Sea Nymph 195 aluminum floor info

[lrg355]

Has anybody used aluminum instead of plywood for flooring when restoring a Sea Nymph 195?  If so, what gauge sheet did you use and what type(alloy)?  If anyone has a 93 or later with an aluminum floor, is it possible to check an edge with a micrometer or calipers? I would guess it would be 12 ya (,080) type 5052-H32 so similar.  Would be good to actually know rather than estimating

 

[ri rory]

i have rebuilt many aluminum boats over the years. 5/8 exterior sanded or marine plywood (if you can afford )coated with epoxy & covered w/vinyl or carpet will last many years.  Sheet aluminum is very high right now.

 

never use Pressure Treated wood inside an aluminum hull

 

good luck

[MCF]

A plywood floor painted on both sides and then covered with vinyl or carpeting is going to last probably twenty years or more.  Yes some keep their boats for decades but many get rid of them in less than a decade.   

[lrg355]

The only reason I'm thinking aluminum is that I have a contact for it and water jet cutting from a pattern, etc.

[ri rory]

it would have to be 5/32 or 3/16 to be sturdy and not flex much

 

if you want to rplace carpet at a later date - it may be a PITA to get old removed

 

good luck

[Frogger]

So I don’t think its needed to be as thick as you think if the stringers are spread out for support and your foam is poured up to it.  I’m assuming you have wood floor in it now?  Not sure what year they went with aluminum floor, I redid mine so that the new floor had no pedestal mounts in the back but the 93 model had the aluminum floor already.  It was two sheets. One for each side of the gas tank in the middle. Ran from splash well box up to just past passenger and driver pedestal mounts.  Not sure what thickness. Maybe .120  thick. The joists and foam support it.  Glued Nautalix to it. Wouldn’t use that again. Rough on the knees. Durable as heck though. Riveted the sheets to the stringers.  Again not sure if your years boat is the same. You sure can take a lot of weight out if you can stay away from wood vs the aluminum but if you can’t wood works. As mentioned though stay away from treated if you can. 

[minnowcatcher]

My 96 has aluminum floor but ply over the gas tank. In storage so I cant measure it. Only place I feel flex is one corner in the stern. Hasn't bothered me enough to investigate, maybe a popped rivet? Did a vinyl floor on my pontoon years ago. If I ever rip out the carpet it will be vinyl.

[lrg355]

Thank you for the info.

[lrg355]

18 hours ago, Frogger said:

So I don’t think its needed to be as thick as you think if the stringers are spread out for support and your foam is poured up to it.  I’m assuming you have wood floor in it now?  Not sure what year they went with aluminum floor, I redid mine so that the new floor had no pedestal mounts in the back but the 93 model had the aluminum floor already.  It was two sheets. One for each side of the gas tank in the middle. Ran from splash well box up to just past passenger and driver pedestal mounts.  Not sure what thickness. Maybe .120  thick. The joists and foam support it.  Glued Nautalix to it. Wouldn’t use that again. Rough on the knees. Durable as heck though. Riveted the sheets to the stringers.  Again not sure if your years boat is the same. You sure can take a lot of weight out if you can stay away from wood vs the aluminum but if you can’t wood works. As mentioned though stay away from treated if you can. 

It's an 1985 and has a wood floor.  I believe they went to aluminum about 92 or 93.

[scobar]

my 19' 97 Lowe has aluminum floor, original owner, a few years ago I pulled the carpet out and lifted the floor, just to see under it. Plywood at seat bases and foam every were else, all under floor was in great shape, just popped riveted it back down w larger head rivets and Grizzly paint. Sure theirs some flex in it, buts its aluminum, no big deal.

[lrg355]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:48 PM, Frogger said:

So I don’t think its needed to be as thick as you think if the stringers are spread out for support and your foam is poured up to it.  I’m assuming you have wood floor in it now?  Not sure what year they went with aluminum floor, I redid mine so that the new floor had no pedestal mounts in the back but the 93 model had the aluminum floor already.  It was two sheets. One for each side of the gas tank in the middle. Ran from splash well box up to just past passenger and driver pedestal mounts.  Not sure what thickness. Maybe .120  thick. The joists and foam support it.  Glued Nautalix to it. Wouldn’t use that again. Rough on the knees. Durable as heck though. Riveted the sheets to the stringers.  Again not sure if your years boat is the same. You sure can take a lot of weight out if you can stay away from wood vs the aluminum but if you can’t wood works. As mentioned though stay away from treated if you can. 

Pulled up the rug today.  Ripped out a lot of other items that must go also.  One of the previous owners mounted many things with common steel screws, not stainless. Removal was a chore with grinding screw heads off or drilling them out.  The floor is riveted down and from from the factory rivets on the console, I believe this is the factory carpet and floor because nothing looks like it was ever removed. This is a 1985 so it is about 38 years old.  Unbelievably, the floor is solid, no soft spots or rot anywhere. Some slight surface delamination in a small spot. Considering letting it dry completely for a month or so, repairing the delaminated area, sealing the surface than covering with Nautilux marine vinyl.

 

[MCF]

Sounds like a good approach