Plastic Plywood deck

[GreggS]

Hey Guys, me again.
I have a 21' Supersport (aluminum hull) and am about to remove and replace all of the decking.
Has any one used the plastic/ recycled plywood?
It runs about $200 a sheet which is ridiculous (in my opinion) but if I'm taking the time to do it right perhaps it's worth it (?). I expect the decking would out live me and the boat and never need to be replaced again (?).
It can be painted but doesn't need to be and already comes in grey. (I would probably need 6 sheets and money is a major issue right now but I want it to be right.)
I also am wondering about the weight of this mateial.
Any input would be appreciated.
I'm also wondering if it's feasible to complete the tear out and replacement in a few days or is this project more involved than I'm anticipating.
I've done some searches on here and seen some excellent picture tutorials of this same project but none with a time estimate.

GreggS

 

[HONKER1]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

I would also be concerned about the weight factor, but another concern would be the supporting the decking. How much of a span will it cover without support?
At the price of that stuff, I would be leaning to using plywood with a resin coating. You could then put a vinyl or carpet (I am not a fan of carpet), or bedliner over the resin plywood.
If you have everything ready for the tear-out, you could complete it in a couple of days. But once the floor is pulled out you may come upon other issues. Like water soaked flotation or in my case, electrolysis eating the aluminum, loose rivets, or strings that had come loose. With me it was a labor of love, and I wasn't in a hurry, so I tryed to get everything repaired while I had it open. I ever replaced the fuel line, because I had easy access.

 

[projecthog]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

GreggS,

Stick with the plywood and some good finish, unless you DO want to make it a show piece.
It is a lot cheaper to do, it will allow you to do what you got the boat for...to have fun, and the plywood will also likely outlast your interest in the boat, especially if you coat with any resin or epoxy finishes.
As for the length of time it takes to do the floors?
Apply the Murphy factor by two, and then a margin of a couple more weeks and you should be in business.
It NEVER goes as figured, so be aware! lol.
I don't want to come off as a stick in the mud, but count on a little longer just on time to do the floor.
Then you may, as someone else mentioned, run across unexpected things.
They could vary from loose rivets to rotten members, or just plain hard to deal with nuts and bolts.
I have learned to wait and use the boats in season, (I'm sure you have too.)and then prepare for battle in the winters, it saves being impatient and you have time to make mistakes and wait for more money.
Good luck and may the force be with you.

projecthog.

 

[projecthog]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

Two more cents worth,

I naturally assumed that you were referring to the floor in the boat, I wonder if you didn't mean JUST the decking on top, back and front of your boat.
If this is the case, It probably would be much more cosmetically correct and pleasing to do the topside in the original or close to it anyway.
If it were my boat I would spend the money, but if you are just wanting to use it and enjoy it as a weekender, then you have to make your decision based on that fact and maybe cost.
Hard to advise on things like that, but good luck and success with it and hope you get to do the work and fly the boat.

projecthog.

 

[GreggS]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

Thanks.
And, Projecthog, it is the flooring I'm referring to.

Gregg

 

[projecthog]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

The floor it is!

Same advice, and the REASON for the simple and cheaper way is the same, mainly to get to enjoying the boat.
I have on a few occasions gone overboard on building and spending until I was frustrated enough to loose interest. I am not like that anymore as I learned what my limitations are and what, as an individual, I want out of a small project.
The best thing for me is seeing the whole thing going in the water in the spring and leaving the restoration projects to the folks who enjoy doing that!
As for the floors, I have gotten to doing them with plywood and then coating them with fiberglass and resin on the earlier projects (I am not a big fan of carpet or deckmate or what ever it is called.) and currently I just do a nice and smooth two part epoxy paint job on them or the same stuff but clear for the wood grain if I want that, which lasts long enough for my lifetime. It stays like new for a long time, preserves the wood, and is easy to clean plus you're not using glue or "mactac" lol.
For the flotation blocks under the floor I have made a hotwire cutter out of stainless aicraft security wire and two insulators on a "U" shaped loop, which cuts the shapes I need for the angled fillers to go in the bays between the ribs, works pretty good hooked to a car battery and fastened to a cutting bench. If a problem occurs with a hull breach, it will definitely save your boat from becoming a statistic as there is no other way of keeping it afloat.
It sounds like I have done a lot of boats, but I am only talking about experience with 5 of them, progressing toward what suits the best at the time, which, this time around, is a small cabin cruiser like the '77 Chief I just found.
Good luck and nice weather in the spring,

projecthog

 

[alumi numb]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

i'm already seeing things i want to try on the next aluminum hull.
rather than aluminum poprivets would like to try POPNuts.
then you could change the floor and seats any time you want.

 

[projecthog]

Re: Plastic Plywood deck

There you go,

Having fun already, good luck,

projecthog.