This may be a dumb question:

[daanbc]

I am wondering if I will do any harm to the floors in my boat when I wash it down. It's a 165 competitor 1993. The floors are solid, but I know theres wood under the carpet. Will I do any harm intentionally hosing down the interior after a day out? Or should I be careful.

 

[SkaterRace]

There should be a layer of fiberglass under the carpet then wood. If that is the case then you will not do any damage.

 

[daanbc]

Oh, didn't know that. Thanks..

 

[jbcurt00]

Its a 20+yr old ALUMINUM boat, it lokely doesnt have any fiberglass, anywhere

Dont know about 1993 Alumacrafts, but some makers used the carpet glue as the waterproofer. Imperfect sealing at best. So it may not be really sealed at all.

Are you even sure its the original deck (floor)?

Rinse well, store bow high, air dried before covering well or stored indoors

But if its a 20+yr old deck, it may need some attention, wash downs or not.....

 

[JimS123]

There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.

Wash it as much as you like. Just keep the bow up so it drains and dry it out right away.

 

[daanbc]

No Title

Thank you gentleman, I store it in my garage. The original owner I purchased it from stored it in his garage also. The reason I bought the boat was it's condition. It looks brand new. The floors are rock solid. He really kept it up. I do keep the bow up, I'm thinking when I wash her out, I'll leave her in the HOT Florida sun to bake a bit before putting her away.

I have another question, I see so many folks repairing and refurbishing their boats with marine lumber. Whats wrong with the recycled plastic lumber they sell now? I would tend to think this may be perfect due to no rotting. And it can be drilled , glued, and stapled.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Recycled plastic lumber tends to be heavier than wood with much less structural strength. Seems a bad combination for a boat...

 

[thumpar]

I would use a shampoo machine. That is what I use when they get bad. Otherwise I just vacuum.

 

[daanbc]

Recycled plastic lumber tends to be heavier than wood with much less structural strength. Seems a bad combination for a boat...

Didn't think of that, good point.

 

[Ned L]

There is really little wrong with getting wood wet. That's not the problem. The problem is when it can't dry after getting wet and the moisture is trapped in.

 

[JimS123]

There is really little wrong with getting wood wet. That's not the problem. The problem is when it can't dry after getting wet and the moisture is trapped in.

True for sure.

But the WORST problem is when that boat with the wet wood is allowed to freeze. Frozen wet wood deteriorates many times faster...

 

[Ned L]

But the WORST problem is when that boat with the wet wood is allowed to freeze. Frozen wet wood deteriorates many times faster...

Hmmm,.. Don't quite follow this. The fungus that causes rot will be dormant when frozen.

 

[thumpar]

Hmmm,.. Don't quite follow this. The fungus that causes rot will be dormant when frozen.

When wet wood freezes the water expands and causes separation inside.

 

[Ned L]

When wet wood freezes the water expands and causes separation inside.

Hmmm,... Never saw any ill effects on boats that were wet stored for the winter (bilge water frozen solid).

 

[thumpar]

Hmmm,... Never saw any ill effects on boats that were wet stored for the winter (bilge water frozen solid).

But that is not water soaked into the wood.

 

[Ned L]

But that is not water soaked into the wood.

The hull planking on a boat that stays in the water year round is pretty well saturated.

.......... Putting wood with a high moisture content in a freezing environment will not cause damage.
Wet wood in warm weather is what will cause problems.

............I understand what you are saying about water expanding when it freezes, but I have never heard of or seen any sort of 'decay' type of damage due to freezing, especially in wooden boats.

 

[Ned L]

Thinking about this, I can see where freezing could cause de lamination of something like glassed in stringers (glass separating from the wood), but that is different, and not a decay of the wood.

 

[thumpar]

My boat doesn't get saturated. Try taking a piece of plywood and soaking it. Then put it in the freezer and repeat. It will start to come apart after too many cycles. Remember we are talking about decking not stringers.