thanks so much for responses.

i am going to take a chunk of rotten plywood out tonight and see if the
stringers are rotten. if they are, i don't know what to do.. pay $1K
for a professional? i am no match for replacing stringers.. i'm a
newbie..

if stringers are okay.. then i will get marine plywood, roller two
coats of epoxy on both sides and if any wood needs jointing, do butt
joints, sand to 80grit, then apply Skid-no-more to the top surface, and
be good as new.

does this sound like an okay plan? i want to do away with carpet
because of the rot factor..


Capt John wrote:
kyle wrote:
hi all,

i've been searching through the group .. i keep finding conflicting
opinions.. hoping i can ask my exact question and get an answer

i just bought a 2003 bayliner 2150 classic (21.5 foot ski boat
basically). the previous owner left the boat out in the sun/water/etc
for 3 years without a cover!! the carpet is trashed. i ripped it all
up tonight. low and behold, the plywood is rotten.

question1) how do i remove the rotten plywood.. do i take a saw and
just cut the wood out.. or is it screwed in somewhere.. do i need to be
careful *where* i cut? what is underneath the plywood.. more wood
(that is probably rotten as well)??

question2) i've read that if you fiberglass over plywood, sometimes the
fiberglass cracks and lets water seep into the plywood and rots all
over again.. ?? myth or truth?

question3) so.. what i really want to do is have plywood and then a
paint with sand in it to give a grip to the feet when walking.. and be
done with it.. what plywood/paint/anything in between the two should i
use?


many thanks!!!

You need to remove the rotted plywood. If it's rotted any screws
shouldn't be that much of a problem, the screws should pull right
through. I suspect underneath you'll find the bilge (obviously) and
flotation material that is probably waterlogged as well, it will need
to be replaced as well. Fiberglass, properly applied to plywood, should
last a long time. Avoid very thin wood as it may flex too much, causing
the fiberglass to crack allowing water to get in. Try a local marine
shop for paint and the sand additive, but outdoor carpet is usually
easier, cheaper and looks better. I have seen people coat the floor
with gell coat that has been thickened and applied with a roller to
give a rough finish, too rough it'll take the skin off your bare feet,
so most sand it down some, but this finish looks pretty good.

John