Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

[THE FISH]

I am about to start the project of a tear out and rebuild of the deck on my 1992 MPL.
The deck is Fiberglass which I don't have any experience of working with.
I have made a couple patches to the soft spots with a Polyester epoxy and fiberglass mat ,which ended up with some stress cracks ,due to a rough day at sea.I read I should have used epoxy resin.
Since then ,more spots have been turning up soft, bringing me to the decision of the complete tear out and rebuild.
For this reason , I have come here to get advice.With some research, I have come to a few conclusions.
1. Make a template of the floor by using either cardboard or cutout pieces of old deck.

2.Use a circular or Jig to cutaway old deck at a 45 degree angle to accommodate new wood.This will obviously help with the strength at rebuild.

3.It has also been suggested ,to leave a few inches of original deck, that is still in good shape to attach new deck too.

4.I plan on wearing Painters Overalls with gloves and goggles to keep the fiberglass out of my skin.

5.Inspect Stringers and Foam for rot.

6.Get help from the experienced (here)for the reassembly and fiberglass of marine ply.(MORE TO COME WHEN I FINISH THE TEAR OUT)

Please advise me If this sounds like a good start to what seems like a bit of an adventure.I am open to all suggestions.
I will post pictures of the project from start to finish.
I appreciate your help and look forward to your replies.

Besides the deck I would like to Install ,a Live bait well ,Ttop, and possibly a Fish box for my catch.
Tight Lines and Good Times
The Fish.

 

[92excel]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

2.Use a circular or Jig to cutaway old deck at a 45 degree angle to accommodate new wood.This will obviously help with the strength at rebuild.

3.It has also been suggested ,to leave a few inches of original deck, that is still in good shape to attach new deck too.

cut the deck out with a circular saw set to the deck depth and forget the 45 angle. its better to replace all the wood with new...most will agree its better to grind out all of the fiberglass leaving no lip.

4.I plan on wearing Painters Overalls with gloves and goggles to keep the fiberglass out of my skin.

Dont forget the respirator.. a good one not just a dry wall paper mask

 

[THE FISH]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

Hey thanks for the advise.The idea of the 45 degree angle was from Ship Shape TV.Also the lip idea I have read all over the internet.I guess I will have to construct some supports to keep the integrity of the Hull after removing the Floor completely.I will have to be very careful where the deck meets the hull not to rip through the hull. The Fibers were sprayed on pretty heavy in that area.I will shoot the pics soon for you to see.
This is why I want opinions from here before I start.
Respirator will definitely be used too.
Thanks

 

[jonesg]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

You will sort out the best way for you, each boat has slightly different problems, if the wood is rotted then a gut job is in order, expect the stringers to be bad too.

My glass deck sits on top of foam, I cut the deck out , leaving a 2 inch lip all around. I left the foam in place, the stringers were removed with a chainsaw leaving the glass channels they were set in.
New stringers are glassed and waiting to go back in.(its too cold)

I'll glue the deck back on the foam and seam all around the cut line with glass tape and polyester. I also did the transom.

If you leave the cap on you shouldn't have any problems with distortion.
Another practice is to only remove one stringer at a time.

How is your transom? have you drilled any test holes yet?
Its a lot simpler to do the whole thing in one shot than go back in there at a later date.

 

[THE FISH]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

J,
Yes and its solid and dry.I actually had an idea of installing a live bait well intake under the drain plug. Once I cut the hole with the hole saw it was perfect.Im thinking of sealing it back and going with an underneath drain.
Not sure yet.
Stay warm man and thanks for the encouragement.

 

[THE FISH]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

OK, so I cut the floor out leaving a lip as suggested.Looks like there is some separating in the two stringers. Ply was used ,so I'm going to take your suggestion and use a chain saw to hollow out the stringers. Let me correct the terminology here ,it is a stringer when it runs the length of the boat? This boat doeshave stringers.None the less ,I will have some pictures up this weekend.I'm a little bit intimidated by the work that lays ahead and the finances involved ,so I will push on forward slowly but surely.

 

[Boaty Boat]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

Last year, I replaced the deck in my 18' Celebrity run-a-bout. I learned more from the guys on here than any other information I could find. What worked for me: DO NOT FORGET THE RESPIRATOR! I used about 100 pair of disposable latex gloves while working with the glass and resin. I left the lip around the hull, because I wanted the reference point for a level deck and what I beleive is a little extra strength. I cut the exterior plywood and beveled it, so it fit just under the lip I left. After it was all glassed-in it looks better than the factory deck.

I also dug out the rotten stringers, which was about 75% of them, with a chisel, screwdriver and a shop-vac. Be careful not to damage hull, especially if you go that chainsaw route! I left all my foam (it was dry) and all the glass that was layed on the stringers' sides. I beveled the edges of the wood stringers I replaced, coated with resin and forced them in the old glass with a hammer. My stringer wood was some peices of treated 1" and some 3/4" plywood, cut-to-fit.

My bulkheads, fore and aft of the fuel tank, were replaced with exterior plywood that was first coated with resin and then glassed in place.

You are in for one BIG JOB. Take your time and try to enjoy it.

 

[Boaty Boat]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

P.S. The plywood I used for the deck was 3/4" exterior grade, coated the bottom and sides with resin. Prior to screwing down to the stringers, I applied liquid nails to the top of all stringers and around the foam.

 

[vbdamon]

Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

Hi,

I have recently pickup a 18 foot half cabin Swiftcraft including a 65 hp Evinrude(I poured some oil into the cylinders and the fly wheel still turns) +
a double axle trailer, that I thought I would never get home as it was so rusted. Well the trailer has since been scrapped and I am currently stripping the boat down to start the repairs.

I removed the deck and have yet to check the stringers for rot. However I have had a look at some ply wood as I measured the boat to see how much I will need to redo the deck. I have a couple of questions on this:

- What thickness plywood should I use and would a exterior ply wood do?

- The deck is about 1.6 meters in width with about six stringers running the
full length of the boat, do I need to put some extra supports down running
from left to right or would the stringers do for the new deck?

- I am planning to paint the bottom and sides of the new ply deck with fiberglass resin and the top with fiberglass. Would the resin provide enough
protection against dampness?


Thanks
Damon

and

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Fiberglass Deck Replacement plus more

Welcome to iboats vbdamon. Please start a new thread for your project and questions.