1989 maxum remodel with updated pics, advice please

[wnaplay]

Boat is a 1989 maxum open bow. I have spent the day doing what was going to be a few small repairs but led into a full remodel. I have gutted the boat and decided to remove the back to back seats and replace them with pedastals and chairs if at all possible. My question is the bases appear to be fiberglass into the floor and the sidewall. Do these offer any structural support for the sides? I want to get the floor opened up to check the stringers before I replace the floor but everything appears to have been glassed together. Any opinions? I am doing this so I can build a sundeck and bench across the back. . Thanks

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Also, my floor appears to be solid. No weak spots to speak of except for an area around the ski storage area that was missing a brace. The whole thing seems to be covered or was covered in fiberglass. The bad thing is that I know there have been a few times where rain penetrated the cover and filling up the ski hold area for an extended period of time. Would you guys rip the entire floor up to check the stringers? I dont want to do it if its not necessary but if it is, I certainly want to check it out.

 

[Justin Kennedy]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

you could buy some 6"-12" inspection covers, cut holes to fit and take a look inside that way. you might contact maxum and see how well the stringers are wrapped in fiberglass. you may have nothing to worry about

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

you could buy some 6"-12" inspection covers, cut holes to fit and take a look inside that way. you might contact maxum and see how well the stringers are wrapped in fiberglass. you may have nothing to worry about

Are these actual covers or just some wood to put in after cutting? If its just wood, what do you attach the new wood to? Cut back until you are able to brace new wood to a stringer? Can you even see anything if its all foam? My major issue was the rear of the boat. The previous owner allowed water to just sit in the boat without ever covering it. The transom seems solid, but at somepoint the wood frame that held the rear cushions(either side of the engine cover) rotted out and it was replaced with the rickidyest of 2x4 pieces you ever seen. At this point the water started cracking the fiberglass which covered the wood and water got below and started rotting. Underneath the wood there appears to be foam even behind the vertical walls. I know the wood floor has gotten wet but it doesnt seem soft necessarily. Plus they had a wooden piece which went over the fuel tank that I need to replace and I guess glass in place because there is nothing really to screw it into. I will try to get some pics up soon.

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Pics are up. There was a real quick downpour before I could get out and get the cover back on so everything looks wet. I cant tell if I can cut the back to back bases out. Any ideas based on the pics of where I can start cutting the floor out out? In the last pic, that wall is all foam with the wood stripped off. I wasnt expecting that.

 

[BWT]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Yea, really need some pics.. I'll take another look after they're up...

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

I put them up above your post.

 

[solar7647]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Also, my floor appears to be solid. No weak spots to speak of except for an area around the ski storage area that was missing a brace. The whole thing seems to be covered or was covered in fiberglass. The bad thing is that I know there have been a few times where rain penetrated the cover and filling up the ski hold area for an extended period of time. Would you guys rip the entire floor up to check the stringers? I dont want to do it if its not necessary but if it is, I certainly want to check it out.

Yes I would rip up deck and check stringers, the deck is pretty easy to replace, just cutting and glassing in.

To check transom and stringer use a small drill bit and drill into them just a 1/4 inch or so. If you get dark saw dust they need replaced, the darker it easy the worse they are.

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

The seat bases are screwing me, where do I even begin with removing the floor? Everything looks like its all one piece, the way its been covered with what I assume is hard fiberglass type stuff. It appears they put the wood in and then glassed everything together. Will I do any damage if I just start ripping everything out including those bases?

 

[solar7647]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Boat is a 1989 maxum open bow. I have spent the day doing what was going to be a few small repairs but led into a full remodel. I have gutted the boat and decided to remove the back to back seats and replace them with pedastals and chairs if at all possible. My question is the bases appear to be fiberglass into the floor and the sidewall. Do these offer any structural support for the sides? I want to get the floor opened up to check the stringers before I replace the floor but everything appears to have been glassed together. Any opinions? I am doing this so I can build a sundeck and bench across the back. . Thanks

No they probably don't add any strength, to the sides.

To open the floor get a circular saw and set the depth of the blade to what ever the thickness of the wood is, this will prevent the saw from going through the hull. There will probably be a few screws holding the deck to the stringers, you may need to drill them out if they are glassed over then just rip up the deck. It will be kinda though, they poor the foam in after the deck is laid so it sticks to the under Side ofthe deck.

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

How hard/expensive is it to put new foam back in?

