in the hole to see if there's stuff blocking the drain and pull up the ski storage hurumadumdingy whatever it's called on the boat floor and look for water. Havent inspected for damage yet.

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

it takes longer to place pool noodles in the boat than it does to foam it, and the noodles will do nothing to make the hull stronger

 

[beliskner]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

thanks for the advice everyone, much appreciated.

 

[lowvlot]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

OOPs, How do I know if my Hull is to thin? i have an 87 17' Capri Cuddy. Under the cuddy seat cushions there is no foam and never was, it is used for storage. All the foam in the boat was between the deck and hull from hull side to stringer on both Starboard and port sides. Also the seat boxes both for the loungers and the aft seats on both sides of the splashwell were totally full of foam. I don't think the foam in the seat boxes was for structural purposes.....But then again I'm not sure. Do you think that since my boat is a cuddy and there was no foam in the cuddy part that the hull is thick enough to not have to refoam for structural purposes? I really would like to not have to put that type of foam back in. I would not mind using some of the pink foam fro HD or maybe leaving it out all together. I am not sure how much extra cost would be incurred in foaming or thicking up the hull with glass but I am on a limited budget for this rebuild and would like to avoid additional cost if possible. Thank you in advance. Anyone else that has an opinion please chime in here as well.

 

[beliskner]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

Does anyone have anything to say in regard to board foam? the kind you can buy at Home Depot? I hear lots of people use it in their boats

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

People use it all the time, but you need to LISTEN to OOPS. The HULL of your boat was structurally designed with the poured in foam as an INTEGRAL part of the overall boat structure. This means that if you use ANY OTHER kind of foam you will be compromising the structural integrity of your boat and therefore YOUR overall saftey. For the cost of the foam and the time and effort required to do it RIGHT, Is it really worth trying to find a Cheaper Shortcut???

I'm just sayin...

 

[beliskner]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

Dually noted, it just a matter of finding a place to buy this expanding foam from here in Canada at a REASONABLE price. Might have to order online. But yes, I agree with OOPS, the haul is awfully thing to leave that as dead space.

How many coats of resin and cloth should I be using on the floor? the seams?

 

[Gypsystar17]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

I put a layer of mat and roving around perimeter of floor about 8- 10 inch wide then 1 layer of matt over entire floor up the sides about 4-5 inch.1 layer of matt on floor is plenty

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

As OOPS said one layer of 1708 will be sufficient. You can order ALL you need from USComposites.com. Great to work with and GREAT prices.

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

OOPs, How do I know if my Hull is to thin? i have an 87 17' Capri Cuddy. Under the cuddy seat cushions there is no foam and never was, it is used for storage. All the foam in the boat was between the deck and hull from hull side to stringer on both Starboard and port sides. Also the seat boxes both for the loungers and the aft seats on both sides of the splashwell were totally full of foam. I don't think the foam in the seat boxes was for structural purposes.....But then again I'm not sure. Do you think that since my boat is a cuddy and there was no foam in the cuddy part that the hull is thick enough to not have to refoam for structural purposes? I really would like to not have to put that type of foam back in. I would not mind using some of the pink foam fro HD or maybe leaving it out all together. I am not sure how much extra cost would be incurred in foaming or thicking up the hull with glass but I am on a limited budget for this rebuild and would like to avoid additional cost if possible. Thank you in advance. Anyone else that has an opinion please chime in here as well.

lowlot we need to start your own thread for the questions as it will get confusing)
but what the pour in foam does is provide anti crush stregnth...up front the hull does not need it as much as the weight and forces are in the back 1/2 of the vessel, and the foam under your loungers is structural, as the manufacturers used thinner wood and less fiberglass, they upped the amount of foam to stablize the seats.

Does anyone have anything to say in regard to board foam? the kind you can buy at Home Depot? I hear lots of people use it in their boats

i have used it as a filler for pour in foam....dropped in the board foam....to fill the gap and take up space.....and poured the other foam all around it

How many coats of resin and cloth should I be using on the floor? the seams?

the minimum you need on the floor (deck ) is 8 oz of glass....i use 2 layers of 1.5 csm, and a 6 oz finishing viel. to go up the sides i double it or use one 1708 bi ax.

again....to reinforce the hull....one 1708 wrap will be good...but you could use 3 1.5 csm layed all at the same time with a sandwich of roving in the trailer bunk area

 

[lowvlot]

Re: Rotten Bayliner Floor

Thanks OOps. I have a thread already. You should drop by it sometime.