Looking at a boat, deck has been replaced correctly or incorrectly?

indyfiero

Cadet
Joined
Aug 15, 2016
Messages
18
I'm looking at a 1986 Doral Grande 4.3 omc

Current owner has gutted the interior down to the stringers(stringers were supposedly good). He said the floor was soft and spongy from years of sitting outside. He replaced the deck with marine plywood coated in epoxy resin. Then screwed it down with stainless steel screws.

From what I've read here, its my understanding that it would need a layer of fiberglass mat and resin over top of this before putting the carpet down. He has already laid the carpet. He told me a marine mechanic told him this was the way to do it and I've come across another boat recently that did the same thing, just coated marine plywood screwed down to the stringers.

What do you guys think? Is the fiberglass mat required? Does it depend on the type of boat?

What lead to my discovery of the non-matted deck was some minor creaking when walking on it, so I pulled up a corner of the carpet and asked why it was just the bare wood.
 

mickyryan

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
4,210
trash way to do it imho, and probably too thin of plywood as well , here is the thing, depending on how much stringers you have, plywood can flex with a thin layer of glass it cracks glass and you just wasted time.
most boats are built this way, i prefer to do a thick floor 2 pieces of 1/2 plywood with woven mat sandwiched between then sealed under with csm and then screwed down screwing through the epoxied holes that have been pre drilled, filled re drilled , then you can lay down a layer of 1708 across deck and i bet the fattest friend you got wont crack floor and you should never have a floor problem again!
 

indyfiero

Cadet
Joined
Aug 15, 2016
Messages
18
Thanks Mickyryan. Does the glassing of the top layer of the deck help the structure of the boat at all or is it just to help keep the moisture out of the deck boards and stringers.

Also deck was put in using several pieces. None bigger than 3ft width. I assume thats going to cause additional problems whether glassed or not?
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,524
Piecing the deck together isn't necessarily a problem if done correctly (e.g., wood end sealed, joints supported).

I'd be more worried that a new deck was slapped over a rotten understructure. Have you drilled holes to sample the wood in the stringers and transom? Deck problems usually signify rot below the deck...
 

tpenfield

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
17,620
Rarely if ever is the deck soft and everything below is good. So, there is a high probability that problems with the stringers and other parts of the structure were just covered up.

The strength of the structure for that type of boat comes from the fiberglass tabbing of the floor to the sides of the hull. The water proofing comes from a continuous layer of fiberglass over the deck, so that there are no seams for water to leak through.

This boat does not sound like it has either. You are best to move on.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
that boat has a "deck over" where they simply laid a piece of plywood over the old deck to pass on to some un-suspecting buyer.

and the boat is OMC powered. run away
 

mickyryan

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
4,210
what scott said unless you are ready for a full on project then just make sure its a boat you really want to lose money on :), we all lose money on boats , it needs to be stated, rarely will anyone ever get the time and money invested in restoring a old boat back, its more of a hobby enjoyment thing,

boat restoration and ownership is kinda like drinking , you enjoy doing it make memorys but never usually make any money off it and guaranteed to **** off the missus :)
 

chevymaher

Commander
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
Messages
2,914
Boat restoration and ownership is kinda like drinking , you enjoy doing it make memorys but never usually make any money off it and guaranteed to **** off the missus :)
LOL unless your Misses is a island girl. My wife is asking are you gonna work on it tomorrow since you got wood again. But agreed with the above. It is something you do strictly because you want to for fun. It isn't a money making proposition. Of course in my case I don't need a boat at all. So even if it was a new one I am still spending money on something I don't need.

It is all about what you want to do. You can't put a pricetag on peace of mind and enjoying your life. There is more to life than money and ulcers.
 

mickyryan

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
4,210
my woman is good about it,But i have heard it mentioned once or twice that there is actually women who don't enjoy boats or boating or men who know how to tackle such projects... never seen one personally so it might be like the big foot myth :)
 
Top