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Gould 0738
 
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Default Replacing part of the boat floor.... HELP!!

From the day I was hoodwinked into buying this boat I've had some
problems. Never buy a boat from a good looking woman in a bikini.


Or anything else.

(non-related story follows)..

About 25 years ago, we had a guy running a waterbed store around here. Most of
the customers were single guys. All of the salespeople were nicely stacked,
provocatively dressed young ladies. The atmosphere in the showroom was private
and seductive. The same waterbeds that were selling elsewhere for $149, were
flying out the door as fast as the guy could stock them at $500 a pop. (That
would be like, maybe, $1500 in 2003).

Turns out that the primary sales technique involved standing an inch or two
away from the prospect, and along with a strategic wink, wiggle, jiggle, and
brushback of the hair a promise to "personally deliver your new waterbed and
make sure you're completely satisfied."

Delivery day would come around, and the customers would leap to the sound of
the doorbell only to discover the saleslady, (dressed in overalls), and two
350-pound
grumpy male truckdrivers delivering his waterbed. They'd take an hour to set up
the frame and fill the mattress with water, and then the saleslady would get
the guy to sign a statement that he was completely satisfied with the delivery
and set up!

They finally shut the guy down under some kind of consumer protection law.
False advertising or something. Pretty funny, really.

As far as the floor rot:

Im thinking of ripping 2"
strips of pressure treated around the skiframe and using appoxy and
fiberslass so give it strength.


That's a technique called "sistering". Putting a good chunk of wood next to a
compromised member. Commonly done with frames on older wooden boats, but you
have to make sure you're killed all the rot spores in the bad wood or the
problem will spread like a determined cancer.

Im not certain I can get all of the
rotten floor up without taking the entire floor up.

..It only looks
rotted for a about 2 inches around the ski hole. Is there any way to
seal rotten plywood?


Once plywood goes bad it starts delaminating. You will probably never catch up
to the problem with any sort of sealer or miracle cure. Yanking it out and
replacing it would be the best bet.


Im thinking if I can get to solid wood by using
a dremmel I can get a pretty good hold on it by filling in the bad
parts with appoxy. Im not concerned about the cosmetices because
the floor will be recovered with carpet and the frame will be under
the floor.


You will want to go well beyond the most obviously rotted wood when you pull
the old stuff out. Pull out the rot, and some of the "still looks good" wood
immediately next to it. It's the only way to be sure you are really fixing the
problem.

The carpet was probably a major contributor to your problem. Wet carpets on
plywood floors are a good combination for promoting rot.

My plan would be to build the frame in 2 peices, glass or resen the 2"
frame before I put it in. then, screw the frame in place under the ski
hole and appoxy the crap out of it and putting glass around the edges
to seal it to the rest of the good floor.


I'm unclear about whether you plan to completely remove the present rot or just
reinforce the rotten floor with new framework. Get the rot out of there,
whatever you do.

Should I use marine
plywood? Is it the same as pressure treated plywood?


Marine plywood is not the same as pressure treated plywood. Marine ply will not
have any voids or "blows" in the laminations, but pressure treated ply is
likely to have some. Marine ply will use waterproof glues, and most exterior
plywoods will also use waterproof glue.
Anybody onboard your boat in bare feet?
Yes? Stay away from most pressure treated wood. Arsenic is harmful to children
and other living things. That saoking wet carpet could eventually have a scary
arsenic content if laid over pressure treated plywood. You can "get by" with
exterior ply, if getting by is good enough. You would use marine ply for a
better and more permanent fix.