Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

[tinkertinker]

I haven't seen pics of anything like this:

I think I want to lay down planks that run fore and aft, with 1/8in or so gaps to let air circulate and let water just run into the bilge. I plan to paint them with the most weatherproof paint I can find and screw them down.

I plan to use 1x4 that run starboard to port (athwartships, heh) as cleats underneath.

If anyone has done this and has a pic or advice, I'd appreciate it.

I was persuaded by a guy posting as Alan White on another forum that this has advantages over the plywood/resin/carpet approaches -- to prevent rot. And I fish, so this seems like a great washable deck idea.

I don't know what foam I'll find in there, if any. The boat is a '72 starcraft Holiday (aluminum).

I've learned that this is called the floor by some, the deck by others. And the boatbuilders call it the sole, i think.

- Jeff

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

Cypress would be ideal, if you can find some. Would have to be a hard wood. Used to have a false, slatted floor in my small 15-foot tinny fishing boat. Made it much easier to move around and was aces for cleaning the boat out. Good luck.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

It works well, the only down side is if you fish everything you drop goes down into the bilge and you need to lift the floor to get at it.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

Jeff, That type of decking was very common in wooden rowboats, some years back. They has flat bottoms, so it was an easy way to keep you feet dry. I recommend you run the floorboards port to starboard, so the support boards will run bow to stern. Any water or debris will then easily drain to the stern. I would use presure treated solid wood. It will last plenty long, and will be much cheaper and easier to get then some exotic hardwood.

 

[LORDY611]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

We did this in a wooden sailboat we made centuries ago. Plans called for 1x3 mahogany to be screwed to the frame. We modded to allow sections to be able to lift out. I think mahogany would be better than PT southern yellow pine due to being a much tighter grain. SYP will tend to check and split/lift grain more easily especially in full sun and water environment. Think about your deck and how fast that becomes weathered and unsmooth.

 

[tinkertinker]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

Thanks for the replies.

I'm having a hard time picturing how to make the sections sturdy but removable.

With an aluminum hull, I'm not too worried about water, so long as it doesn't soak into some foam and makes it to the bilge.

I promise to post pics when I get the courage to start ripping up the plywood laid over the (weak) old floor.

_Jeff

 

[JustJason]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

if your going to do that how about something like trex?

 

[jmelzark]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

You should go to your local lumber yard ask the salesman if they have Iron wood or otherwise know as IPE. Its strong and we will all be dead and in the ground before it wood rot. I sell it in my lumber yard for $1.50 a lnft for 1x4.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

Trex and products like it, are weak and heavy.

 

[tinkertinker]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

Thanks again.

I'm also considering black locust, which is grown right here in the US and doesn't need chemical pressure-treating.

I read that the pressure-treated wood is bad for aluminum because the PT's copper interacts with the aluminum.

Can't wait to give this a try... I fall asleep while designing the removable sections in my head.

Jeff

 

[jmelzark]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

Yes do not use treated lumber with aluminum. Since they changed threatment proscess and no longer use arsinc they have increased the amount of copper sulfate by 3x. So what happens is the treated wood acts like a metal and when it comes in contact with other metals you have Galvanic corrosion (some times called dissimilar metal corrosion). Again I would use iron wood which is stronger than some metals and will not rot. Tres wood or another composite decking material would be fine you just have to use more support under neath it. I sell Trex and other composite deckings and we sell a fare amount that are installed on docks and swim floats.

here is a link for iron wood.

http://www.ironwoods.com/newsite/ironwoods_ipe.html

 

[jennis9]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

trex products do mold around heavy moisture. cousin had a deck replaced twice by a pool area because of heavy mold damage. would be concerned unless they changed that product, would be cautious to use it on a boat.

 

[LORDY611]

Re: Planks or dimensional wood for slatted deck. pics?

I'd think twice about Ipe. That is some HEAVY wood, and not cheap either. Mahogany is not particularly heavy nor expensive. If you dont keep the wood in the water for extended periods, it should last for decades.