quick question on floor replacements...

[crudeau]

I have an 89 glassport that the floor is mushy in some spots. My stringers look to be mint from what I can see. The foam is also dry. The mushy parts are above the gas tank and around the area for the acces panel in the middle. So water never got to the sides. In replacing the floor, do you try to use one piece of marine ply, or is it sections? then cover and lock it all together with a fiberglass layer.

 

[sdunt]

Re: quick question on floor replacements...

Your boat floor, if it is wider than 4 feet is built in sections of plywood running across the width of the boat. Those sections are joined together, generally, over stringers or frames that are constructed under the floor.

Wherever two pieces of plywood come together, there needs to be lumber underneath to screw into. A boat's floor is part of its structural strength and the flooring is mechanically fastened to the stringers & frames with stainless screws and adhesives. Then the edges of the floor are glued, puttied, or epoxied to the insides of the hull where they meet.

Once the floor is mechanically attached to everything, then you cover the entire floor, and up the sides and transom, with fiberglass to protect the wood from water and also to add more strength by tying it all together again.

The spots you have found are not going to be the only rot you find. There is probably allot more lurking that will show up when you start removing things.

 

[crudeau]

Re: quick question on floor replacements...

I can't wait to see what i find. I'm actually very excited for this project. I just want to make sure I know all the answers to my questions before I start.

Before I asked this question I was going to just rip the floor out and try to put it in as one piece. May still be the case, but now I when I remove it I will pay attention to what is under there and see if there are any joints and replicate them when i reinstall the new floor.

One other idea that i was running with, I'm going to build a couple lag bolts into my new floor. I will have four for each corner of the front seats, and couple in the back for the engine cover. This way I can bolt things to them, instead of screwing right into the floor. To me, any, this sounds like an excellent idea and can only help not allow water to get in.

 

[sdunt]

Re: quick question on floor replacements...

Since you're just starting, here is the reading list:

#1 - Runabout Renovation: How to Find and Fix Up an Old Fiberglass Speedboat by Jim Anderson
http://www.amazon.com/Runabout-Reno...0255336?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176991542&sr=8-1

And you can probably find this one at the library:
The Fiberglass Boat Repair Manual by Allan H. Viatses
http://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-Bo...0255336?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176991609&sr=1-2

Book I got at the library and then bought a used copy on half.com for $3.00
Fiberglass Repair and Construction Handbook Author: Jack Wiley
http://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQprZ4478978QQcpidZ1186450896


Web sites:

Duck Works magazine: http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/index.cfm

Max Wawrzyniak's Obsolete Outboards column: http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/columns/max/articles.htm

Max's stuff is also published as a book, fantastic reading for ALL outboard owners: http://www.duckworksbbs.com/media/books/cheap/index.htm

You can 'blog' your project for FREE at www.shareaproject.com and its also a great way to store pictures to link with forum posts.

Suppliers:
http://www.uscomposites.com/polyesters.html

http://stores.ebay.com/Tordoff-Supply

 

[sdunt]

Re: quick question on floor replacements... - Lag bolts

Re: quick question on floor replacements... - Lag bolts

The lag bolt idea is a start. But you'll have to some how ensure that they never turn or wiggle in order to guarantee the seal. Some people feel you can do a good enough job bedding in screws with 3M 5200 to prevent any leaks.

Actually a more flexible sealing material is probably better. Personally I went the route of assuming water will get into the wood no matter what, and you need to leave it some place to get out. Thats why the bottom side of my floor in un coated.

 

[crudeau]

Re: quick question on floor replacements... - Lag bolts

Re: quick question on floor replacements... - Lag bolts

uncoated marine ply? Or do you have a sealer on there but no fiberglass or epoxy.

Also when people say they used a sealer, are we talking about like a deck sealer for your house?

 

[sdunt]

Re: quick question on floor replacements... - Lag bolts

Re: quick question on floor replacements... - Lag bolts

Bedding hardware is I guess the boating term. Basically the same way you put caulk around a window or door or faucet, etc to seal the joint, on boats generally people use 3m 4200 or 5200 to 'caulk' any hardware they add to the boat, that seals the holes created by the screws to prevent water getting in.

As for the floor, the top side of my floor is covered with 2 layers of 7 oz fiberglass cloth and resin.. I need to get back into this year and paint or gelcoat it to protect it better. all of the edges of my plywood were treated with wood preservative

http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/imageDetail,p,148,i,2794,00.html.

The 'sealer' for home decking is of no use in a boat.

 

[mtnrat]

Re: quick question on floor replacements...

By sealing, I would mean coating the wood with thinned epoxy resin.

 

[iwombat]

Re: quick question on floor replacements...

Better yet, when you set you lags in drill oversized holes and fill with epoxy, then drill for proper size. That way your lags will never touch wood. They can turn, wiggle, and leak a bit with little or no consequences.

 

[Solittle]

Re: quick question on floor replacements...

You need to spend as many hours as you can spare reading the posts that are already here. Feel free to ask about whatever you don't understand.