replacing floor in aluminum boat

[livinisfishin]

I've totally gutted my 16' starcraft holdiay. Pulled the transom out because it was rotten. Pulled the sleeper seats because they were rotten and half of the floor aswell. I know with my transom plywood that it is going to be 2 pieces glued together and sealed before I can reinstall it. Does the marine ply have to be sealed aswell? I will be putting some sort of covering over the plywood after its all back together.

[archer379]

i have been told the marine plywwood isnt worth the money when i did the floor in my creastliner i sealed it primed it and painted it and carpeted it. the way i see it the boat was 8 years old and the marine plywood didnt last/

[NAW]

I've never done a floor before.

 

But if you need an extra hand with anything, give me a call.

[zamboniwaterboy]

I've totally gutted my 16' starcraft holdiay. Pulled the transom out because it was rotten. Pulled the sleeper seats because they were rotten and half of the floor aswell. I know with my transom plywood that it is going to be 2 pieces glued together and sealed before I can reinstall it. Does the marine ply have to be sealed aswell? I will be putting some sort of covering over the plywood after its all back together.

 

The only way to go with plywood is marine grade! There are other materials available http://www.compositesworld.com/products/marine-plywood-replacement . If using real wood, definitely seal it!!!! Take your time!

[cheaptackle]

I used pressure treated plywood on mine, sealed it with Home Depot's house brand version of Thompson's water sealer before, during (cuts) and after (cover coat) installation. Glued the carpet over that and it lasted the last 5 years I owned it and the 8 years the guy I sold it to before he resold it. Boat was an '89 Lund Pike that I redid in '98, sold in 03 and he sold it last year still going strong.

 

Michael

[livinisfishin]

I was going to go with pressure treated but then got reading all sorts of bad things that kind of turned me off of it. The price is right though!

[Lunatic]

I was told to never use pressure treated wood because the copper or whatever in it eats away and corrodes the aluminum.

[Skipper D]

Ill have the same deal going onhere shortly with a boat i am doing , replacing the floor tho , it now has 1/2" plywood and i am going to up it to 5/8 so i have lots of wood to achor my seat base's to for the pedestal swivel seats , not to worried about extra weight as i gutted the boat and none of the old style seats or upolstering is going back in , i'll seal it both sides before i put it in then cover it with boat vinyl instead of carpet ................

[livinisfishin]

Im keeping the 1/2" plywood only because i didnt have to pull the entire floor out.. only 3/4's. I figured if i used the pt that i could put down some 6mil underneath and still seal the wood..but then i got thinking for cheap insurance just use marine ply. The floor that was in my boat was original and my boat was built in 1968 and it only had one punky spot but kinda was delaming closer to the middle so it wasnt bad really bad for 40 years old. The transom however was a different story...just soaked and punky. When I bought the boat last year it was in march so the transom felt nice and strong, reason for that was because it was frozen lol.

[livinisfishin]

Thanks for the offer Nick if I need some help ill definetly give you a call. Im thinking if it get it all fixed up i may try and put the boat in at a marina in penetang if there is slips available..we'll get out for sure!

[cheaptackle]

I had heard about that possible reaction myself. My aluminum "girts" or ribs had intact factory paint on them and I sealed the entire surface & cuts of the PT like I said. Couldn't see where the reaction could begin between aluminum and any chemistry in the plywood with these two barriers between them. Maybe I took a chance but both the carpet & deck were still good when it sold last year from what I was told, meaning it wasn't possible to find out if anything did happen as it hadn't been torn apart again.

 

Michael

[NANUK]

I would use marine plywood and seal it on all sides before gluing the carpet on.

The other option would be composite board, but it's heavier and can get slippery with slime & frost

[SlowPoke]

Im keeping the 1/2" plywood only because i didnt have to pull the entire floor out.. only 3/4's. I figured if i used the pt that i could put down some 6mil underneath and still seal the wood..but then i got thinking for cheap insurance just use marine ply. The floor that was in my boat was original and my boat was built in 1968 and it only had one punky spot but kinda was delaming closer to the middle so it wasnt bad really bad for 40 years old. The transom however was a different story...just soaked and punky. When I bought the boat last year it was in march so the transom felt nice and strong, reason for that was because it was frozen lol.

Another vote for marine ply.

Be prepared to do the entire floor. What seems solid may only be supported from the foam below. While you're in there, check to see if your foam is saturated. I refurbed an 87 Starcraft and my transom was fine but everything else was soaked. Don't use 6mil under the floor, it will only hold moisture causing it to rot sooner.

[John Bacon]

I would second checking and probably replacing the foam. Chunks of foam in my 15 year old Alumacraft would actually sink if I dropped them in water.

[livinisfishin]

Well my marine plywood is in , I just need to go pick it up this weekend. Cant wait to see the bill...but it will be worth it in the long run. Does anybody have any suggestions for material that i can redo my side walls with?

 

Thanks

[irishfield]

Who brought the wood in for you Jason?

[livinisfishin]

timbermart in midland

[irishfield]

Bobby Bray.. I understand your finger biting on the bill ! LOL Let use know what it cost for a sheet... others are always looking for it.

[livinisfishin]

I will for sure!

[wormdunker]

I did a similar restoration on an older boat. Cut out the old floor used regular 1/2" ply. I coated the underside of the ply with fibreglass resin to seal it, screwed the new floor in place. Then I fibreglassed the top surface to bond to the sides of the boat. That was 12 years ago, the guy I sold it to says the floor is still in top shape. The key is sealing the under side. Hope this helps

[fishhunter]

3/4 Baltic birch with marine glue 4by8 sheet cost me 140 tax in for two sheets. This stuff will out last me. Put a fiberglass resin coat on the bottom side and two on all edges. No water getting in now

[jedimaster]

I know a guy in the wood industry, and the I always thought marine ply used different glue but it doesn't. They actually just just a high quiality outside facing layers. Use exterior grade spruce ply and paint it, then glue the carpet down. If it was going to be visible and exposed then the marine grade is the way to go, the higher quality woods have fewer imperfections and will resist warping and soaking up moisture better.

[livinisfishin]

Well feel like I was just bent over but I am a lot happier with the marine grade vs pt. A half inch sheet of marine ply is 89.99 plus tax and the three quarter inch sheet was 112.00 plus tax. Hopefully if the weather here cooperates I will have my floor and transom pieces cut and half sealed!

[SlowPoke]

Well feel like I was just bent over but I am a lot happier with the marine grade vs pt. A half inch sheet of marine ply is 89.99 plus tax and the three quarter inch sheet was 112.00 plus tax. Hopefully if the weather here cooperates I will have my floor and transom pieces cut and half sealed!

I paid about the same for 3/4 marine ply a few years ago; if you got fleeced, so did I.

Marine ply uses better glue, less fillers and has virtually no voids between the plys. You can also enjoy about a 50% weight saving over pressure treated plywood. Money well spent.

I can't stress enough, check your foam. Use a drywall saw (keyhole saw) and cut a piece out and see if it floats in the tub. I'm betting it won't. If you replace your saturated foam with new, it will be safer and the weight savings will feel like you just bought a new boat. Been there!

[livinisfishin]

I am actually pretty fortunate only the back corner of foam was wet when I pulled the floor out and it has dried up since!