Boat remodel

[wa_archer]

Well getting around to fixing my boat deck this spring. It’s a late 90’s smoker craft. I had some deck boards pop up and the original carpet was getting tattered. So far I have removed all the pieces to get at the deck and after pulled the carpet off this was how splintered the deck was.

My plan is new marine grade ply covered in marideck vinyl. Also thinking of moving some things in the back so one corner you can get closer to transom. Going to do main deck and bow deck and leave or replace carpet areas on sides and side hatches as needed.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Nice.

Following along. I know how much work it is fixing boats. It sucks and can be very frustrating (especially all the wiring and such) lol.

Keep after it!

 

[Four22]

Following!!

 

[TexanSam]

Been there done that with my 1990 model spectrum. Its a lot of work but it's real fun when you have a boat that is in good working order for 1/10th of what these new boats go for these days.

 

[isu22andy]

Hows it going ? Might have to do this to my rig someday .

 

[Steiny77]

Deck is in rough shape.
Those are fun winter projects if you've got a decent shop to work in. Going back with a vinyl floor is a great idea, carpet always winds up getting dirty anyway.
You'll know exactly what you've got when it's all said and done.

 

[targetpanic]

Since you have the deck up you may want to consider checking out how saturated the floatation foam is. My 2000 Sylvan was saturated...the foam weighed many hundreds of pounds. Had to cut it all out and pour new.

 

[HSi-ESi]

We did this on an '87 American Skier last winter. Removed the floor, 3 stringers and all of the floatation foam. It was initially a fun project - but it took a ton of time. We were lucky as the original designer of those boats is still selling parts - so we were able to buy all of the glassing supplies, new carpet, etc from him. It made sourcing materials much easier.

It was crazy how much water that foam absorbed over time. The boat performance post remodel is great and was well worth the time.

 

[wa_archer]

Update to my project I have been working on it all winter but had to wait a a month for temps to increase as my shop isn't heated and the adhesive has temp ratings. I ordered up marine grade plywood, Holy #$#%@# was that expensive. I cut the pieces to fit and did many trial runs to ensure would properly fit. Last week i glued down the vinyl and stapled it around the boards. Yesterday I started putting everything back together this is about half way done. Ill add more pics today as i got everything but the transom end complete. I am planning on changing around some things in the transom. I never use the elevated chair so going to take that bracket out, slide the battery to the middle and open up one side to allow space to reach the back. A swim step and handle will go on that side. We use the boat for tubing and currently its next to impossible to get back into for the kids and wife. I think the hardest part so far was taking the puzzle apart to get to the deck and then putting it all back together yesterday. It is an absolute puzzle of machine screws and wood screws. some of the machine screws go through the hull to hold the side compartments on.

 

[Dakotakid]

That looks good.
I have a 12 ft punkn seed that needs the boat deck replaced. When I fished in Mexico the boat we were on had a boat deck made from a composite cardboard like material. Fiberglass but in a sheet of open cell sandwiched between two sheets.

I keep looking for the stuff but haven’t found any yet.

 

[Goodfish]

That looks good.
I have a 12 ft punkn seed that needs the boat deck replaced. When I fished in Mexico the boat we were on had a boat deck made from a composite cardboard like material. Fiberglass but in a sheet of open cell sandwiched between two sheets.

I keep looking for the stuff but haven’t found any yet.

Core materials, Balsa, Foam, and Coremat for composite construction

Catalog page for core materials used in composites, balsa, foam, coremat, and marine grade plywood.

fiberglasssupply.com

 

[Goodfish]

Core materials, Balsa, Foam, and Coremat for composite construction

Catalog page for core materials used in composites, balsa, foam, coremat, and marine grade plywood.

fiberglasssupply.com

My hunch they glassed one of these on each side. We used to do some foam core decks by glassing foam or honeycomb on each side. The stress skin engineering is amazingly strong if you separate two layers of fiberglass with a core. That’s the basis of a cedar stitch and glue boat.

 

[wa_archer]

Yeah I looked into several different ways to do this. I had some recommendations of fiberglass but our boat growing up was a fiberglass deck and I just didn’t think the look was going to be what I was looking for this boat. I’ll post the completed pics this afternoon I was able to get within a few screws short of finishing yesterday.

 

[Akcabin]

Sounds like a nice project. My family bought a a restored 64 fiberglass lake boat 14'. Even has a 35 merc. It looks beautiful and just like the pictures in a magazine when it's polished up. Nice for just running down to the lake n taking grandkids fishing.
Good luck on your boat

 

[wa_archer]

K well it’s 99% done just that little carpet section on hatch. I don’t have the carpet or glue for that and adding a small swim step/handle to transom where that cut out is. I reconfigured the back area so you can access transom area easier on one side. Sea trials will be the real test. I may at some point take the carpet off the life well hatch and do vinyl but it is metal and did t have the correct glue for metal so it will work for now.

 

[Dakotakid]

My hunch they glassed one of these on each side. We used to do some foam core decks by glassing foam or honeycomb on each side. The stress skin engineering is amazingly strong if you separate two layers of fiberglass with a core. That’s the basis of a cedar stitch and glue boat.

Sorry for the thread mush. But a chance it might help someone.

I think the plastic cardboard like material is coroplast.

 

[BoulderBulls]

Looks awesome

 

[wolfpup]

Looks awesome.... I did the same thing with my 1990 Fishmaster about 4 years ago. It was a fun project. I eliminated a bunch of stuff and reorganized the layout. Much more fishing and kid friendly now.