Next Season the Niagara gets some maint

[Mark42]

I have been using the 65 Niagara since 2003 and now there is some maint due. I have not completed the work on my Bayliner yet, so I'll put off the work on the MFG until next year.

Meanwhile, I thought I would list what I have to do. First, is the carpet. New in 2003, it looks well worn now and needs to come out. I think I will leave the carpet out and use the original fiberglass floor (its gel coated with bumpy anti-slip surface) as is, or maybe paint to help hide some of the screw holes I filled. Second is the vinyl I put over the side consols. The contact adhesive did not stick well, I think I just didn't put it on thick enough. It needs to be re-glued. And last is the ski racks. They are plywood base with aluminum sides. The bases were OK a few years ago, but with the kids standing on them, and some additional water added, the screws that hold the sides on have pulled through the side of the ply. So I need to cut and install new bases, probably from 1/2" pressure treated ply.

So next year I should have the Bayliner finished and the Niagara gets needed TLC.

BTW, I am removing the carpet from the Bayliner, and will put down some glass/epoxy, another coat of epoxy and sand (and color pigment in the epoxy) and that will be it for the floor. Just sweep or hose out. I'm done with carpet in a boat, except for small removable area carpets.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Next Season the Niagara gets some maint

How durable is the original floor in those? I just picked up a 1965 Edinboro which closely resembles your boat. It was sitting for years but it was sitting bow down for a while after the trailer jack rusted off and sunk. It had some water sitting in the forward floor area but only about a gallon or so came out of the lower drain plug when we tilted it. The original floor looks new after some scrubbing with a broom and some strong cleaner. The whole interior actually looks good. It was covered but not very well in both black plastic and heavy canvas. I was concerned about wet foam but after weighing it, I don't think it's a problem. The floor so far seems rock solid under my 300lbs and the textured surface looks mint. It was holding water on the surface so it must be still weatherproof?
The boat weighed in at 1426 pounds, with 3 cylinder Evinrude, and steel roller bunk Tee Nee trailer. It was actually a lot lighter than I expected. I'd have figured on a good bit more being it has a glass windshield, permanent 12 gallon steel tank, and a huge antique looking winch on the trailer. The brochure puts the weight at 720lbs but it don't say which version, I am guessing the trailer to be about 450 lbs or so, and the older 3 cylinder motors were about 220 lbs or so not having tilt and trim. If there's wet foam, it cant be adding much. I also don't see any upper foam in this? Did they foam under the gunwales or just under the floor? I took the canvas covers out of the boat and left the hardtop at the shop when I took it to the scales. I'll get a more accurate weight when I lift it onto a better trailer later.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: MFG floor

Re: MFG floor

How durable is the original floor in those? ..... I was concerned about wet foam but after weighing it, I don't think it's a problem. The floor so far seems rock solid under my 300lbs and the textured surface looks mint. It was holding water on the surface so it must be still weatherproof?

My MFG Niagara just had foam under the gunnels and bow. No evidence of foam under the floor.

However (don't know about yours) my floors are solid fiberglass, and any evidence of spars or stringers of any kind (as viewed through screw holes that were in the floor when I bought it and before I plugged them) seemed to be fiberglass over cardboard "forms" - same thing under the bow.

If yours is made the same (sounds like it is, being so solid) then you've probably nothing to worry about.