Fiberglass Layers

greatdayne51

Cadet
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Messages
14
When I do the floor of a runabout I have, would I gain anything by laying 2, 3 or even 4 layers of cloth and resin down? Would this make the floor a lot stronger, or really not be worth the effort?
 

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: Fiberglass Layers

That depends on how thick the wood will be. In my opinion, you could do what you propose, but it is not necessary. It will make it stronger, but that is not where you want your strength. It will also add a lot of expense and weight. If you replace the stringers, that is where muliple layers are a good thing. When I did mine I used mulitple layers at the joints and seams, with a single layer to sheath in the floor. Stringers got two layers with a third at the joints. Transom was plywood layers with a layer of mat between. It is more than strong enough. Also, if you put floatation foam under the floor, it adds a lot of strenght and stiffness, so you don't need the floor itself to be as thick. Good luck...
 

BillP

Captain
Joined
Aug 10, 2002
Messages
3,290
Re: Fiberglass Layers

Generally speaking...Do the wood for strength and think of the fiberglass as a protective layer to keep the wood from getting wet. How thick and how many layers depends on the size and use of your boat. For most boats 1.5 oz mat will give a typical outboard floor very good protection. 10oz cloth would be the lightest I'd consider.
 
Top