 

[solar7647]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

The seat bases are screwing me, where do I even begin with removing the floor? Everything looks like its all one piece, the way its been covered with what I assume is hard fiberglass type stuff. It appears they put the wood in and then glassed everything together. Will I do any damage if I just start ripping everything out including those bases?

If you have a harbor freight near by you can get one of these....http://www.harborfreight.com/interests/woodworking/multifunction-power-tool-67256.html

They also sell then at home depot or lowes but those are big name brand and cost twice as much.

Any way, the oscillating blade allows you to get right up against the hull and cut those left over peices of the seat supports out. They work great I used one for 90% of the cutting I did in my boat. The blades are cheap and hit can sand and be a scraper, by far the best tool I bought for my boat project.

 

[solar7647]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

How hard/expensive is it to put new foam back in?

It's pretty simple, you just buy the liquid foam, measure out what you need to fill the area and poor it in. The directions are on the container and the coast all depends on the size and brand, I have seen 5 gallon buckets for as low as $90 butt unless your doin the hole boat that's probably more then you need.

If your doin a small area you can use the aerosol cans of "stuff" they sell for insolation for window and door frames at walmart in the home improvement sections.

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

I actually have one of those. I guess I will start tearing the floor out and I guess the seat bases.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

If your doin a small area you can use the aerosol cans of "stuff" they sell for insolation for window and door frames at walmart in the home improvement sections.

This is very bad advice in my opinion. This insulation foam is NOT waterproof and will absorb water. It is not even close to being the same product as the pour in foam used in boats. This has been debated here on the forum "Ad Infinitum" and the General Consesus is it is NOT a good idea to use it in your boat. When you get ready to reinstall the foam, post some pics and there will be plenty of help here on the forum for you to answer all your questions.

 

[rickryder]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

I used the blue Dow foam insulation boards you get at Depot or Lowes....It's closed cell so it won't absorb water.....First things first tho....You have to check stringers and transom before you even think about foam.... We are here to help you along with your rebuild

 

[solar7647]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

If your doin a small area you can use the aerosol cans of "stuff" they sell for insolation for window and door frames at walmart in the home improvement sections.

This is very bad advice in my opinion. This insulation foam is NOT waterproof and will absorb water. It is not even close to being the same product as the pour in foam used in boats. This has been debated here on the forum "Ad Infinitum" and the General Consesus is it is NOT a good idea to use it in your boat. When you get ready to reinstall the foam, post some pics and there will be plenty of help here on the forum for you to answer all your questions.

I gess I would argue the other side, the can stuff and flotation foam are both closed cell polyurathan expandable foam. Not to mention flotation foam will soak up water just as easy. I have seen flotation foam removed from boats absolutely water logged. The deciding factor in how much water they absorb is how dense you get it. If you poor it in an open area the foam will expand until the chemical reaction stops and will create a very poras block that will absorb water and trap it because it's filled with large air bubbles, but if you put it in a confined space where it only has so much room to expand once it fills the space it will start compressing it self until the reaction stops, this will creat a much denser less poras block that will still sock up water but not as fast or as much. It all comes down to opinion I gess mine is that if your only filling a space of a couple cubic feet the canned stuff would be fine.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Not sure where you got your information on how the density of foam is calculated. Here's where I got mine.
http://www.static.monolithic.com/foam/foam-density/index.html

It appears to be based on the chemical formula when it is being made and the reactions that occur to create the final product, not the size of the area in which it is applied.

The waterlooged foam you refer to in boats does occur but the new pour in foam is a much different animal than it was 20 years ago. Most is rated to day at maximum 10% water absorbency.

 

[wnaplay]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

How do you test to see if your transom is rotten? Hopefully its a dry day tomorrow and in the afternoon I can get started on ripping the floor up. When you guys say to use the closed cell panels from home depot, your suggesting just cutting the pieces to fit in between the stringers? We are thinking that the seat bases are made out of wood and are just fiberglassed in next to the sidewall and appear just to be apart of it. The seat bases themselves appear to be a seperate piece its the little side piece that comes off the sidewall I am scared of. I seen one guy who left these, put a stationary single seat on the front then built a rear bench that had cushions to cover the back of the base to give the whole back a "c" look. Might be a possibility.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Re: Need some advice on remodel

Drill into the transom in various locations using a 3/8" bit. Down low and about 4-6 inches up from the bottom. DO NOT drill all the way thru. Check the drill shavings. Powder, or dark Wet and the transom is bad. Light tan and dry you're good to go.