Rotted Wood or what?

[mcpo]

This is another post different from the last on redoing the interior of my 1985 Four Winns Horizon 19'. I ripped up the carpet from the deck, and there is plywood underneath, about 1/2 of it rotted. I didn't know they put plywood on top of the fiberglass. Do they? Or is this something a previous owner did? The interior has been replaced before that I know of. I also took out the gas tank. Looks like at one time there was a storage area undereath the deck forward of the gas tank, but the covered it with plywood. Should I put plywood back on top of the fiberglass or just repair it in places it has rotted, or take off all the plywood and go with just the fiberglass underneath it before I recarpet it?<br />Thanks<br />Cal

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Rotted Wood or what?

There is only one reason why someone would put plywood down over the original floor like that. Rot. It disgusts me even saying this, but I am willing to bet that if you pulled that plywood off, you would find a nasty soft rotted structure. The only proper way to fix it is to tear out all the rot and glass in new materials. You end up with a lighter, safer boat, and as long as you are mildly handy and don't mind getting dirty, it is not expensive to do. Go to Project Boats, do a search on "Project Skanky Beast", it details my rebuilding of an old nasty tri-hull into a center console. I had the plywood trick pulled on me, and I wasn't happy, but I had originally bought the boat for the motor, so it wasn't a big deal. I always like a project anyway....

 

[mcpo]

Re: Rotted Wood or what?

Appreciate your thoughts! Project it is!!! Was rotten from the core out including the trailer. Sickening why someone would let a 15,000 boat go to waste like this. Like you love them project things.<br />Funny thing about this one is that undeneath that rotten plywood is the foam, and the plywood was covered with a layer of fiberglass. The plywood was only about 1/4" thick. I kinda thought it was regular ole plywood but am now beginning to think it was made that way, because it is that way all the from front to back and across. It is a Four Winns and I think I'm going to call their factory and see if that is the way the made them. This one is only rotted from about midships back aft, primarily, I think, because it was tilted and the water ran to the back and settled. Another mistake the previous owner made was to tell me that he was sure to cover it with the cover as soon as he took it out of the water each time. Well...seems to me that ain't a good idea. The water would soak in before it evaporated in that case, with no air hitting it. Make sense to you?<br />Thanks for your reply.<br />Will check out the other thing you told me about.<br />Cal

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Rotted Wood or what?

Sounds like it was built like most boats were. They used wood for the transom and stringers and floor, sheathed with fiberglass, and foamed between stringers. The foams took on water, and it is impossible to get that water out. The new foams are closed cell, and are much more resistant to soaking water. There is nothing wrong with covering your boat, as long as there is some sort of air circulation. I keep my boat on the water with a full cover, and have no problems. What kills boats is being left in the rain and snow, it only takes a few seasons and the damage is done, but it takes years for the damage to show itself.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Rotted Wood or what?

I have a 1988 200 Horizon. I had a small rotted area between the base for the helm and the gas tank cover. I pulled up the carpet, cut out all the rot, applied CPES, laminating epoxy resin, made patch panels, laminated them in, and filled any mismatch with epoxy filler, and then applied laminating resin on top of that. It made a very strong repair. I got info and materials from <br />www.rotdoctor.com The floor in my Four Winns was 2 layers of 1/2 in ply covered with a thin layer of resin and fiberglass cloth. The rest of the floor was in good shape, it was only this small area that had to be repaired. The ply was secured with metal staples. Good luck with your project.

 

[BMWILK]

Re: Rotted Wood or what?

If you use staples or brads to secure the plywood in place .. use MONEL staples or brads. They are somewhat hard to find, but for marine applications they are a MUST. They do not rust out.<br /> These are called MONEL STAPLES which are 66% nickel and 33% copper.. One source is Arrow Fasteners. aLSO try Phifer Wire Products,Inc. 800-633-5955 or www.phifer.com.<br /><br />Other types of staples etc will rust out. <br /><br />Hope this of assistance<br />regards<br />Spinnerbait.