Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

[CN Spots]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

My brother and i just bought a 73 MFG "W" hull and we too have a rotting floor. under the plywood the stringers are rotted as well. can they be replaced and with what kind of wood? Also, what is a transom. we need to restore the whole boat and are new to the whole process. Thanks.

Welcome to iboats!

Yes the stringers can be replaced, usually with plywood. The transom is the back of the boat (like what the outboard clamps to). They are also usually plywood laminated w/fiberglass.

You'll find all the help you need to do that project on this site but you will have better luck with answers by starting a new thread about your boat project.

spots

 

[jonesg]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

Hey Thanks...thats a 2nd opinion I like =)

I think I will be more cautious about taking her out into Ontario and will try to keep in the bay unless nice and calm. I was thinking baout cutting a section of the deck out and doing a partial replace...not sure if that is wise or not.

Thank you!

This might work for you...

I paid for a retired shipwright look at my boat yesterday, he poked around, pulled the big center fuel tank hatch, tapped with his plastic mallet etc, its got spongey spots and has had obvious repairs over the yrs, he said I can use a skillsaw and go around the circumference, leaving 3 inches lip all around the edge, pop the deck off and leave that outter lip in place.

Fix anything wrong beneath the deck and replace with new deck.
Just make it so water can always drain down to the stern, its not rocket science, just time consuming (or more enjoyable if its your hobby).

I told him my original plan was to remove everything, rub rail , gunnel, top deck, then pull out inner molded deck. He said yeh you CAN but its not necessary. I liked his idea, much simpler....tastes better.

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

i just witnessed a total deck replacement on a open bow........12 hrs total labor.......really its no big deal........and that was an open bow !

go for it and be done with it !...one day !

 

[Xandre]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

Well I realize this thread is 2 years old but I thought I might update anyway just in case it's of value to anyone else out there.

So after accepting that there was no way around fixing the boat I decided last year that I would jump into the project. I recruited my neighbor who remodels kitchens and happens to be a "I can fix/build" ANYTHING and he was a boater who had ever tool ever made. Ever.

Together we cut the old rotting plywood deck out and found a scary amount of water under the deck. There was no way to drain this bilge area for some reason. A past owner had sealed the only drain hole and my plug hole has always been ABOVE the deck.

I shop vacc'd all of the water and rotting wood pieces out and inspected the stringers. Most were OK but some were rotting. We cut up 2x4's into custom sized sections and used a combo of resin/fiberglass/liquid nails to adhere the new stringers to the hull. I know what some might say to liquid nails but hey it's working great.

After the boat had time to dry out and the stringers were set we replaced 2 large sections of the deck with pressure treated plywood. These sections were screwed into the stringers and then I cut up 2 more sections of plywood and adhered them together to make platform to mount a seat on. The platform was attached to the deck and the seat to the platform.

Once all that was done I re-glassed the deck and platform and used bilge paint over the top of that. I need to do some more painting just so it looks better but function first I say.

Now, in theory, no water shouldn't be able to penetrate the deck at all and the boat feels stronger and safer than even before the damage.

I used some office carpeting I had laying around and cut a custom carpet to fit around the platform. I don't use adhesive to attach the carpet to the floor so that I can remove it to let it dry out if things get too wet.

It was my first stab at restoring, repairing or anything along these lines. I generally would have someone else do it for me but owning a boat has forced me to learn these things.

Could I have done some things better or differently? Absolutely. Many lessons learned and now I move on into my future in boating smarter and more confident.

The boat has never been better!

Cheers!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

Great! I like anyone that keeps an Old Classic OFF the scrap Heap!!!!

 

[Xandre]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

Great! I like anyone that keeps an Old Classic OFF the scrap Heap!!!!

Agreed. I love classics and am trying to think what else I can now do to improve this one =)

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

Give her a good buffing. Mcguires polishing compound and a buffer will really make her look like a new one. 2-3 hours on a early shady Saturday morning and voila' NEW BOAT!!!!

 

[Xandre]

Re: Rotting floor- Safe to boat without floor?

Give her a good buffing. Mcguires polishing compound and a buffer will really make her look like a new one. 2-3 hours on a early shady Saturday morning and voila' NEW BOAT!!!!

Not a bad idea thanks!