Can I replace plywood subfloor on Bow Rider?

[jackrabbit66]

I bought a 97 19' Seasport bow rider knowing that there were some soft spots in the plywood subfloor. I have my own home renovation business so I have all the tools, a good bit of knowledge, and the initiative to undertake a project like this. The only problem is I cant find any information describing how I would accomplish this with my type of boat. As Rickmerrill Has pointed out I have a "tub construction (molded 1 piece cap/sides/floor)" There are lots of storage lockers on this boat which allows me to inspect the stringers, foam, and feel and see a good bit of the plywood floor from the top and bottom. The stringers that i have inspected so far are solid thank goodness, they were fiberglassed over completely. the plywood on the other hand is 1/4" OBS that seems to be fiberglassed on the bottom but not the top. This has caused the plywood to rot from the top but the bottom (fibergass) is still solid as a rock. It looks like the previous owner tried to stop the subfloor rot inside the lockers by removing the rotten wood and spraying some kind of black paint or sealent over it.

Update, I've done some more searching and it appears that the subfloor and the stringers are not in direct contact with each other. the manufacturer used a large ball of adhesive about every 16" so when the two halves of the boat come together the ball of adhesive holds them together.

All of this information leads me to believe that the manufacturer tried to save money by using SOB and didn't seal the plywood from the top which has lead to the soft spots in the floor.

I've have access to the foam throught the lockers but I dont know what I'm looking for when it comes to saturation. The foam is solid and if i pull a piece off it feels just fine. how far do i have to go to check for saturation?

 

[UConnMRB]

Welcome JackRabbit. I expect the experts to be here soon to weigh in. Before they arrive, the one thing that they will say right off the bat is "do you have pictures?" Take a few photos, upload them to a photobucket account and post them here. The second thing they will tell you is that if the floor has soft spots then chances are the the foam is saturated and the stringers are shot as well as everything rots from the bottom up. I am an aluminum boat guy but I think that still holds true for glassers as well.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard.

yes, we like pics... its boat porn

and yes, you can rebuild it. keep in mind, the stringers usually rot out prior to the floor as boats rot from the keel upward.

each forum has stickies with a wealth of knowledge. this one has some two. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...r/295740-how-to-s-and-other-great-information

especially look at #14

 

[Rickmerrill]

You have definitely found the right place for help! That sounds like you have "tub" construction (molded 1 piece cap/sides/floor) and they can present some extra challenges. Basically I know of two options - pull the entire cap or cut the floor piece out (save it and patch it back in). Sometimes the cap is bonded in so many places it's a real bear getting it off! But first, pictures like Mike said. We will need to know if it's an IO or OB and find out if the transom is solid or will need to be replaced. I'm no expert, this is just what I've read here.