Rotten Floor

[armascher]

I managed to get myself into a big project and need some advice. I have a 14' '85 bayliner fishing boat. I bought it last year for a low price to go with a motor I already had. When I was pulling the carpets out I noticed rotten wood so I managed to start pulling up most of the floor. I found lots of wet foam and began pulling that also. The weird thing was foam placement. There was a good chunk of foam in the front of the boat, smack dab in the middle of the bilge, soaking wet and blocking the flow from front to back on the boat. I thought I might be crazy but double checked the bow opening of the bilge and found a direct drain route to the foam. Is there supposed to be foam here? Also the stringers are fiberglass and integrated into the hull, when I go to lay the floor in what's the best way to cement it to the stringers?

 

[Solittle]

Re: Rotten Floor

roni - Let me introduce you to the red Search at the top of this page. Go there and enter "rotten floor" as a search arguement. 47 posts there to read. Try other search arguements while you are there.

 

[Realgun]

Re: Rotten Floor

The foam was probably put there by the owner. Foam in my boat, Bayliner, was in compartments fore, aft, sides, and under floor. None was in the bildge.

 

[llfish]

Re: Rotten Floor

No real reason to have foam in the bilge

 

[jimmythekid]

Re: Rotten Floor

welcome to iboats, i think your talking about foam at the bottom of the V? You will find all kinds of drainage methods on these boards. From pvc pipe with holes in it to dissappearing rope. I suspect that alot of boats with rot out there either sank at one point, or they were on a trailer for a long time, without removing the drain plug, in either case, the boat gets filled with water, and then the water migrates to the lowest point. Point is water shouldn't be in there in the first place. I put foam back in everywhere below the waterline except for 3 places (about 2cf total area) 2 under the seat pedestal areas (needed access) and where my forward bilge pump goes. I guess it all comes down to how you take care of your boat, I keep mine under cover when not in use, when its on the trailer I take out the plug, when its at the marina (where it is most of the time when in use) I check on it often.. If your evercruising along and hit some unseen hazzard and god forbid put a hole in your boat, you gonna want foam down there so your boat doesnt sink. A 14 footer will sink rather quickly with just a small hole and no foam in it. At least my opinion is that foam is there if you get a hole in the hull. So you dont take on water. I would find and fix the cause of the leak, and then put foam in where you took it out from.

 

[armascher]

Re: Rotten Floor

Thanks for the info. The foam was right in the forward bilge. Basically if you scaled down the boat, it was exactly where the forward bilge pump was in your boats. There is a forward casting deck with an opening at the very front of the bow. This opening led to some pvc which led to the bilge, and the foam. This means that any time water came into the front of the boat it drained straight into the foam. I'll take some pictures when I get a chance.

 

[jimmythekid]

Re: Rotten Floor

please do take pics it will help alot