Deck questions

[85_celebrity]

Ok I find this site to be the place where I go to find the textbook way to do things. A.K.A. the right way. I have cut the floor out of my boat ( 1985 Celebrity 190BR open bow) After I pulled the floor out I found some of the stringers to be wet almost to the point of saturation but not rotten. Should I cut these out and replace them or just dry them out and glass over them (they aren?t glassed in now). Also I am to the point of buying materials and want to know what type and weight of fiberglass should I be using? What type of fabric and weight also what type of resin? And what is the best way to apply it? I know this leaves a lot open for opinion but I want to hear other people?s opinion as long as they also state the theory behind it. Also leaving out treated and marine plywood what is the most commonly used type of wood for decking? Also what is the best way to tell if foam is saturated? I have some foam I can stick a screwdriver in and it comes out wet but other when I do the same thing come out dry as a bone. Should I take it all out and replace all the foam or just the foam that is wet with the ?stab test?? Also when I pulled the carpet up I saw that they just drilled holes through the floor and poured the foam through the holes. Is this the preferred method? Or should I pour all the foam and cut down what expands above the stringers? I really don?t want to drill holes in the new floor if I can avoid it. I guess I could lay the floor, drill the holes, and then glass over the holes when I glass the rest of the floor. I want to do this the best way I can because I don?t want to it again. I am a firm believer that if I don?t have time to it right I definitely won?t have time to do it twice. I love this site it makes it so that I can continue boating on budget.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Deck questions

Ok I find this site to be the place where I go to find the textbook way to do things. A.K.A. the right way. I have cut the floor out of my boat ( 1985 Celebrity 190BR open bow) After I pulled the floor out I found some of the stringers to be wet almost to the point of saturation but not rotten. Should I cut these out and replace them or just dry them out and glass over them (they aren?t glassed in now). Also I am to the point of buying materials and want to know what type and weight of fiberglass should I be using? What type of fabric and weight also what type of resin? And what is the best way to apply it? I know this leaves a lot open for opinion but I want to hear other people?s opinion as long as they also state the theory behind it. Also leaving out treated and marine plywood what is the most commonly used type of wood for decking? Also what is the best way to tell if foam is saturated? I have some foam I can stick a screwdriver in and it comes out wet but other when I do the same thing come out dry as a bone. Should I take it all out and replace all the foam or just the foam that is wet with the ?stab test?? Also when I pulled the carpet up I saw that they just drilled holes through the floor and poured the foam through the holes. Is this the preferred method? Or should I pour all the foam and cut down what expands above the stringers? I really don?t want to drill holes in the new floor if I can avoid it. I guess I could lay the floor, drill the holes, and then glass over the holes when I glass the rest of the floor. I want to do this the best way I can because I don?t want to it again. I am a firm believer that if I don?t have time to it right I definitely won?t have time to do it twice. I love this site it makes it so that I can continue boating on budget.

Okay, taking things in order:

1) The stringers need to be dry. If you're sure there's no rot or even discoloration, you can treat them with antifreeze and let them dry thoroughly, then glass them in. If you just glass them in now after drying, odds are good they'll eventually rot because they've been exposed to fungus.

2) The standard for glassing stringers is about two layers of 17-24 ounce roving or biaxial to attach to the hull, plus in between layers of mat if you're using polyester resin. No mat if you're using epoxy. Cover the stringers with the same stuff if you can, or a lighter fabric like 8-10 oz. cloth if you can't. Epoxy or polyester - epoxy is stronger and a bit easier to work with, but costs much more. Poly is more traditional, cheaper, and weaker.

Read through threads here on the best way to apply. I like to roll on some resin, stick the dry cloth in place, then press flat and wet out with the roller.

3) You can use exterior grade ply for decking. Whatever you use, make sure you seal the wood with epoxy or polyester and a thin layer of glass.

4) If there's noticeable water in the foam, it's saturated. Don't just push a screwdriver in, take a core sample with a piece of PVC. If it were me I'd remove all of it to make sure I got all the water out. You don't want to go through the work of repairs and end up with rot because you left some foam in.

