71 Chrysler flooring questions, no stringers

jinxd12

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
46
I've been reading for over a month on things I think I need to tackle with my new to me boat. Finally got it to my house, wife is letting me put it in the garage, today I started Project Grumpy Cat.

After ripping out the old seats and and carpet the floor was made of 1/2" particle plywood. I wasn't planning on ripping the floor up but I couldn't handle knowing it was a hack job. So after pulling up the particle board I took a look at the original flooring and it didn't look to bad, few black spots between where the seats were.

I said screw it and started hitting the floor with a hammer to find soft spots, surprisingly only in the area near the seats. I turned my hammer around and clawed at the floor seems like there was a layer of fiberglass on top and bottom still strong. I got the seat area exposed expecting to find some wood around the foam.....BUT I haven't found any wood.

I have been reading all things Chrysler boats and in all the info out there there isn't a model specific classification of boats with/without stringers. Maybe I have one that doesn't have stringers.....I read that everyone says to use the PVC trick to find out if the FOAM is wet/waterlogged. I didn't have PVC but I have paddle bits and tested about 10 spots in the foam, I didn't hit wood and I didn't have damp foam in any of them. Did I get lucky, I am in AZ where it's about 100-118 degrees for a few months.

I'll post a few pics hopefully someone has opinions, ideas for me.
 

MILKWEED

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 7, 2016
Messages
80
I don't know about Chryslers or Tri-hulls but is it possible instead of stringers running fore-aft it has bulkheads across. In one of the pics it looks like a Joint in the ply sheets, should be something supporting the 2 edges to screw it down. Keep digging your into it now, if all is dry underneath the floor then just replace floor and refoam.
 
Top