1969 18' fiberform floor removal

[jhtaylor]

I spent some time this weekend reading all I could on removing floors. It gave me the confidence to get started on my boat. I have one specific question that I could not find. Although I am sure it is here somewhere. How do I cut the floor without danger of cutting the hull? Lots of folks here mention cutting it out but no one seems to say I used this or that tool and this is how I approached it. I have seen mention of a sawsall, but that seems like it would extend through far enough to be of concern. Is it possible to remove the floor in one piece, re-glass and reinstall it? Any help and/or guidance will be appreciated. I am a newbie on this forum and anxious to get started.

 

[Matrex]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

I used a circular saw. I set the blade to just a shade shallower than the plywood. Worked great to get the floor up. Mine was rotten so I was not worried about reuse.

Then I went through the hull with my grinder cut off wheel. Sigh.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

I used a circular saw and set it to cut a little (very little) bit over 3/4 and started cutting the middle first, so I could see how much space was between the deck and the hull. This space gets closer as you get toward the sides so I looked threw to see exactly how far the blade was from the hull. It left a lip so I then used the grinder for the rest.

 

[JaSla74]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

I'm in the same boat as you right now (pun intended). It's slow & tedious, but I'm using a hammer & chisel.

 

[jhtaylor]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Thanks for the quick replies . . . I was thinking of the circular saw. My floor seems solid enough, from the top at least, to re-use. I will leave a lip around the edge to keep me away from the hull and to give me a good point to reattach the floor. If it is solid out to the edge that is. If the floor turns out to not be good enough I can lay the new deck plywood over this lip and glass it all together. I am thinking a 1" to 2" lip.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Circular saw, just past floor thickness, leave 2" around the edge/hull. Wear a respirator and eye protection. Trickle run a water hose too keep dust down, like cutting tile/cement.
I doubt that you'll want to save the old floor, since you are cutting it out for some reason.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Thanks for the quick replies . . . I was thinking of the circular saw. My floor seems solid enough, from the top at least, to re-use. I will leave a lip around the edge to keep me away from the hull and to give me a good point to reattach the floor. If it is solid out to the edge that is. If the floor turns out to not be good enough I can lay the new deck plywood over this lip and glass it all together. I am thinking a 1" to 2" lip.

If you do not replace the stringers and you put the new deck on top of the old lip it would no longer rest on top the stringers I would think. There would be space between the deck and the stringes and when you screw the deck to the stringer wouldn't it look like it's sagging?

 

[jhtaylor]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Thanks for the water advice Nova II. The floor feels solid enough, but I can see where the manufacturer, or someone, cut plugs to pipe in foam. These plugs have separated just a crack from the wood flooring, plus the glass covering is crazed. This thing spent a few years uncovered on the wet side of Oregon. You are probably right . . . the floor probably feels solid because it is supported by foam. I don't trust it myself and that is why I am cutting it out.

 

[jhtaylor]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

If you do not replace the stringers and you put the new deck on top of the old lip it would no longer rest on top the stringers I would think. There would be space between the deck and the stringes and when you screw the deck to the stringer wouldn't it look like it's sagging?

Thanks keepNitreel, I hadn't thought of that. This is the greatest place on earth to keep me from screwing up too bad.

 

[oops!]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

hold on a second........stop and think......more in a sec

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Click on my link below and you will get an idea of the lip and some other things you might want to check before you put the floor back in.

 

[oops!]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

ok.....you said your deck feels solid.....right.....then you said....there is holes where someone cut out and poured in foam....right.......


then you said the glass is crazed......


lets just hold on and think about thos for a sec before you get to cutting.....

someone has allready done this job......a well done deck can last 20 years.

first of all .....fiberglass doesnt draze....gellcoat crazes....fiberglass delaminates.....im betting the PO didnt gellcoat his deck....he carpeted it over fiberglass right? and your seeing white spots where the fiber glass is coming away from the plywood underneath.....

what you need to do here is cut a hole in your deck first and take a core sample....of the deck ...and the foam....im not entirely sure you even have a real problem, so how bout going one step at a time.......we can fix the glass delam after you find out IF you even need to cut your deck out.

if you do need to cut it out.....nova II got it, but i would use a vaccume cleaner to keep the dust down instead of water.....if there is anything you do not want to do (for inspection purposes)....its add water

cheers
oops

 

[oops!]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

dang......it happens every time........a nube gets on, and by thie time im done typing....he's off line....thats why i posted the hang on a sec post....i hope he doesnt run out and cut his deck all to peices....its probably good.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

dang......it happens every time........a nube gets on, and by thie time im done typing....he's off line....thats why i posted the hang on a sec post....i hope he doesnt run out and cut his deck all to peices....its probably good.

His thread title is "1969 18' fiberform floor removal" Not one mention of "how can I tell if my deck needs replacing" or something to that effect. He was given good advice on his thread topic. But you are right one must go into futher detail of why they have come to there conclusion. This can save time and money.

