Re: help with cargile cutter
Okay, I'll start with some general comments... first, I'd recommend you block out some time to do some reading here on deck replacement. There are lots of ways to do it, but it sounds like what you're planning is more along the lines of repair to a house than a boat.
Take some time to learn how folks here replace their decks, it'll be worth reading.
Using exterior grade ply is fine. The reason marine is better if you can afford it is that it's got no voids in it, which are weak spots and places water can collect, and it's usually got a larger number of plies than "regular" ply. Contrary to what some people think it's not especially rot resistant, nor is the glue used for it super waterproof.. it's the exact same glue used for exterior grade. There are a lot of threads here on what plywood to use, read a bunch of them.
Fiberglass comes typically in two widths: 50 inch and 38 inch. Regardless of which you use, you absolutely do not want the edges to line up with the edges of your wood. That would leave cracks and places for water to get in, which is what you don't want.
More to the point, you don't need to worry about cracking fiberglass by screwing it down, because you shouldn't apply the glass to the wood before you put it on.
What you want to do is install the wood, possibly glassing the lower side if it's not reachable once installed, and also coat the edges of the individual pieces with epoxy or poly resin where they are exposed. Once the whole deck is in place, then you cover it all with fiberglass and resin in one large piece, making the whole thing into a very strong unified whole.
The plastic decking is something most folks new to boats find and want to use. It doesn't rot, but the price you pay is that it's heavy, not very stiff, and pretty much impossible to fiberglass over or even to get resin to stick to. You can fasten it mechanically, IE screw it down, but unless you've already built another deck under it for support it performs poorly. In short, don't use it. If you properly install the wood and cover it with glass, it will last just as long.
The wiring, cabling, etc may or may not be in your roof (probably not much if it is). Most likely you'll need to pull part of that out when you do the upper deck, since there's not likely to be much room up there. I'd play it by ear and pull out whatever you need to pull to do the upper deck.
The hull won't spread unless the stringers and deck below are rotted out and removed, although your hull sides between lower and upper deck may warp a bit - if you're worried about this, measure the space inside them and keep checking it, if warping happens you can build supports to correct things.
That's about the best help I can give you without seeing more.. I'd recommend taking part of the deck to be replaced and the lower deck ceiling out to see what's there, so you can make better plans.
Erik
PS: Don't be surprised to find other rot... most people get into these restores to fix one thing like a rotten deck and find rotten stringers and transom.. if your lower deck is ok you may be fine, but you may not...
just bought a 1973 28ft cargile cutter and went to denver and brought it home last week. i knew when i bought it that it needed the upper deck replaced, all 20x8 ft. of it. first i must remove the railing all around and then the control cab witch sets on top and is about the size of a small car. no problem with this as i am a retired pro. mechanic and handy with remodeling also. on inspection of deck it has 2 layers of 3/4 plywood. is this normal to have 1 and 1/2 inches of wood 14 ft off the water with a v hull. seems like a lot of weight. maybe the past owner patched it up by adding another layer? there is a few load bearing walls below, so even if the factory did put on 2 layers of plywood what would one layer do. maybe one layer of 1 in. how do they hold the deck down around the edges. is there wood enbeded in the hull around the edges? if i must put on 2 layers of 3/4, should i glue the 2 layers togather? most of this stuff i will find out by doing it but i would like to go into this project with some preperation and planning. i have a jillion questions for some one that ownes or has owned a cargile cutter. this is such a unusual old boat that i must bring it back to is origanal glory. actually its in good shape except for deck and was in the water 3 yrs ago going by registration sticker on bow. also would like to get a copy of someones manual. thanks dennis gustafson, grand junction colo.
