Replacing boat floor guidance

[bowfishin fool]

1973 glastron. It’s been a killer boat for my family for 30+ years.

Went to replace the seats and found a couple soft spots in the floor..

Part of me wants to rip carpet out and just lay 3/4” treated plywood over the old floor..


Y’all tell me if I’m asking for disaster, and what the “right” way would be


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[SC-001]

You need to find out if your transom is rotting too, if the floor is the transom likely is too... plus its a '73 so yes your very likely asking for a disaster.

[hopedale]

Best of luck.

I had a 1971 Glastron and when I went to do this, I found out the stringer was completely rotted out by the transom.

If you want to save the boat, find a fiberglass boat restoration service. They can get it done right, but the cost is what you'll need to go over in your head given the boat is over 30 years old.

Sometimes I wish I had gone that route. Like my new boat but that boat has some great memories.

[Flex]

If there are soft spots in the floor, underneath that you are going to fine waterlogged foam and rotten stringers. Probably transom as well.

If you want it done right. Take it to a professional. I am going to warn you that it is going to cost way more than the boat is worth.

If you are not concerned with doing it "right" there are options-

You can lay new wood over it, but that doesn't fix anything and will not increase structural integrity.

You can hope the stringers are good, check them and the transom, and then cut out and glass in new wood where the rotted spots are.

Or you can buy that epoxy stuff, and dig out all the rotten wood, leaving the glass shell in the transom and stringers, and then fill with that. (this is EXPENSIVE)



I am in the middle of replacing stringers and floor in my ski nautique. It has been way more work than I anticipated, I have finally finished the stringers and have them glassed in, will start on the floor next time I have free time to get into it.

I WILL NOT take on a project like this again. I would have rather paid somebody 5k to do it for me. And it would have been done months ago. I will probably be 100 hours plus in by the time that boat hits the water again.

Let me know if you have any other questions. It all comes down to how much you want to spend, and if you want to keep the boat "forever"

[bowfishin fool]

The areas in red are where the floor is really bad.. the main areas where we walk all feel pretty strong!

Can I check the transom without cutting holes in the floor?!

What am I looking for? Soft to the touch? Coloration? Lossy of material? Cracks?


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[DRT]

One time a friend and I trimmed out and refit one. A lot of work, expensive materials and fun on the lake after.
And a project I'll never take on again.

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[SC-001]

The areas in red are where the floor is really bad.. the main areas where we walk all feel pretty strong!

Can I check the transom without cutting holes in the floor?!

What am I looking for? Soft to the touch? Coloration? Lossy of material? Cracks?


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Shake the motor and see if its flexing the transom, look for stress cracks in the gel coat around the motor backet, also tap around the transom with a hammer, if you hear any dead thud spots its rot. You can also take a bolt out that attaches the outboard to the tranom and look for rot or see if water drips out. If you've got that much floor "really bad" as you say I'm afraid you've probably got a nightmare on your hands.

[tx_basser]

I did like you want to on a old boat and it lasted for a few more years until I found something else. I did not use 3/4, but laid down a piece of 1/2 treated over top of floor and recarpeted and it worked fine. Transom wasn't rotten, but I bolted on a piece of aluminum on the back and it strenghtened it fine. Granted I would not have done this if it were a larger Outboard but for a 75hp it worked ok.

[bowfishin fool]

Y’all didn’t know this was going to be a live thread!


Looks like there is quite a bit in the floor… there is actually still water in the hull, and I cannot find where it’s supposed to drain to..


The transom feels very solid, cannot find any cracks, or soft spots, no play when I climb on the motor and monkey around….











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[Quackerbox]

ewwwwww

[bossbowman]

ewwww water in the hull that's not coming out the drain plug it mucho bad, it will have rotted out your stringers and started eating into the transom

[Outback]

Fully insure it then whatever you do, don't accidentally spill gas all over the boat and take up smoking!

[Capt Glenn]

I wouldn't take on that project on that hull unless you are really into that hull. If it has deep meaning to you and you just really want to keep using it then get ready because you are about to invest a whole lot of time and energy as well as mucho money into fixing it.

[TreyRo]

Yea, I'd bet the farm your stringers have some level of rot. I've done a transom before myself and that was a once in a lifetime deal... I'd be willing to wager most of the wood in that boat is soft.

[bowfishin fool]

Okay so I’m gonna shelf this boat until my ship comes in and I can hire someone to do a full restore!


Thanks brain trust, now to drag the Kenner out of the weeds!




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