Some question about floors

[Flysooner9]

Well finally got out and looked at a few boats on the market in my area. Have a few pictures i have questions about.

This first picture is of a boat that is otherwise spotless but has this one ding on it. Would this be a big problem? Its fairly deep (fiberglass exposed) but above the waterline.


This picture is of the lip of the ski locker. Looks like an area of obvious rot. Also i noticed the 2 layers of plywood, is this normal or did someone attempt a quick fix by slapping on a fresh layer of wood? Which might be the answer to picture number 3, there were a couple of areas in the floor that didn't really feel even see below.


Its hard to see in this picture but toward the top of the picture you can see sort of an indention on the floor. Could this be another sign that this floor has had a quick fix done to it in the past?

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Some question about floors

Pics 2 and 3 scare me. Looks like plywood was slapped over a soft/rotting deck. Heaven knows what you'd find below decks...

I predict that boat has some issues...

Jim

 

[roscoe]

Re: Some question about floors

Pics 2 and 3 scare me. Looks like plywood was slapped over a soft/rotting deck. Heaven knows what you'd find below decks...

I predict that boat has some issues...

Jim

ditto.

 

[redneck joe]

Re: Some question about floors

x3, especially if you see that lip in many areas of the boat. Some floor do have a different level to them, typically i've seen it at the open bow but the rest should be one level.

 

[Lake Lizzard]

Re: Some question about floors

I replaced all the stringers and floor in a boat that I had many years ago. It turned out great but I'll never do it again. To much work and money...not to mention the fiberglass fumes! I wouldn't go near this boat. The fiberglass issue is cosmetic and can be filled in. Rotted flooring (and possibly rotted stringers) would always be a deal killer for me.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Some question about floors

At the very least ask if you can pull up the rug at that low spot. I'm going to assume the floor is rotten there, and boats rot from the bottom up. Maybe keep looking.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Some question about floors

There's no question in my mind, that boat is a bloody rotter!!! Unless you're looking for a project to dump $2K into and lots of labor and you can get the boat dirt cheap, you need to keep looking.

If it was me, I might even call the owner up and cuss him out for wasting my time.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Some question about floors

agree w/everyone else. that boat's had a new sole layed over the old rotting sole.
while i've not done a restore. i have one to do and have sawed on it enough to know that my boat, that had a new sole layed over the old, looks exactly as your pics do. especially pic 2.
imho, i wish my boat didn't have the new over the old. when your destructing to get to the rot. it's horrible to saw through. the new is solid and ya gotta go through that to get to the old. it's misserable, hard work, which is likely why i've stalled in doing anything to mine.
fwiw. my project was inherited from my dad. i know he went on the cheap and overlayed new wood over the old.... in my dad's defense. he was a teacher, not a mechanic and it showed. boat restore wasn't his forte for sure... on the other hand, he was a great teacher. he just didn't want to spend a lot of money to repair his boat proper. it was his choice...

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Some question about floors

2 & 3 certainly have rot. 1 can easily be fixed by anyone reasonably or expensively by a pro that will match the color. 1 needs farther investigation as it may also have rot that is not readily seen YET.

 

[Malibu Rudder]

Re: Some question about floors

Run away fast unless you are wanting a huge project!!!! Oh and NEVER look back. You will find that perfect boat for you.