Floor board not glassed in

[nightvision]

Hi All,<br />I'm restoring a 15 footer trihull (1973) with a 55 hp outboard motor. I'm replacing the floor board and stringers. Once I get the stringer glassed in, can I put the floor board on with screws and not glass the floor board in? The reason is I'm just concerned that there might be a problem and I might need to remove the floor board for repair. At a latter date after a trial run on the water and I feel comfortable with my work I can glass it in later. By not glassing in the floor board, will there be structural weakness in my boat? I appreciate your comments.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Floor board not glassed in

My 15' tri-hull had already had the floor done once and the floor was poorly glassed in to the point of none of the glass was suck. I ran 3 years like that before I found it. The new floor is screwed down, had wet resin put on the bottom of the floor and top of the stringers before going in, and has all seams completely glassed.<br /><br />In most of these old tri-hulls, the floor is part of the structural support. I would glass it in. If something goes wrong, all you need to do is use a grinder to cut the glass.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Floor board not glassed in

Glass it in. The floor, stringers, transom, and hull must be bonded together for maximum torsional strength.