Floor or no floor?

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Pear1973

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
32
My boat is all aluminum inside and out. Recently a friend told me that some people put a plywood floor in boats like mine and it makes a world of difference. Easier to stand up and move around. What do you guys think?
 
Lurch77

Lurch77

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 10, 2013
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129
Re: Floor or no floor?

My dad put a floor in his 14' when I was a kid. Used marine grade and covered it with blue outdoor carpeting. It's still holding up 20 years later. Makes fishing much more pleasant, as you can stand up and move around easier. He built trap doors in some sections to be able to store items below the floor.

If you go through with it, do not used regular treated plywood unless you put some type of barrier between the wood and the boat. Pressure treated lumber will corrode aluminum.
 
JB

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Floor or no floor?

Boats do not have floors. They have decks and/or soles. A plywood (marine) sole would make your tinny more comfortable. Instead of carpet, use a bedliner type coating. Carpet tangles tackle and holds dead fish stink.
 
blackhawk180

blackhawk180

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jun 14, 2012
Messages
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Re: Floor or no floor?

I second the bed liner. Added that to my drift boat deck and it's holding up great plus it's non-skid and easy to clean.
Used carpet in an old aluminum 14' lake boat and hated it ("tangles tackle and holds dead fish stink") but having plywood sure made moving around easier. Sold that before I came up with the bed liner solution.
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Floor or no floor?

plywood painted with porch paint. The main thing is to level it out so you don't trip on the ribs--duck hunters have a hard time with hip boot bottoms getting wedged in there, too.
 
C

colbyt

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 9, 2012
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824
Re: Floor or no floor?

I think I am going to duplicate what my FIL had some years back. He cut 2 rectangles of plywood, painted it very well on all sides and edges with porch paint and included small hand grab slots on two edges of each board so that it could be lifted out with no hassle for cleaning, painting or inspection. He left the tank area as it was.
 
P

Pear1973

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
32
Re: Floor or no floor?

Thanks guys! Is there a website or anything I can go to to show me how to build the deck? Doesn't the bed liner material get hot in the sun?
 
Lurch77

Lurch77

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
129
Re: Floor or no floor?

I see the point in the idea of using no carpet, and can agree with it on those points. But at the same I just haven't had a problem with it. Heck, most of your dedicated fishing boats and fishing pontoons come carpeted from the factory. Open up the Ranger or Skeeter bass boat websites and have a look. My dad's boat smells no more fishy than any other fishing boat out there. Mind you I'm talking about the really cheap outdoor carpeting. The kind you see on porches and patios, or used for mini-golf courses. The stuff that is basically plastic fibers. You brush it with soap and hose it off if you need to clean it. There is no pile to snag hooks on.
 
Prophammer

Prophammer

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Jul 2, 2010
Messages
466
Re: Floor or no floor?

check out my carpeted casting deck, sorry about adding my 2 cents

0616121434.jpg
 
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