Starting a total floor and interior rebuild

[sstout]

Well, I finally started the project I've been thinking about all winter. I started gutting the interior and floor of the old boat. I ripped up the carpet, and removed the side panels today. I also removed the rear section of the floor. I knew the boat has had mice under the floor from the previous owner but I didn't know the extent. Yeah, the foam was eaten and there was even a dead mouse in the foam. 

 

The plan is to get rid of the foam, gluvit the seems because they leak, new foam, new sealed floor, new vinyl on the floor and side panels, and new seats. Timeline: to be done for family vacation with it in mid July. Thank you for all of you that had the ideas on what to use for flotation foam.

Edited April 14, 2019 by sstout

[NymphO]

If you have the time, July will be a breeze !

Good luck and keep the progress pics coming

[sstout]

I had some more time this afternoon, so managed to get the rest of the floor and foam out. What a mess the foam was. Found 2 mouse nests near the front of the boat. The foam was wet, smelly, mouse pee infested nastiness. I never want to do that again haha. Next step is a good scrubbing for both me and the boat.

[NymphO]

Blank canvas !

[wmshaw]

I am not sure if you had an internal gas tank from the pictures, but if you did, this would be the time to replace the filler and vent hoses and the vent line cap. If you do not have one, this is the ideal time to add on. Also, check any wiring that ran under the floor boards for nicks and wear, especially since you had mice in it.  Might be a good ideal to replace it at this time.  When I had have to replace the floor on my previous boats, the foam was usually waterlogged and I would replace that as well.   

 

I am also going to replace the floor in my Crestliner and I will do as I noted above.

 

Good luck with your project,

 

Cheers,

 

Bill

Edited April 21, 2019 by wmshaw
spelling

[sstout]

There was no gas tank under the floor, they are above near the back so got lucky there. Also, all the wiring is run to the back up in the gunnels so no wiring under the floor. So, lucked out with both there. 

 

The plan for this week is to replace some rivets in the stringers that run the length of the boat to tighten then up. Then start wire wheeling and sanding the seams and rivets in prep for gluvit next weekend.

[sstout]

I got a few more hours of work in last night. I re-riveted down the two stringers because those rivets were loose, and got some of the seams cleaned up with a wire wheel. There's still alot more prep to go before the gluvit, but it's coming along. 

 

I'm planning on using storm Gray nautolex vinyl for the floor and side panels, and blue for the recessed pockets on the sides to match the boat

[scobar]

I would consider aluminum for the floor, never will be an issue. Lowe boats use aluminum floors


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[sstout]

Over the past couple weeks I got the aluminum sanded down nice, and prepped for the gluvit. With the weather being so cold it was hard to find the warm weather to do the gluvit. I applied the first coat a couple weeks ago on the one 70 degree day. I let the boat sit in the sun for about an hour to get warm, then backed it back in the garage and coated it. Then I applied the second coat last week on one of the 65 degree days. Thankfully I have a garage to work in with all the rain. Tonight I got the stringers riveted back in and test fit a scrap piece if half inch plywood. I have a couple days off work this week so I am planning in water testing it to see if it leaks at all, installing the foam, and getting the floor cut out of marine ply. Finally making some progress. Now if it would stop raining I could make some more.

[sstout]

Today I dodged the rain drops and lake tested the boat. The re-setting some of the loose rivets and the gluvit worked great. No leaks from any of the seams or the rivets. Just one small one from a screw through the transom from the previous owner. I sealed that this afternoon with 5200 and should be all set. I started working on the foam as well. The middle section is 2 layers of 2 inch thick board, so 4 inches total. I'm still going to wedge some more foam in around the edges. The string taped across gave me an idea of where the floor would lay so I didn't stack it too high. Hopefully tomorrow will be finishing the foam, cutting out the floor, and applying the first coat of epoxy on the bottom side of the floor. Two thumbs up for gluvit in my book.

[garrymny]

Nice Work.

