Floor replacement help

[Crossbow_CA]

Well I got up this morning with the idea that I was going to replace the intake manifold gasket to stop the oil leak... As I started pulling off water lines and marking and removing wires... I started thinking about the floor that I was sure was at least a little rotten as the jet-o-vator handle pulled out of the floor a couple trips ago and I had to move it back about 3 inches for it to hold. So I glanced over at it and saw plants growing from the hole where it used to be. OK season is getting colder so lets pull the carpet back and see just how bad it is.
http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3451/floorreplacement004rp5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/5083/floorreplacement003aj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Yeah it needed to come out.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1021/floorreplacement005gf4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6475/floorreplacement006zs1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/5336/floorreplacement007bn3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
About 300 lbs of very stinky water saturated foam and utterly rotten wood later :eek:
I removed everything without electricity as even the glass was delaminating and the front seats were pulled out literally with just a light tug to rip a small strip of glass that was still attached.
In the last photo you can see 1/2 tubes glassed into the floor. Are these original? They seem to be blocking water from exiting from the back.
Does anyone know a good how to thread on this or have any suggestions as to what grit to use on the glass to prep for the new wood. What kind/brand resin/glass to use. This will be my 1st try at doing glass work.
Thanks

[Longstr]

Here is what I did no mine for additional support... Take your time dont get in a hurry, make sure you clean surface good with Acetone, dont use too much resin at once lay it on in several layers.
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s101/longstr80/DSCN0643.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s101/longstr80/DSCN0653.jpg
:D

[DelawareDave]

You may want to look here.
http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104265

[Longstr]

That was a great thread.... :eek:

[Crossbow_CA]

You may want to look here.
http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104265
Perfect thread, thanks!

[DelawareDave]

Crossbow_ca: In regards to your PM- Page 3, post #60 has pics you were asking about.

[Crossbow_CA]

Well I am almost ready to cut the new floor, man this is itchy work. Does anyone have any good suggestions on where to buy the glass materials in San Diego, and how much of what i should purchase? Progress pics to follow.

[holorinhal]

Here is another thread that may help.
http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151898

[Crossbow_CA]

Todays progress. I tried to remove the carpet glue with chemicals but decided it would be much easier to just grind it off.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3708/floorreplacement008oe7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6047/floorreplacement009en5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8113/floorreplacement011oq7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[malcolm]

Here's where I did mine earlier this year.
http://www.banderlog.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4740

[Crossbow_CA]

Thanks again for all the links they are invaluable. I do have one question I didn't see covered however. I am going to go with the horizontal braces like seen in longstr's post. Do I need to make holes on both sides of the center stringer for each brace at the hull level for water to drain down, or do I trust that the floor will be perfectly sealed and no water will get in there? Do I put a drain hole at the hull level or an inch up from the hull at the rear engine bay board (assuming water will travel through this area? The hole was about an inch up on the one I pulled out. Also if water is going to go under the floor should holes be made through the floor board to help speed up any water that might come in over the bow?
Thanks,
Charles

[malcolm]

Yes, water will eventually find it way in there, so I put in drain holes on either side of the center stringer front and back. That way any water can be let out as it gets in there.

[IMPATIENT 1]

Thanks again for all the links they are invaluable. I do have one question I didn't see covered however. I am going to go with the horizontal braces like seen in longstr's post. Do I need to make holes on both sides of the center stringer for each brace at the hull level for water to drain down, or do I trust that the floor will be perfectly sealed and no water will get in there? Do I put a drain hole at the hull level or an inch up from the hull at the rear engine bay board (assuming water will travel through this area? The hole was about an inch up on the one I pulled out. Also if water is going to go under the floor should holes be made through the floor board to help speed up any water that might come in over the bow?
Thanks,
Charles
build the drains into the supports, then somehow, make it drain into the bilge, and you'll need to be able to put a plug in that drain. if a boat has a floor, water WILL get in. every floor i do, i put in a draining system;)

[Longstr]

I disagree.....I put several coats of resin on the floor prior to laying into the hull if you look close at the top of my floor I ran a THICK beed of cylicone aroune the edge of my floor and the boat....then after that it got 3 layers of glass.... all the supports in the subfloor were coated in resin... fact is if you are anal about covering all the wood in resin... seal it the best you can the floor should out last the boat as long as it is taken care of. Unless you plan on Gallons and gallons getting in your boat I wouldnt worry about it. That is just my 2 cents... Draining system is extra work that is more prone to leaking from the bilge plug if you ask me.. :D

[Crossbow_CA]

All the prep work is done, I purchased the wood and glass and I installed the fuel tanks today. This is the way they were installed before, but I added extra braces and actually removed all the carpet glue and grime before I laid out the new glass. This was my time doing glass work, and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/7776/newglass001wm2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/4571/newglass002ag6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8568/newglass003in8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Crossbow_CA]

I got some time to work on the floor again today. My question is weather or not to leave drain passages on both sides of the center board through all the horizontal braces?
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9717/boatfloor001ca2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/5567/boatfloor002nw9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Longstr]

looks just like my old floor design... :D glass the shit out of it and seal it up, I used 3/4 ply wood covered in glass, that floor will out last you... Great work scribing the cross braces in..:D

[Nucking futs]

I did'nt bother reading through any of the old thread and only glanced at this one, but make sure you have the boat supported OFF the trailer bunks or your going to be in for alot more work. just my .02

[Crossbow_CA]

Will it flex that much? I would think it would help hold it more rigid glassing all the braces and the 3/4" plywood in. It seems to me if it cant hold up from it's place on the bunks, it would surely fall apart when I launch it out of the water off the wakes:D Seriously what could happen if I do it on the bunks? I saw your rebuild thread, so I'm sure you know whats up. I'm not likely to ever see 80mph in this boat and the bottom is all jacked. But I don't want my floor to separate from the hull...

[Nucking futs]

It's not that it will seperate,but it will make the bottom wavey so to speak. Your bunks arnt as straight as you think they are. You don't need to remove it from the trailer, just put some 4x4 blocks at the very edge of the transom and make sure its not resting on the bunks. 99% of the time boats are not supported properly on the trailer and people check for hook when its on the trailer. The trailer will put hook into the bottom becuase of how its supported on there. When the glass starts to bond it will retain the shape that its bonding to.the bottom will go back to how it was out of the mold(or close to it depending on age) if its floating so to speak. I hope that made sence, Its hard to type what im trying to say....lol