 

[oops!]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

His thread title is "1969 18' fiberform floor removal" Not one mention of "how can I tell if my deck needs replacing" or something to that effect. He was given good advice on his thread topic. But you are right one must go into futher detail of why they have come to there conclusion. This can save time and money.

some times people become convinced in there minds that somthing has to happen because of "x" reason......and they just run out and do it......but there is a step by step way to approach this.....if you miss a step....it could cost you 50 hrs labor.....


there is another thing here....that i have to bring up......but ill need a seperate post

 

[oops!]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

WARNING....CAUTION

Trickle run a water hose too keep dust down, like cutting tile/cement.

do not do this unless you really know what you are doing


super nova is a really experianced person with this stuff....he has fantastic knowlage and can work the tools....HOWEVER>>>>

i strongly suggest to any one with avg skills....do not turn a garden hose on trickel on or near to your electrical circular saw...one mistake and you are toast.

also.....during the inspection of a hull...(foam...stringers.....deck)....one of the things we are looking for is water intrusion.....it would be impossible to tell where the water is coming from if you use this method....that is why..only the very experianced should even attempt this.

if you want to keep the dust down....just use a vaccume, leave the hose on "suck" and pointed at the dusty end of the circ saw, it will do allmost as good

nova....please, please, do not take offence to this post...your experiance is far beond the level of most here......some things you "just do" are far beond thier skill level..........most nubs would mess this up and serious injury could occure.

cheers
oops

 

[jonesg]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Whilst cutting my glass deck off I used a diamond steel disk in a grinder,
geez way too much dust !

I switched to a sawzall with a metal blade, lots of tiny teeth, I lay the sawzall down almost flat and cut very shallow, only the tip did the cutting, the saw kerf was very narrow and no dust to speak of.

With the diamond disk the kerf was 1/8th+ ,
the sawzall kerf was less than half that and no dust , probably due to the fact that the grinders throw the dust into the air as they spin.

Seeing as its a glass molded deck and will be going back on, I didn't want a huge gap all around the edge. Its molded glass on foam, very little wood to speak of. Who designed this clunker anyway?

Wetting the deck down to suppress dust , to me, that says wrong tool,
but we does what we have to and I do a lot worse.
But not today!

 

[jhtaylor]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

OK guys . . . I understand . . . I will post a couple of pictures (or try to) this evening to show what the deck and transom look like. I will NOT just cut the floor out until I make sure I have to. My boat is a deep vee so do I try to core all the way to the bottom of the vee, or just dig around in there until I find the bottom? Also, I am posting and reading this at work. I have to take advantage of opportunities to view it. That is why I will be on and off during the day. I really do appreciate all of the input.

 

[BLDFW]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

Had a great response but then realized I was looking at a really OLD post. Oh well. It's still good info......

=======================
It's pretty easy. I bought a 1967 (or 1970 per someone's observation) Evinrude Explorer 155. Great boat with the helm all the way forward. There was a hole in the deck just in front of the engine bay so with a deep breath just last week I took my trusty skill saw and cut a 65x76 perimiter cut and pried the deck back. It was pretty much all shot!

I decided to use the dead unused center underfloor space space by creating a storage locker. I purchased 3 sheets of 1/2 plywood, cut it down to size and resined both sides before installing. I instered and attached small blocks of resined plywood under the lip of the old perimiter flooring to give the new decking something to screw into. The center lines of the outside decking screws into the sides of the new storage locker which was attached to original inside walls that retained the foam on each side.

To be sure of no leaks, before glassing, I poored resin down into the seams between the plywood to insure it stays dry. I'm in the process of glassing it all over now. That's the most painful part. It all takes a L O N G T I M E to lay the resin and wait for it to dry. zzzzzzz

It's starting to take shape. It really is quite simple when you get the hang of mixing the hardner with the resin. Goes on pretty well and "fairly" quick (not to contradict myself above).

Good luck with your project! It's really not that difficult!

-Bill
Dallas, TX

 

[oops!]

Re: 1969 18' fiberform floor removal

OK guys . . . I understand . . . I will post a couple of pictures (or try to) this evening to show what the deck and transom look like. I will NOT just cut the floor out until I make sure I have to. My boat is a deep vee so do I try to core all the way to the bottom of the vee, or just dig around in there until I find the bottom? Also, I am posting and reading this at work. I have to take advantage of opportunities to view it. That is why I will be on and off during the day. I really do appreciate all of the input.

glad we caught you before you cut it up.....one of our guys here just foamed deck....so you can see what it looks loke after its done......thats what yours looks like now...(besides the de lam)

im not really sure what the above post is about....but there is some things not to do in there.....

we can cover those later.....

when at work...search core sample....

you have to go all the way down to the hull...thats where the water will be....if there is any....also look at the wooden cut out...(the deck) look for wet or rot...do this in several places....you will have to re glass the deck any how....so it wont matter if you have a few cut outs to patch....

the best thing you can do is read ...read...read....

the compleated projects forum...skanky beast...by jason j is ithe sites main toutorial

also....if you have a few years........read the hull extension thread...its a really long one....but after you read it...(read it...dont just skim it)....you will go from knowing a little to knowing a whole lot...as some of the things in there get really advanced as far as glassing goes......the deck was just finished off a few pages ago......

cheers
oops