floor in my sanger

[e514jet]

while cleaning my boat I found a soft spot with fiberglass separation in the aft portion of my floor. The floor was previously reworked and the guy had sprayed expanding foam underneath for extra support. What I found is that the foam soaks up water and water was being trapped underneath. I'm glad I caught it now. The center stringer is in good shape but aren 't stringers normally fiberglassed into the bottom? Just wondering about the gap between the stringer and the hull? Any recommendations when rebuilding my floor. Does anything go underneather the plywood? The floor was a double layer.
it had plywood screwed on the bottom side for extra support. here are some pics and I sure would appreciate any advice other guys have on this matter..
thanks :)

[73kona455]

i dont think thats actually a stringer.. looks more like a support for the floor

[b's sanger]

I had to re-do my floor as well. From the factory there was nothing but foam under that floor and the original strength of the boat was the floor glassed to the hull. Once we removed the foam, there was nothing to support the floor anymore. My hull is a touch deeper than yours, so we used a 2x6 keel from the front bulkhead to the engine bulkhead. We glassed the entire thing to the floor and around the keel. Then take your hardwood plywood cut to match the hull and screw the floor into the keel. Then reglass the floor's edges to the hull and at least a light sheet of fibergalss across the whole floor. Roll some heavy fiberglass up onto the bulkheads as well. My hull is much stronger now with no issues. Don't put that foam back in there, just a waist of time and it may bow the floor outward. Definately check that keel for rout and glass that whole thing in.
B

[e514jet]

Kona,
yes it was just a piece of wood to support the floor. I took it out.
BSanger,
I found after pulling more of the floor out that there was not other support.
I thought of adding either longitudial stringers like the one in the middle a little further out or glassing in some horizontal stringers for floor support. E

[b's sanger]

If you want it to be strongest, extend both stringers to the front bulkhead, then install the floor between the stringers. It will be alot more work. But I have had no regrets installing a keel down the middle. It's super strong and would likely do you just fine. I would use pressure treated studs though.

[e514jet]

Bsanger,
I have the motor box squared in and no stringers at all. So I have to add them. You were saying you just ran the single in the middle. What thickness
of plywood did you use. I'm thinking 1/2 inch.

[b's sanger]

I ran a 2x6 down the middle. It ended up being exactly where my floor was level. My older hull is a bit deeper than yours. I would get some good plywood and cut your floor to fit snug. Bevel underneath the sides so the floor will sit somewhat flush with the hull. Then when you are happy with the floor's fit, experiment with a 2x4 keel and see if it allows your floor to be level. Worst case scenario you may have to cut lengthwise if the 2x4 is too much. Same with a 2x6 if its not enough. But i'm, guessing the 2x4 may just be the ticket.

[e514jet]

thanks b for the info....E:D

[b's sanger]

No problem, let me know if you get stuck. All in all it was a fairly easy install. Glass work needless to say takes some time.

[BrendellaJet]

If one was going to go therough the trouble of glassing in 2 new stringers with the motor box in place, why not just tear the motor box out and do full stringers? Would be more work but the end result would probably be stronger.

[e514jet]

Brendella,
I local friend allready suggested that too me. Would make it stronger by far.
I have considered that too. thanks for the input. E:D

[Xlration Marine]

Just what I was telling a guy the other day. The floor was rotton and he did a quick cheeeeeep fix on it. Foam will firm up any floor to make it feel good. And long enough to sell it to a sucker. I watched a guy dig out bad foam under a rotton floor, not even replacing the wood. He dumped new foam into the hole, shaved it off and covered it up with glass. Put down some new carpet and send it out to be sold. Chances are it had 3/4" ply and he cut it out, used a 2+4 to help hold it up. Dump in the foam, SHAZAM good as new.

[e514jet]

XLration- very good possibility thats what happened to me. The main thing is it will be right when I get done with it.
Brendella- check out the next set of pics. I can run full stringers but as you see in the pic my motor well is much higher then my floor and I would have to
cut down and trim the stringers I add. Its all the way down except pulling the
engine box wood out. you can see dry rot on some of them. It started raining so I had to quit. Hope to have all new wood and start the fiberglassing this weekend.

[b's sanger]

Holy crap. Time to re-do the bulkhead or just make it a full stringer boat. In fact just make it a full stringer boat. No sense spending the time replaceing the bulkhead unless you prefer the full floor in the boat.

[malcolm]

I just replaced my floor and I'm building seats at the moment. If I had mine down to what you have there, I'd have gone the full stringers too. My motor box was in alot better shape and the engine was still in, so I did the new floor. I went with a 2x6 center stringer cut to match the hull along the bottom then 1/2 plywood for the floor with a thick layer of glass and mat over it. I also ran a piece of plastic conduit under the floor to run my diverter cable through.
I have a full page write up on Banderlog if you want some pics.
http://www.banderlog.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4740

[e514jet]

Malcolm,
The repair looks good. My boat doesn't have as much V as your hull. My new stringer should be a 2x4 in the middle or maybe a 2x6 cut down. I'll have to measure it all out. I plan on running smaller stringers full length from the motor box forward. It should strengthen everything up nice. E:D

[BrendellaJet]

Id lose the floor and go full stringer personally. Your engine box is toast. I had a false floor in my boat. My hull has really shallow freeboard so the extra few inches I gained by losing the floor was welcome.

[76ANTHONY]

I just replaced my floor and I'm building seats at the moment. If I had mine down to what you have there, I'd have gone the full stringers too. My motor box was in alot better shape and the engine was still in, so I did the new floor. I went with a 2x6 center stringer cut to match the hull along the bottom then 1/2 plywood for the floor with a thick layer of glass and mat over it. I also ran a piece of plastic conduit under the floor to run my diverter cable through.
I have a full page write up on Banderlog if you want some pics.
http://www.banderlog.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4740
dam, nice repair, like the seats. and momma sewed em for ya, dude you made out like a bandit on cost huh?:D

[Gayleen]

Mama's pooped!

[76ANTHONY]

Mama's pooped!
great job on the sewing, how long that take ya?

[Gayleen]

Thanks! I've been working on it for a week. I should finish sewing tonigh on the back portion. The cushion will go much faster as we already have the plan worked out.
This has been quite the challenge. I did not have a pattern, the seat is not mirror image, I been fighting a cold and working full-time.