Boat remodeling

[Duckman8]

I need to gut out a boat and replace the floor due to rotting. What is the best thing to use. I have heard of marine plywood, treated plywood and what about using plastic or fiberglass sheets? Which is best and what should I use? I am going to rewire and run new tubing while the floor is out. The boat is a 1988 starcraft that needs a lot of loving. Any help is appreciated.

[Valv]

Whe you are ready for wires, and other parts let me know I do have a lot of stuff.

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Val Vignati

www.kvesurplus.com
[email protected]

[Steve Bakken]

Hey, Duckman,

When we replace a floor at the shop, we have found that BC grade plywood has given us the best results. Marine grade is VERY expensive and will outlast the other components of the boat. Green treated plywood has a tendency to want to warp and also is more prone to cracking around any fasteners you drive through it. BC is more user-friendly and with proper preperation, will last as long as you own the boat. When you have the floor out, poke a screwdriver into the stringers in several places to make sure they aren't rotten also. If they are, this would be the time to replace them as well. When you put the new floor in, the most crucial part of the job is getting the topside sealed up so that it doesn't get moisture in it. If we are carpeting the floor, we penetrate the top with a good quality oil based or self curing carpet glue. If we are applying the spray-on texture coating instead of carpeting, this also will soak in and seal the wood against water penetration. But make sure that there is no raw exposed wood because even one spot will act like a wick and eventually rot a very large area under the treated part. Like I've said before, good maintainance and care are the best preventatives there is. Hope this helps.

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Steve @ Bakken's Boat Shop www.bakkensboatshop.com

[Duckman8]

Thanks for the advice. What thickness of plywood to you recommend? Do you just seal the top part of the wood or do you do the edges and the underside? Aren't the runners usually made of aluminum? Any advice on this is also appreciated. Thanks

[Steve Bakken]

Go with whatever thickness was originally in the floor. You can coat the bottom side if you wish, but it's not really exposed to enough stuff to cause it to rot out. I've seen both types of runners. If yours are aluminum, then you're good to go.

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Steve @ Bakken's Boat Shop www.bakkensboatshop.com

[Duckman8]

Thanks Steve!

[Steve Bakken]

bump

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Steve @ Bakken's Boat Shop www.bakkensboatshop.com