5) Foam can be installed through decks if you like, via holes. That way it will fill the space completely and adhere/stiffen to the deck as well as the hull/stringers. You can also just pour it into an open space then cover it over, cutting off over expansion in the process.


Do post a thread here with pictures as you work, and people can comment and answer any questions you have.

Erik

 

[TriadSteeler]

Re: Deck questions

Make sure the transom isn't rotted as well.

Get new wood for the stringers. Even if they aren't rotten, there has to be some fungus taking root and it will only be a matter of time. You'll have the new ones cut and glassed in before the old ones even begin to dry.

Use AC grade exterior plywood. 1/2" for the floor sections (You'll need to go to your local lumberyard. Lowe's doesn't sell stuff this good.) Last year I bought 1/2" for 29.99/sheet and 3/4" for 39.99/sheet. (The Word "MARINE" adds a 75% markup to everything) Do a search on stringers on the site. Some people have used the composite (PVC) planks as stringers.

Get some fiberglass cloth tape (It's like 4" or 6" wide fiberglass cloth) to fillet the stringers. that way you won't have to cut it and have to trim strings that unravel. You can also buy this stuff by the linear foot and you can get a run the entire length of the stringer. That will make your glass job more uniform and easier to lay up.

On the deck, I don't think the weight of the cloth is that critical, as you have the stringers to provide the strength. Your aim with the deck is complete encapsulation to prevent rot.

Poly or Epoxy - Both will work. I will let others debate the merits of each


For the Foam. Get a piece of PVC tubing and force it thru the foam all the way to the hull. Then extract it and examine the plug. If it is wet, rip it out.

 

[oops!]

Re: Deck questions

ditto on all for the above....youve got some really good answers....

in reguards to the stringers...if you want to use the boat this year...id replace them......the wood needs to be really dry before it will accept the glass.

drying ply wood totally takes a long time......for expmple....i had some sheets of pressure treated plywood, new, i dryed them for 2 months in a heated garage, with a woodstove, burning fully stoked, with a double blower squrril cage fan on them 24/7....

i am now drying the deck sheets....this was external grade 1/2 inch very dry...but it was still to damp to take the glass properly....so it has been drying the same way for 2 weels....

so if you want to keep the stringers the way they are....its gonna be a long time before your on your boat. and youll still be taking a chance.

cheers
oops

 

[Coors]

Re: Deck questions

Layer thick enough glass on, and the wood is then used only as a form-rot don't matter. The f/g or epoxy are the strength, just make sure the stringers are sealed from the transom, engine mounts, etc.

 

[85_celebrity]

Re: Deck questions

I am going to be knee deep in this thing tomorrow so i will get some pictures and post them up so I can get some more opinions with visuals. Once again this site doesn't disappoint and the answers are great and have come much quicker than I anticipated. I have sat down and read " runabout renovation" cover to cover and feel like i have a pretty good grasp on what I am in for but it is always the surprised that double the budget financially and time wise.

 

[oops!]

Re: Deck questions

runa bout renovation is a great book....i highy recommend it....but does he ever fall short when it comes to the stringers.

he is very vague on a lot of the specifics......and as you will find out boat building is about the specifics when you got your head on the hull and your face in the resin...

he makes it seem a breeze to just whip thru the stringers...well it is, but only if youve done it a few times,....and he says mothing about bedding the stringers and glassing them in. and the glass is where all the stregnth comes from.

look here on this forum....search...read...then do it some more......

there is a lot of opinions here...on what product.....but there is also a general concencus of the best way to do things

the information on these forums holds the equivelant of many years of experiance..and many happy boaters

 

[TriadSteeler]

Re: Deck questions

look here on this forum....search...read...then do it some more......

Start with oops' own post "Hull extension in progress with picks". If you haven't read it already. It is a looooooong topic (20 pages) but it is worth reading every page. You get the benefit of hindsight as oops has captured every step of his restoration in minute detail.