new carpet for my aluminum boat

[bob johnson]

so I see 14 oz, 16 oz, 20 oz, and 24 oz....and it all looks too plush for me! I want a berber type low profile type carpet. I am installing it on my duck boat and Ill use the boat in the dead of winter when it is 10 degrees out!! I don't want the carpet to hold 200 lbs of frozen water!!... I am worried about vinyl being too slippery... right now I have varnished 3/4 " plywood. I want it to look sorta nice, since I am putting so dammm much time and $ into it.

do you think the carpet will hold water.... on my other aluminum boat I can hose down the floor when ever I need to clean the boat. will I still be able to do that with carpet?? or will it be ghard to wash stuff down to the bilge with carpet?

thanks

bob

 

[bonz_d]

I'm normally a carpet person though in this case as you describe it a better choice may be a nonslip enamel paint coating may be best. I've used the 14oz stuff in fishing boats and it will hold enough water that if it freezes it will get slick.

 

[jigngrub]

Not sure how much money you want to spend. but there's this stuff instead of carpet:

http://www.seadek.com/

It is expensive but may be worth the money for your application.

 

[Woodonglass]

I got a buddy that just bought a New 18' Duck Boat. It's HUGE!!! 6' BEAM!!! Got the full cover canopy...The works!!! He Coated the entire interior with epoxy and coarse sand and then another coat of epoxy and more sand. He then had it painted with 2 coats of camo' epoxy paint and Clear Coated with a Matte' finnish. I wouldn't wanna crawl around on my bare hands and knees in there but hey it's a hunting boat made for rugged use and it sure is that!!! He can haul it to the car wash and Blast away with NO WORRIES. I don't think I'd EVER put carpet in a "Working Boat" Blood, Guts, Mud, Water, Freezing, Thawing, and all that other stuff just don't jive with CARPET!!!:der::doh::nono:

 

[gm280]

I can see something other then carpet myself in such a boat. You are not interested in sound dampening and such. So a real good quality epoxy type finish with the grit in it would suffice. You need to think safety and slipperiness when outfitting the floors. So grit is a necessary item in my opinion.

I use carpet in my boats, but that is because I want sound deadening and a soft floor for the wife when she goes along. I've never had any issues with washing a carpeted boat out before and so I will use carpet again. But different boats for different jobs... JMHO!

 

[Woodonglass]

I keep forgetting about the Grid Flooring!!! This stuff can be cut to fit but..It too is fairly pricey.

Comes in Green too!!! About $5 bucks a sq. ft! Sooo prolly around $300 to do your boat depending on floor area.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would either have it sprayed with tuff-grip from rhinoliner or use the non-skid herculiner roll-on bed liner.

 

[Watermann]

I know for a fact that Nautolex vinyl deck covering is not in the least bit slippery and will outlive any carpet.

 

[bob johnson]

I think I have settle on this stuff....it will channel water to the back as fast as possible, it is one continuous piece...and with a solid floor under it , it should last....

http://www.homedepot.com/p/G-Floor-...oor-Cover-and-Protector-GF55RB717SG/203450700

bob

 

[jigngrub]

How do you plan to install it? Glued, screwed, or just laid in loose?

 

[chasmo]

Have you considered....yoga mats...soft, quiet, warm and every woman has one for sale.... actually real cheap but I buy them at garage sales....use for liners, floor mats etc. End of day take floor mats put and roll them up. I'm replacing existing carpet and replacing with vinyl this winter but will use mats for comfort

 

[bob johnson]

I picked that product, because I want a continuous water barrier from front to back and side to side...so water drains into the bilge, instead of running down the sides of the floor and washing all the debris down with it to clog my drain passages under the ribs. the 7 -1/2 ft width lets me curl the material up, after it passes under the bottom of the side panels... no piecing this product together....just a huge water barrier that will help with walking in the winter months

bob

 

[jigngrub]

Post some pics after you get it installed, I'm curious to see what it looks like installed.

 

[64osby]

Looks very interesting.

Wonder what sealants might stick to it. Seat mounts and other misc items will have to mount over it or have cut outs where the edge would need to be sealed or the fasteners sealed.

 

[bonz_d]

I think I have settle on this stuff....it will channel water to the back as fast as possible, it is one continuous piece...and with a solid floor under it , it should last....

http://www.homedepot.com/p/G-Floor-...oor-Cover-and-Protector-GF55RB717SG/203450700

bob

Looks interesting. Though at 74lbs for a 7.5'X17' it might work very well for a model with a high HP outboard but I would be concerned with the weight on a smaller low HP boat. But it is nice seeing someone looking for alternatives!