Interior skirting

[craveman85]

I'm working on my 1961 alumacraft queen merrie and I want to put some kind of skirting on the inside from the gunnels down to where the floor meets the side of the hull. All my wires, control cables, and steering cables will be behind it. Any suggestions on what to use? I think my boat had remnants of some type of skirting but when I got it 7 years ago everything was rotting.

 

[jbcurt00]

Can we agree to call it side panels instead.of skirting?

Sealed plywood upholstered w vinyl installed w zeus fasteners if you need them removeable.

Or snap in vinyl only panels

 

[GA_Boater]

Can you post a picture or two so we can see what you have to work with?

 

[craveman85]

 

[SOG3]

What JB said .

 

[jbcurt00]

Wont ya lose stuff thru those gaps in the deck?

What lumber did you use and hows it sealed?

Looks like its just stained....

 

[DeepBlue2010]

Heaven forbids you drop a penny or any other more noble metal object under those boards and corrosion will puncture a whole through your aluminum over time guaranteed. This is not a good design in my opinion

 

[craveman85]

Wood is cedar decking that was charred and sanded then a few good coats of tongue oil. Boards come out relatively easy. I may try some thin plywood for the sides. I can easily suck stuff out of the gaps with my shop vac and the crevice attachment as well. I don't like the carpeted plywood look in older boats so I did it this way. Every year she gets a new coating or 2 of oil rubbed in.

 

[craveman85]

I think the original side paneling was some kind of waterproof-ish particle board or something. Maybe with a vinyl covering.

 

[craveman85]

Oh that Johnson is thankfully long gone. Did 2 years with a merc '59 mark 78a dockbuster. My bearcat is getting mounted soon.

 

[Ned L]

I'm just going to toss out the idea that it be called what it really is,... "ceiling". (Yep, this is the correct term.)
You really don't have anything to mount it to, so how about the idea of something like 2" - 3" PVC pipe hung under the covering boards (side decks) to run all you wiring, steering, control cables through. That will give you a nice clean look with everything out of sight.

 

[craveman85]

I can always make stuff to mount it to. There's also that awful greenish paint on the sides. It probably needs to be stripped to look ok but that seems like to much time. And I hate stripping paint. Maybe I'll build some frames and see if I can find some exterior 1/4" plywood. I can make some storage spaces and hide some more flotation foam.

 

[Woodonglass]

It appears to me that your gunnels are about 3-4" deep. You could fabricate some panel supports that would conform to the hull sides and stretch from the deck to the inner recess of the gunnels. They could be attached with construction adhesive. Once they were secure it would then be a simple matter of attaching 1/4" plywood that was sealed properly to prevent water penetration and then Paint to suit.

 

[Michelle43]

Can I ask how you attached the cedar to the boat? I'm doing the same with my 1984 SeaNymph, but I'm running the cedar the length of the boat. My gaps will also be a lot smaller, (1/4" or so). I'm just stumped on how to attach them to the ribs. Would stainless screws dipped in something to protect against corrosion work?