Sent from my moto z3 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[sstout]

Made more progress today. I finished the foam. Then used the old floor as a template to trace out the new floor. I cut the peices and test fit them. It worked really well except in the back where the original floor was rotted. I had to make my own template there. Once I got the floor fitted I removed it and got the first coat of epoxy on the bottom side. One more coat tomorrow. Sunday I'll be riveting the floor in and laying the first coat of epoxy on the top. I love the color of marine ply with epoxy over it.

[Smat64]

Rounding third and almost home.





Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Smat64]

Can always leave the sides wood.


Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[sstout]

I do like the sides left bare wood. That looks good. When I did my transom last year I used 3 coats of epoxy and then 2 coats of spar varnish. Then left it bare, not painted. It came out well. The plan for the sides is to have them be the same gray nautolex vinyl as the floor. The recessed pockets in the sides are going to be blue vinyl the match the color of the boat. Should look good hopefully.

[sstout]

Made more progress today. I got the floor riveted in and a coat of epoxy on top. I baught an air riveter from harbor freight. Very happy with it, and was happy to not hand pull all of the rivets to put the floor in. The vinyl came in and looks really nice. I went with nautolex storm gray color. It looks like it should hold up well.

[DtD]

Marine ply is for me...what thickness did you use. You are doing really good work. Dave

[sstout]

When I tore out the original floor it was 1/2 inch. So that's what I replaced it with. It's 1/2 inch marine ply coated top and bottom with epoxy. With it all riveted in the 1/2 is solid. The boats not that big so I was worried about the extra weight and fitment of going with 3/4 inch. That's why I decided to stick with what the original floors thickness was.

[sstout]

I was able to get a few more hours in today. I started by using a thick plastic drop sheet to cut into a template for the vinyl. Once I had the plastic marked I cut it out and test fit it. It was close enough. Then I layed my "template" onto the vinyl and cut it out. I cut about an inch too big to leave some leeway while fitting the vinyl. I then layed the vinyl in and trimmed off the access with a utility knife. Then layed down two sections of glue. Overall I have the back half glued down. I'm hoping to get the rest glued down on sunday. Nautolex vinyl is really nice.

[sstout]

Today I got the rest of the vinyl on the floor glued down. I also got one of the side panels all finished. I stripped off the old white vinyl and used it for a pattern. Instead of using the nautolex 88 adhesive like on the floor I used 3m spray adhesive. It worked really well. I covered both the wood and the back side of the vinyl with the spray adhesive, waited for it to tack up 

[sstout]

And then stuck the two together. Then using an air nailer worked my way around the back stapling it. For my first time ever doing this I'd say it came out pretty good. The finish line is close. So far I'm loving how it's coming out. I took some before and after pics of the side panels. 

 

Sorry for the double post. I hit save too soon.

[just me]

looking good where did you get the roll of vinyl

thanks

[sstout]

I ordered the vinyl from defender marine online. Its nautolex vinyl. I chose the color and the length and they cut it. It's sold by the yard. I ordered enough to do the floor, side panels, and drop panel in the back. I ordered 10 yards, so 30 ft. It was rolled and shipped very nicely. Shipping wasnt to bad of a price for how big the box was with the role inside. The vinyl is 7 ft wide so it was a big box haha

[sstout]

Over the past few days, I got the other side panel covered in vinyl. I also picked up the seats and pedestals. My mom is a great seamstress. I convinced her to do the sewing and stitching on the vinyl for the back curtain that hides the batteries and gas tanks. She did great, it turned out really nice. I still have to install the vinyl in the storage pockets on the sides. I'm toying with the blue or the gray. I just have to install the side panels and screw the seats down after mounting the vinyl in the pockets. My hope is to have it all finished this weekend. The finish line is in sight.

[sstout]

Over the past few days I was able to get the boat done. I'm happy with how it turned out. If it doesn't rain next weekend, I'll get the first hours of the season on her.