Tri hull boat restoration question?

Joined
May 5, 2009
Messages
70
Hello again,
I was thinking about going with 1/2" aruaco ply for the re-decking of my tri hull project. There is a main spindle (hope I'm terming it correctly) that runs down the center of the boat. At its widest point the boat is 54", which is at the stern, so it really decreases from there going to the bow. At worse, that puts the main spindle around 27" on the center of the boat. I pulled out the structure foam and am thinking of not putting it back (expanding foam that is). However I am thinking about putting pool foam noodles in for buoyancy. I weigh around 220lbs and am concerned if 1/2" ply is strong enough without the structure foam as support.

Do any of you see a support issue here? Should I go with 3/4" instead? I really don't want to add the extra weight to the boat with the 3/4", but if it is an issue of whether the deck can hold me then I will. I've attached a picture also.

Also the original decking was 1/2", but I never stood on it as it was cut out when I purchased this project boat.

Thanks,
IRBF
View attachment 128413View attachment 128414
 

JDA1975

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
1,385
Re: Tri hull boat restoration question?

As we have discussed the necessity of that foam in your hull to provide structural support, not just for the deck, but for the hull itself, I fail to understand why a new topic was brought up with about the same question http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=528807 The advice you will be given here is sound and based on experience and takes the safety of you and the boaters around you into consideration, the guys that answer the questions don't do it to hear themselves talk (well most don't), so again the recommended and required method for that hull is pour in 2 part foam. The deck 1/2" should be fine, with the foam.
 
Joined
May 5, 2009
Messages
70
Re: Tri hull boat restoration question?

Thank you sir for your reply. No disrespect or disregard was intended toward prior replies, nor did I intend to duplicate an already posted question regarding my restoration project. I would not come to this forum to waste anyone's time. I come here to in fact recieve sound experienced advice because I know I can use it as I am a novice to this type of hobby. The base of my question in this thread seemed to me to be different than my prior thread. I guess I really didn't get out of the replies from my first thread regarding this issue that the term "structure" implied both support for anyone standing in the boat plus support for the hull itself. I now do understand and will in fact heed the advice. Thank you.

IRBF
 

JDA1975

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
1,385
Re: Tri hull boat restoration question?

NP, I didn't mean to sound harsh, but I have been characterized as being somewhat blunt, and with the recent rash of apparent double and triple threads pertaining to the same question with little difference (not you specifically), I might have been a little annoyed, I thought the answers on your previous thread pretty well covered it, and if they didn't it is always best to post follow up questions and ask for clarifications in the same thread. You will get a lot more interest and be able to help others who read these threads if you keep all the questions pertaining to a specific rebuild in one thread. If you follow some of the more popular rebuilds they go from one step to the next and so on, continuing to ask new questions and receive the answers they seek, which helps people who like to read these to see how it progressed, over a timeline. Wish you the best on your rebuild!
 
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