Sea Ray Deck Question...

[New_Blue]

Hi,

I am taking up the floor on my 1979 19' Sea Ray. I thought the foam was dry until I got down to about 1" from the hull....foam was soaking wet. Now that I am removing the foam I am wondering if there are any fellow Sea Ray owners out there that could tell me if the foam provided any structural strength.

Also, I am planning to fill the area with some high-density polystyrene and making some weep holes in the stringers just in case water does manage to get in. Since I have some 3/4 inch plywood, I had planned to put it down for flooring...is this going to make a noticeable difference in the weight/performance of the boat?

Thank you!

Matt

 

[brian3127]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

i dont have a sea ray but i redid myboat. when i took the deck and water soaked foam to the dump it weighed about 700 lbs. it made the boat run faster and it planed out so depending on how much the foam and the deck weighs it should change the way your boat will handle

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

This is a link to a quick and simple fix for a rotten floor and wet foam in a Sea Ray.


http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234392

 

[92excel]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

Hi,
Since I have some 3/4 inch plywood, I had planned to put it down for flooring...is this going to make a noticeable difference in the weight/performance of the boat?

3/4 is probably overkill.. once you glass it it will be like an inch thick.. you are just added extra weight. 1/2 should do you fine.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

This is a link to a quick and simple fix for a rotten floor and wet foam in a Sea Ray.


http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234392

LOL

Not nice, ondarvr


To answer the structural strength question: Yes, due to the stringer design, the foam does provide some stiffening and reinforcement. What I did in my setup was to use some additional glass to offset the need for foam.. basically there are cross ribs that "float" in the original design that I glassed down to the hull, and I made my stringers double thick to ensure they wouldn't flex at all. It adds weight, but less than having wet foam in there.

Erik

 

[New_Blue]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

Thanks to all for the great feedback! Even though I haven't taken up all the floor after reading through the forum I can't help getting the sinking feeling in my gut that I am going to be in for a larger than expected project...we shall see.

I am curious how folks did their weep holes in the stringers. Was it as simple as drilling 1" holes and sealing the wood or did you put PVC piping in the holes then glass/epoxy in place. I like the idea of the pipe becuase I think it would provide a better seal but this is a first for me so looking for ideas...

Thank you.

Matt

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

A plastic tube is the surest bet for water not finding it's way into the wood.

Its not all that hard, but it is time consuming, there's no fast and easy way to make a lasting repair.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

Yeah, I always use a short section of PVC tubing. Much easier to seal and keep that way than just a hole in the wood.

My suggestion would be to cut the hole, line the inside with epoxy, then glue the tube in place with 5200 or similar.

And remember, water flows downhill.. if the bottom of the tube is above the bottom of the compartment you're draining, you'll have some water left. I use half tubes or three quarter with a section cut off.

Erik

 

[92excel]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

So if you are putting weeping holes in your stringers and no foam you may want to think about also adding deck vents to allow some air to travel under the deck to aide in keeping in dry under there.. thoughts??

 

[New_Blue]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

92excel I like the idea of deck vents but I am having difficulty visualizing what they would look like and where they would be placed. I was planning on cutting the blue foam board from Lowes and placing it in the cavities below deck. I have small children so I would want the vents someplace that little helpers wouldn't stuff gum, bait....etc down them.

Thanks again to all for help!

 

[Paul Bell]

Re: Sea Ray Deck Question...

http://picasaweb.google.com/pacerdude/EntireDeckReplacement89Celebrity224se?authkey=HgGTAKMNl18#

Something about the older boats and the design that I will never understand.
Why they would NOT put a means for the weter to move toward the bilge in the first place???
I experienced your same dilema and what I thought would be a simple repair turned into a complete tear out of decking and most of the wood below.
There are a few pics of the drain holes in this web album that is still in process.