Since the motor tune up, and Gen2 installation are totally finished, it was time to get rid of the old carpet and make the interior ready to go. I knew I had a bulge in the floor under where the old ski boat seat boxes sat. Figured I'd cut it out and patch it. Floor wood is dry as a bone.
What I found totally surprised me!
The entire center section of the floor is just bare treated 3/4 ply screwed down over the fuel tank and siliconed in around the edges. The wood would get wet every time it rained or a skier got into the boat. And yet this 25 year old piece of plywood is still structurally sound and only the top ply layer shows obvious signs of expansion and contraction so many times that it is turning to splinters.
I used a hole saw to punch a couple holes through the bubble in the fiberglassing on the floor, and the wood underneath might as well be put in yesterday.
Next I popped the ply cover off the fuel tank and took a look there. The only thing keeping any water out is a silicon seal around the outside, nothing at all on that piece of wood. Screw holes, top and bottom of the wood - all left bare.
I'm going to make a new cover and glass it before install. Seal it with 4200. You can see the backside nut plates I made for the screws holding the dog house hinges. The screws would no longer bite, so those were installed a few years ago.
25 year old boat must have never ever been uncovered. There is loads of places where water could destroy the wood, everything looks pristine. After bemoaning the lies about how well the boat ran when I bought it, then had to buy a new outdrive, the reality is I got a pretty good deal when the structure is so nice.
