Floor?

[PolarBear]

Finally picked up the new boat (69 Chrysler Charger 151 Hydro-Vee) and moved it here today. I found that the previous owner had made new boxes for the bases of the seats but had not bothered to bolt them down. I moved out all the seats and pulled up all the carpet and checked out the floor which was an unknown (felt solid stomping on it but didn't know what it was going to be like uncovered). I tapped it all over with a hammer and could find no moist or wet spots or rot anyplace. However, there seems to be a coating (factory coating?) that is slightly textured and thicker than paint but it is all peeled up. Since everything seems dry, I'd like to strip out this stuff and recoat the floor with something similar. <br /><br />Anyone have an idea what it is exactly? It is almost like plastic coating. What can I put on as a replacement? Can I use a marine grade paint to do this or should I be looking at some kind of epoxy resin coating of some kind? So far I have not seen anything quite like this stuff on any projects or on this forum.<br /><br />Also, anyone have any clue how these seats were originally based? These are back to back seats with suitcase-type latches that are supposed to allow you to fold them down flat into benches of a sort. Did the originals have some kind of track or something that they slid on? The previous owner just made plywood bases and used L brackets to screw the seats on them. I think we will get new seats eventually but for now we need to use what we have but it would be nice to know how to put them together properly.<br /><br />Thanks for any help!

 

[robpoe]

Re: Floor?

Do you have any pics of the flooring material?

 

[prockvoan]

Re: Floor?

That plastic coating is sprayed gelcoat.Just scrap out what you can,give it a lite sanding.Clean it up good and give it a good painting.

 

[PolarBear]

Re: Floor?

Upon looking at it in better light I saw that it is some kind of fiberglass or gelcoat. It IS ok to just use paint? I have looked around here and there is a great deal of debate about it - any recommendations for a type of paint that will be OK for both being waterproof and on the floor getting walked all over, or should I paint and then put some kind of flooring material over it?

 

[Jcrain]

Re: Floor?

On my 76 chrysler, the seats were just like you said yours were. "L" brackets. It works fine.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Floor?

You can use gel coat or paint on the floor, just be sure to sand (with a power sander)it very well first, then add some sand for a none skid surface.

 

[PolarBear]

Re: Floor?

I am considering putting another sheet of plywood on top of the existing floor now - will this create any problems with moisture being trapped or anything?<br /><br />How thick would be appropriate for this sort of situation? It would be basically an "insurance" layer to add a little more to bolt the seats into and so on. The old ply is not rotted but it has some of that typical "waviness" old plywood can get when it gets a little "weathered". Should I even b other, and is this just going to be unnecessary weight?

 

[Solittle]

Re: Floor?

A topper of plywood seems to me to be an invitation to trapped moisture between the layers which will quickly lead to rot.

 

[BrettNC]

Re: Floor?

You can roll on gelcoat just like paint. Just make sure that you mix some wax additive in with the gelcoat so it cures tack-free.<br /><br />If the floor feels solid then there is no need to add anymore plywood.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Floor?

its also a lot of weight to add to a boat ... lighter is better, trust me I have to rip out the bottom of my new little tinner<br /><br />I got mine with a new looking trailer and a eighties something seven and a half rude, pees like a race horse and purrs like a kitten ... 16 footer, five hunnerd for the whole shootin match<br /><br />I want to paint the hull, then do up the interior <br /><br />(but not TOO much, its just a crabbin/ backwater boat!)

 

[PolarBear]

Re: Floor?

I never did get any pictures of the stuff but today I was playing around with the boat again and found some of the material intact after removing some inner panels. It is basically a fabric with gel coat or some kind of more flexible finish over it. It is almost just rubberized fabric but more plastic. I have no idea what it might be called.<br /><br />The stuff on the floor was worn right out. I just peeled it all off. Someone suggested painting it so that is what I am going to do, followed by adding some outdoor carpeting which is somewhat breathable. First, though, I am going to have to replace a section of floor at the back which is contaminated with fuel/oil which has soaked right into it. I am assuming the old owner must have had a leaky gas tank or something. I know the paint is not going to stick there and it seems to have even dissolved some of the glue bonding the plywood so it's just got to go.