Raising the deck

[71kidcasper]

Well I finally have the transom done except for the finish work. My next step will be to raise the deck. I'm looking for some suggestions on how much to raise it and what should I use to raise it with. My stringers are in pretty good shape so I don't really what to make a new grid for the deck to sit on, and I would like to keep the same deck drain configuration just on a higher deck. I plan on putting in new drain tubes and maybe laying them up out of glass so I don't have to worry about having brass ones. I would like to use marine plywood for the deck, just wondering what would be a good way to make the deck higher. Someone had a post on here a while back that showed the stringer being raised with MDF and then glassed over I think that would work well just to fill up the difference. Also I plan on making a removeable fuel tank cover otherwise I would do it like Peter Alarie did his. Any advise or suggestions would be great.

[Lenny]

I have 3/4 marine ply all ready to go on the top of my stringers, I will putty them down and encapsulate the whole thing in glass. I am only going up 3/4 of an inch though as I left a 3 1/2 strip all the way around my floor and will set my new floor on top of that

[Bigshrimpin]

MDO (Medium Density Overlay) is like marine ply . . . Very different from MDF (medium density fiberboard)

[Ikan Besar]

Go a minimum of 2-2.5". Mine went up 2.5" and I know a forum member here who went 3". If I were to do it again, I'd go up a bit more than I did.

While I have heard the reduced freeboard argument against doing this, let's be honest: it's a 19'6" boat so you shouldn't be out there in 8-10' conditions in the first place.

[71kidcasper]

Bigshrimpin, Thanks for the correction it was a typo, don't want anyone putting particle board in a boat. I didn't remember it was you who had posted that picture.

[Tashmoo2]

71 Kidscaper,

I am going to start deck replacement on my 18 ft Seacraft. I was also thinking about raising the deck to make boat self bailing. My concern is that the extra 1 1/2" the deck is raised will put my knee well above the gunnell. Did you have same issue with the 20 footer.

Thx

[71kidcasper]

Tashmoo, Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I raised my deck 1 1/2" and the measurements from the deck to the gunwhale are 19" in the stern and 24" at the base of the casting platform.

[Jaizzen]

Not too sure what your trying to get from raising the deck.
I agree with IKAN above. I raised mone 3" and made it self bailing. Couldnt have been more happy with the results.

In my opinion, 3/4" won't really change much.

Your work looks good!

Jason