Flooring

[acam1975]

Guys,

I have a 4.5m front steer savage that is due for a bit of TLC, its my 1st boat so i dont have a whole lot of experience.

The carpeted ply floor has started to rot to the point that in some places the carpet is the only thing left.

What are my options for replacing the ply? Should i go for Ply again and should i use Marine or general CD grade ply, does the ply need to be painted/ sealed?

Other than ply is there any other options, maybe aluminium checker plate?

Over the base i was thinking of rubber matting of some type as carpet is a pain for cleaning (squid ink, blood, sand etc), any thoughts?

Also, i wanted to create some under floor storage between the stiffeners. Can i remove some or all of the foam in those areas, what is the foam for anyway?

Hope you can offer some advice.

[kingpig]

Hi

My mate has just done his savage Osprey in the last couple of months. I think there is a thread on here about it.

He did not want carpet but wanted a textured finish for easy of cleaning. He purchased a type of paint that was rubber based and fully sealed the ply using only a standard grade.

There are plenty of colours to chose from and the product is very good.

Cheers

[andrew399]

Im gonna have to dp the same thing shortly myself, probably before summer so keep me posted on what you do and if you find any cheap materials! The foam is for flotation if your boat ever gets filled with water. You want it there for safety but i think you could move some for storage space, others may be able to help with how much.

I would go with marine ply, then you wont have to be doing it again any time soon and it doesnt swell etc when exposed to water. You will have to seal it. The chequor plate would be a good option but i think it would get pretty hot and i dont wear shoes so not for me, that rubber based paint sounds good...

[rickb]

Hi acam 1975,

I replaced my floor with marine ply and marine carpet,about 7year ago,I have a jet nozzle

on hose I hook up to my generator,for washing down carpet,I give it a spray with a mixture I made up

and hose it down,still looks new,your foam is your safety device if U deep six it.

cheers Rick.

[bluebottle18]

Checker plate is real good but maybe tricky to install and will need to be painted a dull color due to glare.

The floor will get hot in the day so you will have to think about what to do there. It will also be slippery

so again that must be looked at.Remember be careful what you do as you can make your floor quite dangerous.

Definitely use marine ply if you use timber and give it a good coating of paint. Easier to work with. the rubber

type of paint sounds good. There is heaps of good advice on Fish Raider from those that have done their boat up.

Check them out. I am sure they will help you out.

[BWV]

The foam is for floatation if it is removed the vessel will be considered unseaworthy. If you want to put a timber floor back paint it with eveydure and it will last a life time or for a cheaper option just use a paving paint it is 1/10 of the price of any marine deck paint and last a whole lot longer and has much better water proofing properities.

[Stacer560]

best to use structural CD ply from bunnings. Iwould use 17mm.

Then coat it twice with epoxy resin and hardener.

Part A and B, with a bit of thinners. Coat twice within 20mins.

This will protect the timber.

I just did it recently myself, worked a treat, but very hands on and time consuming.

Not a rush job and you need to be patient.

[tuffy]

Acam, marine ply is exactly the same as CD grade ply but with a better outside veneer finish. Not necessary on a boat floor. Use CD grade ply, seal both sides and edges with Everdure and then either carpet or paint finish to your choice.

I've done mine in the past with carpet etc and have never had a problem. You will probably find when you take the old floor up that the cross members are about 30cm apart. If this is the case you will not need 17mm ply. You will only need 12 mm and this will be adequate ( unless you weigh 200 kgs, that is!)

mine's been down since 2005 and is still spot on.

Cheers, Tuffy

[bisso]

I agree with Tuffy. i used CD exterior ply, 12mm, coated it with everdure, sealed it to the floor and then used contact adhesive to glue the marine carpet over it. works terrific and i simply hose the carpet off at the end of the day. n.b. make sure you dont leave everything too wet so you dont get rot or mould/mildew buildup though. let the sun do its bit to dry things out prior to covering up.

[Marlin01]

CD grade is OK but as mentioned it must be sealed with epoxy resin. This is no big deal and quite easily done. Mix and paint on all over. As for the flooring check out Regupol Granite rubber flooring. I have had it on the floor in my boat for 7 years and it is unbeatable in all aspects, non slip wet or dry doesnt absorb water like carpet and is so easy to clean.

Cheers Marlin

[acam1975]

Guys,

Thanks for all the good advice. Looks like ill be going with ply over checker plate.

I have also decided to use this product to coat the ply, hopefully gives me a satisfactory outcome

http://www.phoenixpaints.com.au/m_04_06.html

Thanks again and hope to see you on the water