Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

jtgreen32

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I recently bought a '90 vision 180v boat. The floor around the drain has begun to rot away. I also noticed that the casting deck is soft and springy. I was trying to figure out how i was going to replace everything and began looking at the casting deck first. There is a hole in the top of it where i can see underneath the deck. While looking i noticed that there weren't any supporting beams to hold up the deck. This seems to be the problem with it in the first place. (there is no support under it). The lower bottom floor of the boat looks as if it has been replaced already judging by the poorly Fiberglassed edges. This replacement seems pretty straight forward (rip up the old floor put marine ply in and fiberglass back over it). The part im worried about is the casting deck. Since there arent any stringers for support (or any visible ones) how am I going to be able to cut the deck open, rip out the old wood, and replace it not knowing how it should be supported from underneath. ( it seems like if i cut it out and replace it im going to be bck in the same predicament as before; floor sagging and rotted out.) What advice, if any, can you guys give me. Ive read alot about replacing floors but cant find anything about casting decks. Thanks for any help. Let me know if you need any info or pictures of what im talking about.
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Welcome to iBoats.

Yep pics really help us to help you. My signature has a link on how to post em
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

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Ok. Here are a few pictures. (Hopefully you are able to see them). I made an outline on the casting deck of the area I was thinking about cutting out. I looked through a hole i made in it and noticed there are support beams attached to the underside which run from the livewell to the front. Im worried about what I will use to support the deck after I rip it out. I thought about glassing in some support beams from the front to back and side to side. Would that work? Maybe a few from the hull upward to support the weight better?
Now to the Floor. This one seems pretty straight forward to me. I was going to rip out the old floor and just replace it using epoxied plywood and glass it all in.
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

JT, here's the deal, the substructure of you're boat (stingers and bulkheads) play an integral part in the overall structural integrity of the hull. If they are beginning to rot this can weaken the hull and cause it to flex dangerously. Your plan to replace the deck is sound. Just make sure once you have the deck removed, to check the stingers and bulkheads and if they are wet and rotting replace them.
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Ok. That was my plan. What do you think about the casting deck ( did you see the outline I made with a sharpie)? Should I just do the same to it? Im just not sure of what I can use underneath it to attach the new piece to. I took a video of the underside of the casting deck. Let me know what you think would be the best plan of action on it?
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

I can also take another video if this one isnt good enough.
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Your cut out line is fine. In fact leaving the lip makes is easierto effect the repair. You can glue and screw cribbing under the lip to attach the the new deck to. Once you get the deck cut out and take some pics, we can discuss how to go about getting it fixed.
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Great. Thanks so much for your help. Ill get some pics up as soon as i can get to tearing it out.
 

Cadwelder

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Vision bass boats are a great built boat...made just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. I knew some guys that worked there. They had a fire and never rebuilt(around mid to late 90's)...not sure what happened to the molds that were not damaged. But anyway...your front casting deck is a molded part of the top cap. I would strongely suggest not cutting it out.

Since you have rot in the deck (and you can rest assured stringers too...you'd be better off removing the top cap completly. It'll make all the repairs much easier and much better too. Your casting deck has a section of plywood and bacing that was glassed in while the top was in the mold, you can grind all this off from the back side (after the cap is removed and flipped over) and you'll have her back good as new.

The cap being out of the way will make it better for replacing the deck and stringers as well and will make the transom easier to check out too. As I said these are great boats (a bit of splashing over problems in rough water), but they handle good and hold a plane great too.

Actual method of repairs is up to you....just thought I'd throw this in for you to think about.
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Hey CW, He already has a HOLE in the Deck. Are you saying to Remove the cap, replace the wood from the back side and then just refiberglass, Patch the Hole. It makes sense. I was thinking he could cut it, leaving the lip and crib it in with some possible bracing to the hull. But if you are familiar with the design then I digress.
 

Cadwelder

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Hey CW, He already has a HOLE in the Deck. Are you saying to Remove the cap, replace the wood from the back side and then just refiberglass, Patch the Hole. It makes sense. I was thinking he could cut it, leaving the lip and crib it in with some possible bracing to the hull. But if you are familiar with the design then I digress.

Yeah, I know this particular boat, and since he's replacing deck too, just makes sense to remove the cap and do it right..... You're way can be done...I just hate seeing this cut out and then find he needs the cap off anyway....
 

Woodonglass

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Yeah, You make a good Point. If he wants to get into that far, then I agree Whole heartedly.
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Thanks for all the info cadwelder. I had a revelation though. What about just taking a 1/8" or 3/16" piece of sheet metal and cutting it to the shape of the casting deck where the carpet was. Carpet the piece of metal and then screw it to the casting deck. If im thinking right, the screws would help pull the deck up to the metal (or somewhat) and the metal would support it. I think what would fix my problem up front. What do you guys think? Any problems that might arise?

Im still going to replace the bottom floor as I talked about before. Since it already appears to have been replaced before.

The reason im thinking about going this route is because I dont want to sink a ton of money into it right now.
 

Cadwelder

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Thanks for all the info cadwelder. I had a revelation though. What about just taking a 1/8" or 3/16" piece of sheet metal and cutting it to the shape of the casting deck where the carpet was. Carpet the piece of metal and then screw it to the casting deck. If im thinking right, the screws would help pull the deck up to the metal (or somewhat) and the metal would support it. I think what would fix my problem up front. What do you guys think? Any problems that might arise?

Im still going to replace the bottom floor as I talked about before. Since it already appears to have been replaced before.

The reason im thinking about going this route is because I dont want to sink a ton of money into it right now.

Understood, if the sheet metal was heavy enough it might work, but I would think metal that heavy would really add a bunch of weight to the bow of your boat. And it's still only a patch...not a repair.

As far a your deck goes.... all rotten wood needs to be replaced...anything less is again just a patch. If you want to just patch it up, for the time being, okay, but personally I would either fix it right or not mess with it at all..... Keep in mind that your deck and stringer systems are part of the strucual integrity of the boat and really needs to be sound.
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

I definitely agree with what your saying. I think I might try something on the casting deck instead of cutting it out. Maybe a sheet of aluminum or thin steel. I'm definitely going to replace the bottom floor soon because as you can see its seen its better days.
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Well I decided to abandon this project. I ripped up the floor and the stringers felt like potato chips. I was just going to be too much work and too expensive for what i paid for the boat. SO.... I sold it and made my money back and bought me a 96' 285 pro xl stratos.
 

Cadwelder

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Stratos? Sweeet, big jump ahead. Good luck with her. HP?
 

jtgreen32

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Re: Vision Bass Boat with soft floor and casting deck..

Its a 95' 175 Johnson Faststrike. Its a pretty sweet boat. The guy I bought it from always garaged it and its looks like its brand new. Im thoroughly pleased with it. Having a little bit of concer with the motor though. Nothing serious, I just dont think its performing like it should. I posted something about it in the motor section. What kind of boat(s) do you have?
 
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