Spar urethane on boat deck (aluminum boat)?

[sutor623]

Hey guys,

I picked up a 19' sea nymph CC for pretty cheap. Just want a decent boat for catfishing.

The last owner put pvc board (1/2" thick) down for the floors. I liked it but it has more flex than I would like. There are quite a bit of loose rivets under the boat so I decided to pull the floors, replace the soaked foam and put a new deck on.

In the past I had used spar urethane on BCX plywood with some sand in the urethane for grit. Nice natural wood look and holds up pretty well. Just wondering if you guys have any ideas on budget-friendly decking. They also don't sell marine ply locally at my hardware store anymore. (Plus it was $125-150 a sheet...........)

 

[Mad Props]

Only thing that is going to be budget friendly is the solution you've already mentioned (not a bad one). I would probably do the same thing, just making sure any cuts or penetrations in the wood are fully sealed with spar varnish or any type of good penetrating finish. Downside is, its not going to be maintenance free. You will need to sand and reapply spar varnish every couple years at the least.

What about a roll on bedliner type coating?

 

[sutor623]

I have had great success with Herculiner roll-on bed liner on my aluminum floors in my other boats. Not sure how it holds up on wood though, do you know? Wouldnt I still have to coat the sides and bottom with something?

All that said, I would rather have a finish that I do not have to maintain very often (if at all). Id rather just fork out the dough and get something that will last. Are there any paint/maintenance free decking options available?

 

[Woodonglass]

I have had great success with Herculiner roll-on bed liner on my aluminum floors in my other boats. Not sure how it holds up on wood though, do you know? Wouldnt I still have to coat the sides and bottom with something?

All that said, I would rather have a finish that I do not have to maintain very often (if at all). Id rather just fork out the dough and get something that will last. Are there any paint/maintenance free decking options available?

Several Tin Boat guys have used Herculiner type product with varied success. Some say it's great others say it peels off after a few years. With a Boat...There is NO KNOWN maintenance free decking material. Some ARE better than others. Several coats of epoxy and then a few more of UV protected Spar Varnish bout be about the best you could do IMHO. There's the Old Timers Recipe too, but...It's NOT maintenance Free.

 

[Ned L]

No need for marine plywood. ACX or BCX will be cheaper and last as long.

 

[Sea18Horse]

I'm leaning toward BLT AquaTread for the cockpit floor in my own project. My hatches are all removable though. Its not cheap, about $90.00 a foot. Its marketed to the pontoon crowd but I think it will look nice.

Cheers...................Todd

 

[sutor623]

Wood, are we talking polyester epoxy (like for fiberglass) or another form?

 

[Woodonglass]

Wood, are we talking polyester epoxy (like for fiberglass) or another form?

Epoxy has NO UV protectants. If it's exposed to sunlight you must protect it in some fashion. Paint, or Spar Varnish, or Polyurethane Finish as is used for wood floors etc as long as it has UV protectants.