Replacing a soft floor

thomashead · #1 12-25-2007, 08:51 PM

I need to replace about four feet of my starboard floor. I have a few questions for the pro's before I start cutting...

1. I plan to re-use the top skin so I can keep the stipe non skid pattern, is this feasible? Or would it be easier to just built up the floor, fair, and then try to replicate the non skid pattern?
2. Plan is to cut and remove the top skin and rotten wood. Then, using West epoxy, wet bottom of the deck, lay marine ply, wet the top and then lay the original top skin while it is still wet. Will this work?
3. How difficult will it be to get it back to its original height so there isn't a lip or sag?
4. So this doesn't happen again, I was thinking about building up the area where the console will screw down with an epoxy filler vice plywood so water won't be able to get into the deck over the years. Anyone try this or have a better idea to prevent water intrusion in critical areas?
5. Any tips from the pro's?? I considered using Seacast for a core, but I think it would be easier and cheaper using marine ply.
I will try to post pics when I get started.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Tom

Bigshrimpin · #2 12-25-2007, 09:44 PM

I'm no expert, but I think reusing the old skin might be too much trouble.

Go to FIberglassmans site. Fiberglassman.com

He replaced a large section of his floor with marine plywood squares and put a few layers of mat on top. There aren't any finished pics , but the next steps would be to fair level with a compound like quickfair or some other fairing compound (depends if you are working with polyester or epoxy). Finish the repair with gelcoat or 2 part Polyuathane paint. Then fix the non skid . . . Tape off the stripes and match the original height and skid pattern.

You'll be good for another 30 years

thomashead · #3 12-26-2007, 09:27 PM

I picked up the marine plywod today at Merdith & Sons lumber. One 1/2" and one 3/8", total was $120. Any recommendations on epoxy resins? Is West epoxy the way to go?

JohnB · #4 12-26-2007, 11:05 PM

IMHO, all the epoxies are good, but I like the Boat Builder Central stuff the best. It doesn't "blush" and you can put multiple coats on top of each other without waiting to wipe/sand in between coats. West blushes, MOS and BBC doesn't and BBC is the cheapest/best I have found so far. 85 bucks for a 1.5 gallon kit.

I think you are on the right road by going with the epoxy, I will never use glass again for repairs or stitching pieces together. The only problem when you use epoxy is what to cover it with. They say you can't gelcoat over epoxy, which leaves you with 2 part urethane, which aren't easy to blend into existing pieces, so you usually end up painting a lot to do a repair.

As far as matching what you have, good luck. If you want to spend a great deal of time, you can probably get close. While your at it, you might want to check the rest of the deck out for moisture, to make sure you get it all at once.

Bigshrimpin · #5 12-31-2007, 09:54 PM

Make sure you get fiberglass cloth/mat without the glue. 1708 and regular MAT has a glue binder that will mix well with epoxy and prevents a good bond. I don't know a whole lot about the problem . . . but I have had some issues in the past using 1708 or Mat with epoxy. 1808 and stitchmat don't use the glue binder.

1bayouboy · #6 01-01-2008, 01:23 PM

hey big...check out vectorply....

http://www.vectorply.com/reinforcemt/search2.aspx

If you search E glass for 0 and 45 degree double bias with mat, you get 1708.......0 and 90 degree double bias with mat you get 1808....all their glass is stiched rather than using a binder so it seem the use the number to refer to the fiber alignment. Not sure if every manufacturer does the same.