Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

[imported_Paul_B]

I pulled an old rotten plywood floor out of my 16' alumimum boat. I'm intending to just lay some pieces of pink closed-cell sheet foam in the bottom, under the new floor. I read in a different post that if moisture is trapped against aluminum it can cause oxidation. I'm planning on running pieces of the foam along the keel (perpendicular to the ribs) to allow for drainage. The drainage isn't great any way, so this seemed the best way to keep things drier. Any suggestions? In a related question, I was planning on using one of the bed-liner type products espoused in several other posts to cover the new floor and side walls of the boat. Can I just treat the plywood with something like fiberglass resin before hand, so the bottom won't rot?

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

in the 16' boat i'm getting they used polystyrine foam and it hasn't caused any corrosion. It is a 1960 model boat with the origanal floatation. If thats any help.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

Paul_B...you got the right idea...I would thin the resin with acetone till it's like water thick and paint the plywood...when dry you can paint. That works fairly good...I usually get a good 10 years outa floors sealed like that, on boat stored outdoors and sometimes wet...and much longer if stored properly...just a Thought

 

[E. E.]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

Thought101, Can polyester be thinned with acetone to do what you are talking about to seal the wood?

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

I'm pretty sure it can but go easy with the acetone that's what they use for cleanup with poly, I would use a thin fiber mat with the resin that will keep it from cracking so bad.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

Oops I said mine was a 1960 model, i lied it's a 1959, I just pulled the floor on mine today i'll post some pics of it tomorrow if it dosn't rain, the poly styrine in mine was put in there in blocks cut to fit in the stringers and crossmembers, boy is this boat built the new ones sure don't build them like this one, you'll see what i mean when i get the pictures up.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

The bedliner material will work, but a good grade epoxy primer will do you a good job also, is a fraction of the weight, and maybe cheaper. <br /><br />I replaced all the wood- floor, transom, and cabin walls in a 1968 Cherokee 21' I/Outdrive Aluminum daycruiser back in 93-94. I just used 1/2" green presure treated plywood for the floor-no paint, no fiberglass glass, nothing but carpet over it- and its as solid as the day I dropped it in. Same for the cabin walls & transome. You can peek in/up under the floor from the eng. compartment on it, all the epoxy primed skin & supports you can see show no signs corrosion at all. When I took it all apart, the Aluminum that had contacted bare (waterlogged)plywood was corroded fairly heavily in a few spots.<br /><br /><br />When you put the foam blocks in, if you could elevate them just a bit from the very bottom of the hull with a few lengths of old garden hose or something, and be sure it doesn't sit with water in inside the hull for long periods, it shouldn't ever waterlog. Even a modest amount of ventilation under the floor will extend the life of the foam several more years.<br /><br />All this waterlogged foam you hear about usually stayed wet or soaking in water, often for years before it got saturated. <br /><br />Ed.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

EE..acetone will thin the poly just fine for this purpose..to soak into the surface of the ply...I thin to about water consistancy and use plenty of hardener. Lightly sand before recoating...just a Thought

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Flotation, floors and aluminum boats

Paul here is a picture of my 16' Texas Maid with the floor out and the foam that was in it since 1959 see what you think, only one or two of the blocks had water in them and they are drying out by standing on edge for a day i think your idea will work this foam was cut to lay flat on the hull, you see any corrosion? Here's the web page. web page