The Saga Begins...... (Update)

[gregmercer]

So I bought my first boat today. Its a 1993 Wellcraft Excel, 18' bowrider. It has a Volvo 4 cylinder engine that puts out around 120hp, fresh water cooled and runs great! I feel I got a good deal, the boat and trailer was $1800. NADA value was around $4000 so I am happy.<br /><br />Now the work begins. The interior is a little rough. The floor has a soft spot about 6 inches in diameter right in front of the engine compartment. The driver and passenger seats are cracked and torn. The carpet is dirty, and the boat color scheme is ugly. Just what I was looking for so I would have some work to do!<br /><br />I plan on tearing out the carpet and seats. Replacing the seats. Recovering all of the vinyl on the sides and on the front seats. Cutting out and replacing the soft spot in the floor. Painting over the teal color with a red. Installing a wakeboard tower and a new sound system.<br /><br />I am thinking I can get all of the old stuff torn out by this weekend. That means that I need to get the supplies to replace the soft spot in the floor and whatever I decide to cover the floor with this weekend.<br /><br />To replace the soft spot, what kind of wood should I use? Will exterior treated wood from Home depot work if I cover it with enough coats of epoxy?<br /><br />My next decision is what to cover the floor with. I would prefer not to use carpet again. I would rather have it painted a white or gray color with a non-slip substance. Will this turn out ok? What kind of paint should I use? What kind of prep will need to be done? Is it thick enough to hide the blemishes in my floor? What do you guys recommend? <br /><br />I took this pictures real quick show that you guys have a general idea of what the boat looks like. Its dark out though, I will get a whole bunch of pictures tomorrow in the daytime. Thanks for everyone’s help!<br /><br />Greg<br /><br />

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Hi Greg, nice boat! <br /><br />I don't have any advise for you but I wanted to post and say welcome and I think your post is BRILLIANT!! <br /><br />I can 'hear' the excitement in your words. Not to mention the fact that you are planning to tear everything out by the weekend (did you forget that it's Christmas?). Me thinks you might end up in the doghouse. <br /><br />Good luck and I'll be following your restoration with anticipation.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[kfraser]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Hey Greg,<br /><br />Wow, nice looking boat. And from what I see a good deal also! Glad to see you passed on that other one...I think you've gotton twice the boat for the same $$$..<br /><br />Post some pics of the floor area. Sounds like the soft might an easy fix. You won't know until you get it out. You'll also need to check the stringers for rot. <br /><br />There are a number of options for covering the floor once your finished. Gelcoat with non-kid, paint, bedliner type coatings, ect. Do a search here through the forums and you'll get some good ideas...<br /><br />Now that you've been bitten by the "boating bug" I think you've come to the right place...lots of ideas and good advice here.

 

[gregmercer]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Thanks for the reply's. I have been trying to do so many searches, but sence the site came back online the search dosn't work! It always comes back with 0 results when I know their are hundreds out there. <br /><br />I will be sure to post pictures along the way. As soon as I get that carpet up I will check out the soft spot then see what you guys think. Thanks<br /><br />Greg

 

[alden135]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

It was smart of you to keep looking, now you made out much better <br /><br />Keep posting pics and have fun w/the new boat.

 

[Solittle]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

I would not use pressure treated wood as epoxy and even paint have difficulty in adhering to it unless it is absolutely dry (which can take months). After you get the carpet out check the floor for rot outside of the area you already know about. Often a rather small soft spot is the tip of the iceberg.

 

[HollaGeo]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

"The Saga Begins" - Welcome to iboats.

 

[gregmercer]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

I ripped up the carpet tonight. Overall the floor looks pretty sound. The one soft spot in the rear is even smaller than what I thought. <br /><br />What kind of plywood do you guys recommend I use?<br /><br />Who else has put a non-slip paint on their floor? What do you think about it?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Greg

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

I made a non-slip floor covering for my cockpit floorboards in my last boat by using a rubberlike floor paint for concrete floors mixed with washed bird sand. Worked a treat-it looks quite utilitarian though.

 

[Indymike]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

I used evercoat skid no more for the floor and like it. Exterior plywood will work fine with epoxy for the floor repair.

 

[gregmercer]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

I tore most of the carpet out of my boat, all off of the floor. It looks like I will be replacing about a 3 foot wide section of the flooring. Although only about 6 inches of the floor in the back feels soft when you step on it, then rest around it is cracked looking. I am pretty sure that I cannot sand these cracks out, that they need to be replaced with new wood... Is this right? Their is one small spot in the front of the boat too, I think I can just cut that small piece out and replace it though. <br /><br />Once I replace this piece in the back and the small soft spot in the front, do I need to put down FG resin over the whole floor? With this make it all smooth? <br /><br />Who has cut out their seats of their boat. I decieded to just order new seats instead of recovering the old ones but I need to cut these bases off the floor. Whats the easiest way to do this? Angle grinder with an abrasive cut off disc? Thanks for everyones help. Here are some pictures.<br /><br />Greg<br /><br />

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[Reasons]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Welcome and you have done more work up till now than alot of people do the entire time they have the boat! Rustoleum now makes a marine paint available at the orange box. There is a non skid additive that looks like sand . The paint is about $11.00 a quart and the non skid to treat that quart is $5.00. Dont use any thing other than marine plywood. You should be able to go and beg a scrap of it from you local boat yard.Its not like you need a bunch of it and its that expensive! Where are you in Md.

 

[Solittle]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Greg - Great looking boat. You have a winner. Also I wish more guys would post pictures of their projects.<br /><br />Unfortunately my guess is that you will find much more rot than you suspect at this point once you start tearing out the old.

 

[woosterken]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Greg,check out shareaproject.com there you will find<br />people that have done what you are doing with step by step instructions and pictures.<br />hope this helps ken

 

[oldhull]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

how do i get my pix ina post? so ya'll kno what i'm up against<br />no fool like a old fool

 

[gregmercer]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

What tools do you guys use to cut up the floor and get close to the hull. I want to use my circular saw but because of the guide on it I can only get about 3 inches away from the hull. I have decieded to replace the whole floor from the engine up to the front of the seats. Plus that little spot on the bow of the boat. <br /><br />I am thinking about using my angle grinder but since I would just be using it free hand, with no depth gauage I am a little worried about cutting into the stringers.<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Greg

 

[ljshein]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Greg,<br /><br />You and I are at about the same point in our projects. I just move slower than you do <br /><br />I've started to cut out my seat boxes. I'm using a 4 inch angle grinder. It is slower than a circular saw and more dust in the air but it does work.<br /><br />Since my seats are in very good shape, I'm planing to re-build the boxes but I'll leave them open under the seats for storage.<br /><br />You might consider pulling up the cracked fiberglass on the floor, once you do it will give a better idea of the condition of the wood under it. I'm concerned you'll find most of it damaged and needs to be replaced. Better to check and know for sure.<br /><br />Good luck and drop me a line if you want to compare notes.<br /><br />Jeff

 

[gregmercer]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

Jeff,<br /><br />Thanks for the reply. I guess I will use my angle grinder too. I just thought their might be a better way because it causes so much dust and is pretty slow. I'll use this same post to put up my progress and pictures everytime I work on it.<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Greg

 

[ejwamsle]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

I was trying to figure out what the best was to cut my floor out all the way to the edges. Is there a bit for a power drill I can buy that will work the same as an angle grinder?

 

[bigbad4cyl]

Re: The Saga Begins...... (Update)

get ready to take the top fiberglass cap of the boat off and do it right.