Floors

[Mo_Tick]

i know this should be easy but id like to discuss it before i move on.

on my 14' starcraft, i am going to pull then add  3 bench seats out and add a Floor. the 3 Pedistals that could slide to either side of the boat. along with some properly placed storage.

Heres my question. what should i use for the Floor itself (3/4" ply) and whats the best way to insure it wont bend.. what type of structure under it to keep it from bending when you walk on it and to support seats.

any ideas would help.

thanks

TOM

[Will]

Low_Budget_Hookers made a great little boat and posted how to do it all, here are some links....

http://bassresource.com/cgi-bin/bass_fish/YaBB.pl?board=boating_ID;action=display;num=1123797400

http://bassresource.com/cgi-bin/bass_fish/YaBB.pl?board=boating_ID;action=display;num=1119359773

[Ben]

If I remember right, a Star Craft is a glass boat.

1/2" plywood is more than thick enough, 3/4 would add a lot of extra weight. Hopefully, the boat has a couple of stringers running the length of the boat so you have something to attach it to.

When you get ready to lay the floor you need to coat the bottom side of the plywood with epoxy resin to seal it. You can use a slow cure additive so the resin glues it down or let it dry and use and adhesive. When you get it down, lay one layer of heavy mat over it and up the sides about four inches. If you add slow cure additive and thin the resin just a little, a 4" paint roller works great for putting it down. Roll on a coat of gel coat with the wax in or spray a sealer on it so it will cure and it will last a long time.

If the floor curves up toward the bow too much to get a piece of 1/2" to lay down, layer two pieces of 1/4" on the curve with resin or glue between them.

Forgot to mention, don't use pressure treated wood if you're going to glass it in or use resin to seal it.  The resin won't stick and will turn loose in no time.

[Mo_Tick]

thanks for the responses. i have seen LBH's threads and got a little out of them for this.

the boat is a v-hull Aluminum. with no stringers. are stringers just a wood frame running the length of the boat under the floor to attach to?

i am doing this from scratch. so i wanted to do it without affecting the weight to much.

[Ben]

Aluminum boat.

I would use 3/8 interior with exterior glue or pressure treated.  If you can find some 5 ply that don't cost an arm and a leg, and seal it would better.  Standard BC or CD will give a little when you step between the ribs but not enough to hurt. If it's going to sit out in the weather, you will need to seal the wood unless you use pressure treated.  

Ideal would be to use some heavy aluminum at least .060" thick but that might  cost a little more than you planed.  

Pop rivets or short stainless screws will fasten it down, just be extra carefull drilling the ribs and don't go through.  Don't use anything galvanized on aluminum, it will set up galvanic corrosion and eat the aluminum away from it.

[Yankee_Bassman]

If you use pressure treated plywood, plan on carpeting it....if not, sooner or later you'll get a splinter, and that's a guaranteed infection.....been there, done that, got the scars to prove it....I'd go with A/C, and coat both sides and all edges with polyester resin, until they're saturated...once dry, put down "A" side up, lightly scuff the surface with 220 grit sandpaper, and paint with epoxy or exterior deck paint, and throw some sand or other additive grit made for traction on the wet paint, to help avoid slippage. You can make stringers or lay an interlocking  grid system for support. Make sure all seams are supported. Make templates out of cardboard, keep tweaking until you're satisfied you have the curves right, cut out the plywood, and go. I'd use galvanized screws in the wood, where they won't touch the aluminum. Bed the screws in silicone sealant. No glue. You need to be able to disassemble if you need to get at the hull under the floor for repair, without tearing the whole floor system apart. Make sure water can channel to the rear of the boat to drain, and think about a conduit for wiring, fuel line etc.

I've done some stuff like this, and have one last piece of advice.....think hard about selling what you have, and buying what you want...... doing it ain't as easy or cheap as you think. You will get a great deal of satisfaction if you do it right; you'll be really frustrated and disappointed if it gets screwed up.

Good luck, and let us know how it comes out.