Replacing Bayliner floor

[vandy21]

I started a topic similar to this in another section, but i believe this is the best section to post in. I have just started replacing the floor in my 18' 1986 bayliner capri. So far i have removed the back 2 back seats, the carpet and started hacking away at the floor in a few places. I have not yet gotten to a point where i can tell if i need to replace the stringers or not, but im 99% sure i will. I have a few questions that will make this process easier as the is the first time i have done anything like this.

First; will i need to remove the deck from the boat? (i presume so, i am just hoping theres another way around this.)

Second; what is the best way to move the fiberglassed floor? the areas where the seats mount are completely fiberglassed to the rest of the floor and i am not sure how to remove them.

Third; how much time is the estimated to take ( i realize this is dependent on how efficiently i work and how often i work on it, but a general time-frame would be nice.) How much will it cost? And are there any tools/ products that anyone would recommend to make this project easier and better?

Any advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I will try to post some pictures as soon as i can.

 

[Always Broke]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Your questions are tough to answer without more detailed information along with pictures. I think your best bet would be to do a search here at iboats on floor replacement. You will find a lot of information along with some step by step pictures of restoration projects including the floor.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

You should read Realgun's Bayliner rebuild on shareaproject.com. He lays it out very well and has lots of pictures. A wonderful read for anyone contemplating stringer repair, and he does it on a Bayliner bow rider.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z174/Dvandy21/

Those are a few pics of the interior of the boat. what i am confused about is whether or not to remove the consoles and the seat boxes? The consoles look to be molded directly to the floors so i dont know how to remove them. Thanks

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

I would take the seat boxes out. Worst thing that happens is that you destroy them taking them out and you just build new ones.

 

[190c]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Vandy:
I found that a 4" electric grinder that I got from Harbor freight (relatively cheap) makes quick work out of fiberglass and epoxy coated wood. You can also use a circular saw set to 1/8" deeper than the sole (floor) thickness works well to. Be careful when working near the hull that you do not cut into it. Just remember spend good money on a high quality respirator (fiberglass particles in the lungs is real bad), I have a full face one with replaceable cartridges it cost a lot but is worth its weight in gold. Pick up the tyvek painters coveralls and some disposable rubber gloves (to put under your work gloves) this will help keep you from becoming a human (fiberglass) pin cushion. As far as cost goes the epoxy resin that you will be using will cost about 65-85 dollars per gallon with hardener and the sand paper and grinding disks about 100 for the project. The wood that you will be using will vary greatly based on the market, a 1/2 sheet of marine plywood ranges from 70-90 per sheet. The fiberglass tapes or mat cost will be based on the type used and amount needed. Same goes for your resin fillers. These are the costs that I have ran into locally. As far as time goes. I have been working on my project for 8 weeks and it seems like I never make any progress. I tend to be a perfectionist and have redone things more than a few times until it was to my liking. Some things you will just have to wait for: epoxy cure, paint cure, weather, the better half's patience to name a few.
My advise is take your time ask tons and tons of questions and take many pics and measurements to refer to once you rip everything apart it's surprising how easy it is to forget where everything went. Keep us informed on the progress you are making. I hope this helps.

 

[Robj]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

I am just finishing a stringer, transom and floor replacement. If you are just replacing the floor, I would and am using polyester resin, here in Vancouver I can get a 4.5 gallons for about $100. By the time your floor requires replacement, so will your stringers and transom. What is the point of doing a floor repair that will last forever when the rest of your boat won't?? As for wood, I used 1/2 inch select exterior grade Douglas fir costs $25 per sheet. Install it so the grain of the outside ply runs perpendicular to the stringer. It is the strongest that way. Seal it well with resin.

I started my project in December and hope to finish it by July. You can expect your project to take you 2 to 3 months just to replace a floor.

There is alot of info in this forum, do a search and start reading.

Good luck

Rob.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Thanks for all of the advice! I am about to purchase a grinder and a respirator mask so i think i can move forward on the project. i am still not entirely sure what to do about the dual consoles and the bow storage area. Should i remove them entirely? or what, because the consoles look to be attached to the hull. at least i don't have to replace the transom because it is built into the plastic deck.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

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[190c]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Vandy:
I looked over the pics of the bow storage and left console. I am not sure what you would like to do with the bow storage area. If you want to close it off thats easy just put down a piece of ply and epoxy them together. If you want to remove it just cut along side of it near the hull and then sand/grind the remaining flush to the hull. I don't think that it is an integral part of the hull; that would be hard to manufacture quickly. The same goes for the second console. The console is more than likely tabbed to the hull with fiberglass tape and thats why it looks like it is part of the hull. If you peel back the carpet you may be able to see the tabbing. What are you going to do with the huge open area once the console is gone? I would just ask around to ensure that none of these are structural. What I mean is does this console give some strength to the left side of the boat? or is it purely just a convenience item? Best to make sure.
Mark

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

thanks, very good point. I am going to get back to the project this weekend, so i will check to see if the console is glassed onto the hull or not.

 

[Robj]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Hello there,

I think all that has to be removed, especially if you are replacing the stringers also. On my boat, everything came out, front and rear structure. It had some rot anyways. Just remember to keep the old pieces to use as patterns to make the new ones.

Good luck

Rob.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Do i need to remove the deck? because it looks as if it is molded to the hull.
http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z174/Dvandy21/

 

[iwombat]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

The consoles, being large rectangles, can't add much in the way of structural integrity. Rectangles are inherently weak. The diagonal cross section off the front of the console, which would roughly correspond with the diagonal off the aft section of the front bench is the only structural element there. As long as you keep the aft cap on the seat you won't lose any structure.

did that make any sense?

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

yes it did, thanks!

 

[190c]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Vandy:
Just like your consoles the sole of your boat it going to be tabbed to the hull. Remember don't cut into the hull when you make your cuts. On my boat the sole was underneath a 90 degree "ledge" and it looked like it was part of the hull. I cut it flush with that "ledge" and looked under it and I could see the tabbing that the sole was attached to.
Mark

 

[tmh]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Why are you convinced the stringers need replacing? Have you cut enough floor out to have a good look at them?

I was just looking at a friends Bayliner from around 1986 that had floor rot. he had cut the floor out in the cockpit area but only the center section (left the seats, console in there). The stringers weren't perfect, but solid enough. We decided to just drill a few holes into them and slap in some thinned epoxy resin so firm them up a bit then replace the floor section.

His boat had floatation foam in it that really added a ton of rigidness to the floor. Basically, with the floor out, you could hardly tell when you walked directly on the foam! It was very solid. Although there is a good chance the bottom few inches of the foam may be wet, it is such a difficult boat to re-do the stringers/foam/floor completely he's just fixing the floor and enjoying the boat.

The stringers in his boat were no where near as close together as the boat I re-did. Also, few, if any cross pieces tieing the stringers together. Truth is, the foam is a big part of the support. On my boat, I removed much of the foam and did not replace it as the stringer system was extremely strong. The Bayliner no way would I have not replaced the foam, so i'd rather not take it out in the first place.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Replacing Bayliner floor

Hey thanks!
Im not sure if i have to replace the stringers yet, i am going to try to determine that this weekend. i have trouble seeing that i wouldn't have to because its a very common problem on this boat, and everything looked pretty bad. as far as the foam goes, when i first pulled up the floor, you could touch it and water would spill out! it was soaked, after being exposed to the air it dried up and is pretty solid now, but i don't know if i want to leave it in there. If the stringer are in OK condition, but not perfect, then i may leave them in as your friend did because this boat is for occasional weekend use. thanks for the advice and tips!