Bowrider floor replacement

[Medic2556]

I bought a 1989 19' Glasstream bowrider over the winter, and come the warmer weather, the floor was found to be soft, and stringers are rotten. I am trying to figure out how to remove the floor to examine the remainder of the structure, but I don't know weather I have to remove the floor underneath the bow section, or just cut underneath the dash sections. Can anyone help me with some ideas?

Mark

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

well that all depends on what you find, start at the soft spot, and work till you get to dry, solid wood. you may have to remove the upper cap to get under the bow section, also check the transom, if stringers are gone 99% chance the transom is also. search floor replacement.

 

[mckevin32]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

I'm finishing up almost exactly the same project.
Take a look at my initial post and photo link for a peek at what you're in for.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=177284

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

it may seem overwhelming, but keep the projects small enough you can see the progress.

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

This is the first boat I bought, since I do not have time for vacations, I decided to spend the money to take several trips over the summer. Now that is out of the question. I really don't have the ability to buy another one, and I know I can not get back anywhere near what I paid for it. I am told constantly I should just get rid of it, but I guess I already had so many plans for it, and waiting to have fun with it make that a difficult decision. Plus the kids already were playing inside of it, and were also waiting. I know that whatever I decide, I can't do anything with it this season, and we already had plans to watch the fireworks from it. Not having someone to guide me with repairs, it also makes it more difficult. Thank you Mckevin for sharing that website, I did not know the top section was removable, which caused part of my dilema. Also, I have been told to try Seacast to replace the stringers, but the fiberglass is bad, so I am not sure how well that would work. So many questions, and this has helped some. I appreciate the responses. Anyone who can provide pictures or advice, I would be very appreciative.

Mark

 

[Robj]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

Hello there,

I have just replaced the stringers, transom and floor in my bowrider. I bought it as a project this winter, and ended up doing much more than I initially intended. That's boats. Just glassed in the floor today. This is my first boat restore, did not know much about boats and repair before I started. Just about everything I learned from the web, this site and boatdesign.net. Both excellent sites. Regarding seacast, I would not use it, replace with new. I used pressure treated ply for the stringers, and exterior grade douglas fir for the transom and floor. Can't wait until it is done, those beer will sure taste great on the maiden voyage. In the end, this hull will be better than new.

I did not seperate the top half from the bottom. Did not need to. I did have to remove the structure for the front and back seating. It was rotten anyway. Post some pix, and ask away, there are many knowledgeable people who are willing to offer guidance with your project, they helped me alot.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

although the floor seems soft, you may still get a summer out of this boat. depending on how bad the damage is. then in the fall you can start a nice rebuild. doing it slowly over the winter won't seem so costly all at once. all you need is a little elbow grease. check my site for my rebuild. i'm just about finished my bowrider. good luck. http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r277/tallcanadiansboat/?sc=1&addtype=local

 

[Robj]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

If your stringers are rotted, then the motor mounts would also be rotten, which makes the boat unsafe. If only the floor was soft in a small area, then I would also consider doing the repair over winter. However the rot sounds more extensive than confined to a small area of the floor.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

I started to seperate the top section, and found that the rub rail is probably no the original, and silicone based adhesives were used to glue then gaps left when replaced. Can you buy new rub rails to replace the ones that were on there? I will be starting a photo record to show progress, and to have pictures to feed advice off of, as I have never done this before. I will need to remove the controls and wiring to the console, any advice on the best way to proceed? Anyone in South Jersey available to lend a hand??

Mark

 

[mckevin]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

You can purchase replacement rub rail, but I'll let one of the pros chime in with what you need to know.
Just give these guys enough pictures to see what's going on and they will steer you the right direction.
Planning to float mine on Monday for the first time since the rebuild, and the guidance I received here is the only reason I got through it.

 

[dcwcce]

Motor Mount Dry Rot

Motor Mount Dry Rot

If your stringers are rotted, then the motor mounts would also be rotten, which makes the boat unsafe.Rob.

What is the risk of running an I/O with rot under the motor mounts ?

Just liquidated a 1998 Wellcraft Excel 175SX rather than investing 2 Grand in a repair of the floor, stringers, and motor mounts -Do not have the time, talent or location to do the work myself.

Still rationalizing my decision

 

[TriadSteeler]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

Medic,

If you have to remove the deck (upper portion) to remove the floor, re-install the deck BEFORE you re-install the floor. You will notice that once the deck is off, the sides of the boat will be flimsy. This is normal as the deck provides a lot of strength and maintains the structural integrity and shape of the boat.

The same can be said of the floor. If you install a new floor with the deck off, you will be hard pressed to get the deck to line up again correctly all the way around the boat. A 1/4" extra at the bottom, whether from the wood, fiberglass, etc, could change the hull angle so much that by the time you are at the top of the hull it could be an inch or more out of whack.

Just install the deck with a few screws to hold the upper portion of the hull in its correct orientation before you install the floor. Actually before you take the measurements.

Make sure the transom is solid as well. Make sure to take a core sample close to the outdrive.

Hang in there and good luck. You'll keep making progress and have that thing in the water in no time.

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

I bought the book by Jim Anderson, but most of that is on an outboard motor. I have an I/O, and please tell me I do not have to remove the motor. Also, the glassing job was much stronger than the rest of the floor, so I do not know if this needs to be removed or not. The only reason I need to split the top is to remove the bow section to look at and replace the stringers. I don't think that piecing together good stringers to sections that may be bad is a good idea. I have considered selling this off, and starting again when I have the money, but there are no guarantees unless I buy new, which is not possible. I also debated trying to get it fixed in a shop, but again, no money for that. I guess it all comes down to 3 things I don't have, time, money, and someone to show me what to do. Pictures will be coming, as the advice here was already helpful, and I am sure you all reading my ramblings doesn't help you visualize what I am saying.

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/little575/Boat project/

I finally got some picures up. I got another boat for a project, and am starting to tear that up to learn some things. The gas cover which was just plywood withput being fiberglassed was layed on top of unglassed stringers, causing the stringers to soak up wood. The 2 things that I need to figure out are the rear seating area and the bow seating area. The aft area has a better strength fiberglass raised up from the main deck, around the engine. I would rather not remove it, but if it is necessary, I will. Also, the bow area is molded into the upper hull. The stringers are pieced together which what seems to be bad fibeglassing, as chips were breaking off when I started breaking up parts of the deck. I probably will need to get to the end of the stringer under the bow section, so is it easier just to cut the seats and console to around the upper hull line and rebuild the bow section up from the new deck? Or should I leave them be and seperate the hulls?

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

I started to get more involved in taking apart the sides of the boat, and look more into the area where the gas tank was replaced, causing the stringer failure. It seems as they replaced the original tank with a smaller tank, causing a lot of dead space. Then they just started filling in areas with scrap wood, placing metal angle irons over the tank, and attaching it to the stringers. I will probably remove the tank when I proceed. There is also a half bulkhead coming up from the hull with strong fiberglass, and the fuel lines are over this, but there is no top to it. It looks as if there should be, as the screws to attach the motor cover would be in that area. When I replace the are for the fuel tank, should I build a seperate support system up from the hull, or should I build bulkheads and extensions from the stringers to secure it an eliminate the dead space? Also, should I build up the bulkhead coming from the motor and make holes to pass the fuel lines and wires through? I will get more pics up next week.

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

I may replace the gas tank totally, but with the new gas mixtures, should I go with a plastic or aluminum?

 

[Nandy]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/little575/Boat project/

I finally got some picures up.

It is password protected. Cant see it.

 

[Medic2556]

Re: Bowrider floor replacement

Oops, sorry. I will have to take new pictures and put them up.