Reflooring questions

[boaterntexas]

I'm about to refloor my 17' bass boat, have a few questions..<br /> do you have to replace the flotation foam, I've been told it in not neccesary and some what usless.<br /> also do you just lay playwood, then carpet... or is there alot more to it??<br /><br /> Thanks,<br /> Thomas

 

[JB]

Re: Reflooring questions

Replace(or keep) the foam, boater.<br /><br />It wouldn't be a bad idea to increase it.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Reflooring questions

The foam is a matter of debate for some, for me its a clear choice. I can't swim, so there will be foam a plenty in my project. The other thing about foam is if the hull gets holed below the waterline, you can get back to the ramp. Its a bit more difficult to get back when the boat is on the bottom of the lake/river. Who in their right mind would even want to take the chance, with as expensive as boats are, its a clear choice. <br /><br />Reflooring involves removing all rotted structure and glassing in fresh wood, not for the faint of heart, but not rocket sciende either. Good luck.

 

[boaterntexas]

Re: Reflooring questions

okay. heres a question... glassing in?? what is that,.. and what are stringers...

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Reflooring questions

A floor replacement is a good bit of work and in most cases is quite a bit more work than just cutting out the old wood and laying some new wood down... <br /><br />Since your boat has carpet, your best move would be to fiberglass both sides of the new plywood, then fiberglass the new wood to the hull to tie it all together using epoxy resins throughout the repair.. Nothing will cause rot faster than wet carpet over bare plywood..<br /><br />Try the red "search" function above and type in "floor rot" or "floor replacement"...<br /><br />Click on the Iboats "MegaMall" tab at the top of the screen and have a look at some of the books on the subject.. The Fiberglass Boat Repair Manual By Allan H. Vaitses. is a good reference..

 

[crab bait]

Re: Reflooring questions

the US COAST GAURD says,, any/ANY boat built after 1972 below 21 foot.. has to have L E V E L . floatation..<br /><br />what can i say...

 

[geomarq]

Re: Reflooring questions

For us rookies... is everyone referring to the foam in the hull beneath the beck? I'm in the middle of re-doing a floor (21ft aluminum center console) and I had to throw out all the foam pieces as it was ruined from being saturated with water. I wasn't planning on installing new foam as I didn't think it was necessary and a local marine shop agreed. I'm not sure what the foam does anyway other than absorb noise - if you do get a hole in your hull I'd imagine the entire hull will fill with water and the foam is essentially useless. I think you'd need a watertight hull (beneath your deck) full of foam to provide buoyancy (like Grady White boats). No?

 

[JB]

Re: Reflooring questions

Without foam or watertight compartments your boat would sink like a rock the first time it got swamped. The foam makes even a penetrated compartment watertight.<br /><br />So: Not only is the foam required to save your boat from sinking if swamped, it is required by law.<br /><br />Your local marine shop has misled you.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Reflooring questions

It takes years for the new foams to saturate with water. The purpose of the foam is to displace water. There is enough foam in there to keep the boat level at the suface of the water, even with the weight of its passengers and drivetrain. You get a hole, there will be little water intrusion, allowing you to get back to port. When people are restoring old boats and come across the saturated foam, it is because it is the old open cell type foams, and the boat has probably been left out in the rain or snow. If you put in the newer closed cell foam and keep the rain and such to a minimum, you will be alright. For my project, I am placing large diameter lightweight PVC drainfield pipe, capped at both ends, into my stringer voids, and then filling the remaining space with foam. This way I have maximum floatation with a smaller amount of foam. Less foam equals less potential water absorbtion. Even the closed cell foam can possibly saturate, but it takes a long direct exposure to significant water amounts.

 

[SCO]

Re: Reflooring questions

Can we clear up one thing. Obviously, any boat mfgd post '72 has to have floatation. Does the law require the owner to replace or keep the floatation on a rebuild? I've heard that it doesnt have to be kept and can be tossed out in previous threads. If so, I think I will next winter take off the deck, refloor and fill below deck with foam, and completely seal that below floor compartment so that the floor will float the boat if the hull is holed.

