TrueNorthist
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- May 16, 2012
- Messages
- 229
1986, 16.5ft bow rider lake boat/tender I scooped for a song. Manufactured in Pitt Meadows BC by a legendary west coast boat builder named Forbes Cooper. She was hauled out of a lake, an unsecured tarp kinda thrown over and left to fend for herself in south Cariboo weather for 3 years. Lots of conifers overhead and plenty of dust from a nearby road.
The tarp was toast and the entire boat was covered in pitch, needles and had squirrels residing in it at times. After stripping away the ruined foam gunwale trim and dissolving side panels, I pulled the carpet up... Good lord. The floor was completely rotten, mostly in the centre and collapsed with the first step.
My questions after a short preamble: I will be cutting away the entire centre damaged area until I get into good plywood, likely under the fiberglass used to join the floor to the hull that extends about 6-8 inches inboard. I plan to use very thin aluminum strips of carpet to vinyl floor joiners to attach the new 3/4" marine grade plywood to the old floor and secure it with stainless screws into the ribs. With a drop-hatch of course for bilge access.
However, should I leave the plywood exposed, as was the original, or should I seal it with an epoxy of some description prior to laying it? The boat does not have a cover and will be exposed to the weather at the dock for 6 months, then inside a shelter with a sturdy tarp over it but allowed to breathe and not make for a cozy home for rodents over late fall/winter to Ice-off.
Is it better to let the wood breathe, or seal it thoroughly, including what's left of the old floor? It will be covered with very durable outdoor carpet, kinda looks like medium grey astroturf, only really short, thick pile and allows water and air to pass fairly freely.
The hull itself held up very well due to excellent construction. Very well designed, formed and fitted out. All the ribs are rot free but as one might imagine the bilge is very dirty, but in great shape. Im surprised there's no rot at all under the floor, but the bilge and ribs etc are all gelcoated from the keel right up the freeboard. Made all the difference I guess.
I won't mention the rusted wiring, dull corroded fittings, damaged teak trim etc etc etc... that too will be replaced/reconditioned.
Pics to follow once the monsoons lift and I can remove the tarp. It's mostly dry already.
The tarp was toast and the entire boat was covered in pitch, needles and had squirrels residing in it at times. After stripping away the ruined foam gunwale trim and dissolving side panels, I pulled the carpet up... Good lord. The floor was completely rotten, mostly in the centre and collapsed with the first step.
My questions after a short preamble: I will be cutting away the entire centre damaged area until I get into good plywood, likely under the fiberglass used to join the floor to the hull that extends about 6-8 inches inboard. I plan to use very thin aluminum strips of carpet to vinyl floor joiners to attach the new 3/4" marine grade plywood to the old floor and secure it with stainless screws into the ribs. With a drop-hatch of course for bilge access.
However, should I leave the plywood exposed, as was the original, or should I seal it with an epoxy of some description prior to laying it? The boat does not have a cover and will be exposed to the weather at the dock for 6 months, then inside a shelter with a sturdy tarp over it but allowed to breathe and not make for a cozy home for rodents over late fall/winter to Ice-off.
Is it better to let the wood breathe, or seal it thoroughly, including what's left of the old floor? It will be covered with very durable outdoor carpet, kinda looks like medium grey astroturf, only really short, thick pile and allows water and air to pass fairly freely.
The hull itself held up very well due to excellent construction. Very well designed, formed and fitted out. All the ribs are rot free but as one might imagine the bilge is very dirty, but in great shape. Im surprised there's no rot at all under the floor, but the bilge and ribs etc are all gelcoated from the keel right up the freeboard. Made all the difference I guess.
I won't mention the rusted wiring, dull corroded fittings, damaged teak trim etc etc etc... that too will be replaced/reconditioned.
Pics to follow once the monsoons lift and I can remove the tarp. It's mostly dry already.
