austin27549
Recruit
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 1
Hello, 1st post:
I am replacing the rotten floor in a 1977 19' Hydra-Sports bass boat. A lot of work I know but it was my dad's boat so I really want to keep it and use it.
I've read post after post on the subject of floor replacement and it seems to me that plastic would be a much cheaper and easier solution than fiberglassed wood. I suppose there may be some concern with warpage or expansion on hot days in full sun but I can't help but think that plastic is still the answer.
I have several years of experience in the thermoforming plastic industry and I believe that ABS would be a very strong, durable, relatively light, and most importantly--rot proof alternative to fiberglassed wood.
I ripped the old floor out and found rotten supports in a few spots, mainly under the drivers seat. I never expected to see foam strips seperated by thin metal strips. They are pretty fragile.
Anyway, I'm thinking of replacing the rotten 1/2" to 3/4" wood floor supports with 3/8" ABS strips screwed together with stainless steel screws to double thickness and 3/8" ABS for the floor, with a total weight of about 100 lbs, and maybe $150 in materials. I would save a lot of money by not using fiberglass. Would silicon and stainless steels screws be sufficient to seal the floor to the "upper part of the body" (sorry, my first boat). I would be sure to leave cut-outs around the floor supports for water drainage. I haven't come up with a solution for the foam strips. Several people have suggested in their posts the use of plastic bottles but these strips are only about the size of a hockey stick or a tobacco stick depending of course on where you're from. (Go Carolina Hurricanes!)
So my question is, am I about to make a mistake or am I on to something?
Thanks in advance!
I am replacing the rotten floor in a 1977 19' Hydra-Sports bass boat. A lot of work I know but it was my dad's boat so I really want to keep it and use it.
I've read post after post on the subject of floor replacement and it seems to me that plastic would be a much cheaper and easier solution than fiberglassed wood. I suppose there may be some concern with warpage or expansion on hot days in full sun but I can't help but think that plastic is still the answer.
I have several years of experience in the thermoforming plastic industry and I believe that ABS would be a very strong, durable, relatively light, and most importantly--rot proof alternative to fiberglassed wood.
I ripped the old floor out and found rotten supports in a few spots, mainly under the drivers seat. I never expected to see foam strips seperated by thin metal strips. They are pretty fragile.
Anyway, I'm thinking of replacing the rotten 1/2" to 3/4" wood floor supports with 3/8" ABS strips screwed together with stainless steel screws to double thickness and 3/8" ABS for the floor, with a total weight of about 100 lbs, and maybe $150 in materials. I would save a lot of money by not using fiberglass. Would silicon and stainless steels screws be sufficient to seal the floor to the "upper part of the body" (sorry, my first boat). I would be sure to leave cut-outs around the floor supports for water drainage. I haven't come up with a solution for the foam strips. Several people have suggested in their posts the use of plastic bottles but these strips are only about the size of a hockey stick or a tobacco stick depending of course on where you're from. (Go Carolina Hurricanes!)
So my question is, am I about to make a mistake or am I on to something?
Thanks in advance!