 

[geomarq]

Re: Reflooring questions

Well, this boat is a '71 Sportcraft and judging by the lousy job the previous owner did on the floor previously, I'm assuming he did the foam also - which as I said was ruined and not reusable. Not to sound stupid, but how do I make sure I put in new foam correctly? Does anyone know of any sites that sell closed cell foam or boating type foam? Does the foam have to occupy the entire below-floor area? Thanks.

 

[ajp]

Re: Reflooring questions

When I re-floored my 1977 boat. I removed the water saturated foam and replaced it with white closed cell styrofoam board, cut into strips. Then glassed in a new floor. I have never tested it by swamping in the middle of the lake. <br /><br />My 1969 deckboat had no floatation from the factory. I used about 50 antifreeze jugs to fill the center section between the stringers. This is basically 50 airtight compartments.<br /><br />I believe it will stay afloat if swamped.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Reflooring questions

Geomarq, US Composites (they have a website) has the cheapest foam I have seen, a two part kit that generates 16 cubic feet of foam for $44. As far as I know, the foam displaces the equivelant of 50 pounds of water per cubic feet. You have to figure out how much cubic feet of space you have available, and how much your boat weighs with the max carrying capacity. I am going to end up with more floataion than was originally in my boat, just for the sake of safety, plus it adds to the structural strength of the hull.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Reflooring questions

SCO,, i surmise that if a boat 'had' foam,, then it 'should' have foam..<br /><br />call the uscg an ask..<br /><br />GEO.. put down thin 1/8 inch pink owens/corning styrofoam first.. <br /><br />tape seams with 'CHEAP' M A S K I N G . tape..this tape is very important..<br /><br />now foam it witha two-part foam.. available thru US composites..( on web )<br /><br />the 1/8 foam .. water can flow under it.. <br /><br />the cheap tape.. water can leak down thru it..

 

[Franki]

Re: Reflooring questions

AJP,<br /><br />styrofoam is very sensitive to solvents...<br /><br />if you had a spill down there, you might find that you have very little of it left...<br /><br />I was gonna do the same thing.. then decided that if I was.. I would be sealing it in plastic sheeting first..<br /><br />Then I read the antifreeze job comment in a previous post and started saving mine.<br /><br />I have 3 so far.. have a ways to go yet.. <br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Franki

 

[crab bait]

Re: Reflooring questions

the solvent 'eating' thru styrofoam post from 'FRANKI' is a good thing as per my method.. that's makes it work even better..that's the whole idea of the 1/8 inch styrofoam... as to have a path for water gettin'in ,, to find/flow outta of,,with the '2 part' on top..<br /><br />now water could/can really flow under it..<br /><br />solvents don't hurt the 2 part foam..

 

[miloman]

Re: Reflooring questions

foam is required by law up here and a good choice if you glass in the floor you should have a lot of years without a problem I suggest doing right the first time

 

[boaterntexas]

Re: Reflooring questions

okay, so I have decides to refoam, so here my finall question.. what exactly is glassing in the floor, and how to do it. also I need a shopping list.. my boat is a 17' fiberglss bass boat,, the plywood for the cloor, and the carpet are no brianers, but what else might I need.<br /><br /> Thanks, lots of great help here on this site<br /><br /> THomas

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Reflooring questions

Go to Amazon.com, and look for Runabout Renovation by Jim Anderson. It is like $15 with shipping, and tells you what you need to know in an easy to understand way. Its not the greatest resource, but it is a resource that tells you what to do without all the overkill unnecessary junk that other books do. You can read through it, get a god idea how to do it, and modify things to suit your purpose.

 

[SCO]

Re: Reflooring questions

Crab, Ive heard from people that should know that you can legally take your brand new boat and remove the foam, but you cant manufacture one without the proper floatation. I certainly agree with your horse sense assessment, I've got it too.