need help on new deck

[bucsfan]

I am a first time boat owner and need to replace the flooring because of some dry rot. I got the old stuff out and am confused about the glassing and such. I wanna get it right. If anyone had any advice that would be great. Thanks.

 

[crab bait]

Re: need help on new deck

to quote a quote; this subject pops up as much as " WACK-A-MOLE " do a "search " on this page.. just click seach an type in floor rot ... then grab a beer sit back an read for 3 hours ... there is alot written... then if you need a specialty question answered ,,, come on back...

 

[bucsfan]

Re: need help on new deck

thanks - you're right

 

[bucsfan]

Re: need help on new deck

allright, now for some specifics - the stringers are okay - can I just epoxy the bottom, and the plywood in three or four layers and glue it down? If so how should I tear up the old fiberglass?

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: need help on new deck

One great tip that I learned from this board is from Evin300. That is the use of a CHAINSAW!.. I know it sounds drastic, and I even thought about it real hard before attempting to use it. I replaced stringers, forms, and flooring. My primary tool of choice is my 10" electric chainsaw. It really has made my project go a whole lot faster. You need to use care and practice some first. In rotten areas the saw will tend to eat that stuff up quick. It won't go throught the hull unless you really try to.

 

[bucsfan]

Re: need help on new deck

that does sound scary -

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: need help on new deck

I followed you until your last ? I though you already tore out the floor?? How thick do you want the floor 1/2" 3/4"? How thick was the floor b4? If you do it in layers, overlap the seams, use 1/4" ex luan, allow 20 or so minutes or so for the 1st coating of epoxy to soak in then apply more. If the wood is real dry you may have to do this again. WHat you dont want is a dry bond of the layers. If the epoxy soaks in b4 it hits off that could happen. I would add a little cabasol on the last epoxy coating to give it some body. You will need to bed the 1st layer on the stringers with a real tickend epoxy about the consistancy of peanut butter. You can use wood flour or milled cotton and cabasol to thicken the bedding. The cabasol will keep it from saging. You could even add some 1/4 chopped glass to make it a super strong puddy. Cabasol alone will work but is harder to mix in then milled cotton or wood flour. There are many other things you could use. Check out www.raka.com. He has a online manual with lots of good info.

 

[crab bait]

Re: need help on new deck

hawkeye gives good advise .. i have seen & used at the marine centers to thicken epoxy .. silica , micro ballons & i like what you hit on but aliittle different is milled fiberglass which is very fine an mixes up good an makes for a powerful bond.. my favorite.. also wear a mask when mixin' or sandin'.. the kind atleast with the double rubber bands not the single... they should be outlawed.

 

[12Footer]

Re: need help on new deck

It's an unpleasant job, but for your own sake,do dress for the occasion! Full covering as best as you can,and preferably, those throw-away monkey suits, available at most paint and epoxy supply houses. If you don't,you will get the rash of your life, and it's no fun.<br />The chainsaw IS the way to go, as Evin said.It dulls the teeth after a complete decking job on a 17FT bass rig,but the saws only cost 30buks on sale...Get a cheap one,and a sharpening file.<br />Go easy on (or better yet use NO) oil.<br />You don't want it all over the work.<br />There is a site that deals with this somewhere.I'll do a search,and repost it here...a link to a great "how-2". And watch out for kick-back.It kicks like a mule in labor!

 

[12Footer]

Re: need help on new deck

Here is that link. Good luck,and don't let it scare ya. You can do this <br /> http://www.rotdoctor.com/

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: need help on new deck

My old skill saw did a fine job on the 2 boats I refloored. Set the blade and let it rip. I cut a 7'x 12' deck out in less then 5 minutes. Skill saw blades are cheap. Crabbait your right about the milled fiber. It does make a good paste. I would not use the micro ballons for the bedding. That more for fairing that will need to be sanded.

 

[crab bait]

Re: need help on new deck

right you are ..... but used with the other stuff it does do it's job in thickenin'.. but if it doesn't need to be sanded ,,, it would be my least choice...

 

[crab bait]

Re: need help on new deck

alotta times in writin' ya can't explain everything.. an i can't type ,,,so i try not to be long winded...an gets confusing.

 

[bucsfan]

Re: need help on new deck

hey guys thanks for all the replies to my question this info is great. Hawkeye: I do have the floor out. I cut it out with a skill saw. the old wood flooring was super thin maybe a sixteenth of an inch - then covered with a layer of fiberglass-like nonskid. I have a 1/2 inch area around the side of the boat(the remainder of the old fiberglass floor) which i will lay the new 1/4 plywood down. the floor right now is a layer of fiberglass mat somewhat torn around the tops of the stringers and some other tears in the mat in other places. How to proceed? Oh yeah, I am trying to get some pictures posted, but no URL.

 

[lso254]

Re: need help on new deck

All I can add, is after my 10 day floor project that fiberglass is some nasty stuff. Use adequate protection.