Replacing floors

[77nordic]

I need to replace the wood floors in my 1977 Nordic jet boat, 21 foot. Any suggestions on doing it? Advice on a shop, advice on lay out? I'm in Downey california. Thanks!

[HB Vic]

I need to replace the wood floors in my 1977 Nordic jet boat, 21 foot. Any suggestions on doing it? Advice on a shop, advice on lay out? I'm in Downey california. Thanks!

Welcome to www.hotboat.com (http://www.hotboat.com) !

What is wrong with your floors? soft? dry rot?

[77nordic]

They are rotted, soft enough to stick a screw driver through. I'm a big guy so they need to be replaced. I'm debating if I want to leave part of the floor between the stringers open to have a step down or to close it. Also to polish the glass or to carpet? Pros and cons?

[2manymustangs]

They are rotted, soft enough to stick a screw driver through. I'm a big guy so they need to be replaced. I'm debating if I want to leave part of the floor between the stringers open to have a step down or to close it. Also to polish the glass or to carpet? Pros and cons?

Photos?


I'm guessing it the floors are that bad, the stringers may be in need of attention?

I think that the stringers need to be bedded in glass on top of the floors...

While I have not done any of this work on my own I've done a fair amount of glass/wood work and have followed plenty of threads over the last decade...

Set up a jig/dolly to know/keep it all straight/true... Built out of 2x4's... Do this first to ensure that the boat is sitting on a true/straight/rigid fixture...

Some guys use a router 1/4" diameter carbide bit to cut through the glass overlay/flooring and not damage the glass bottom of the hull... They use the router to adjust the cut depth and section up the rotten/ bad flooring to be removed and scrape it all out, then D.A. the glass bottom of the hull after the rotten wood is removed...

I think a handy guy can do all of this on his own with a little resarch and common sense... AND alot of elbow grease... :)

Measure/take notes-dimensions and duplicate how the hull was originally set up... Try to use clear kiln dried douglas fir marine plywood and timbers for the stringers...

IF your not totally sure what kind of resin your using be sure to clean the layers of new resin with acetone and scuff with a DA to remove any styrene and ensure a proper bond of the layers of new resins one to another... SOme resins contain styrene and will prohibit the subsquent layers from bonding to each other properly, the acetone will clean off any of the styrene (it rises to the surface and keeps the resin from being tacky)...

You can do a KILLER looking wood floor that can't be matched by any carpet floor...

[77nordic]

The stringers are still good as far as I have found.

[77nordic]

If I want to do a polished wood door do I need to use a laminate over the plywood or just polish over the plywood?

[2manymustangs]

were these plywood floors from the factory?

[77nordic]

I believe so

[2manymustangs]

I believe so

I personally wouldn't want to do the repairs without having solid plywood put back in place under the stringers.

Tomorrow I will try to summons some experts to weigh in and offer up their 2 cents on the right approach...

[77nordic]

I was talking about the plywood on top of the stringers that makes up the flooring, I could use the space between the stringers as storage or as a step down to walk around on. I'm really interested in polishing the resin to see the wood flooring clearly

[2manymustangs]

I was talking about the plywood on top of the stringers that makes up the flooring, I could use the space between the stringers as storage or as a step down to walk around on. I'm really interested in polishing the resin to see the wood flooring clearly

Sorry, I thought you were talking about a hull where the wood flooring is glassed directly to the bottom of the hull. If this is a raised floor and is soft that should be an easy fix...

[77nordic]

This is the raised plywood floor that sits on top of the stringers. Is it something I should do myself or is it detailed enough that I should refer to a shop? Honestly hoping to get it done before easter to use it for a ymca kids camp.

[2manymustangs]

you can do it BUT getting it done by easter would be tough I think...

the real good looking wood floors you see in the flatties/hydros are more than just wood with poly resin on them, they have glass cloth/mat and resin over the wood. just resin wont be strong and have the showy look.

this is why i think doing this before easter is agressive, getting the wood cut/installed and then the glass work/sanding-grinding/long boarding/sanding/flow coat/buffing... its something you can do but it takes alot of time for pro's to do...

also the professionals are using clears over the poly resin that can withstand the U.V. rays... UNcoated poly resin will yellow over time...

[77nordic]

That does help, so I think I'm going to carpet it and I'll make polished wood hatch covers for the floor hatches. Do I need to remove the engine to replace the flooring?

[2manymustangs]

I think to do a good job you are going to have to gut the inside, I would assume the engine mounts and other interior pieces have the raised floor sandwiched to the stringers/hull...

Any pics of the interior???

I wouldn't give up on the idea of replacing the floors but I think your going to have to give yourself at least a few months, maybe a winter project??? :)

It's hard to believe when you look at some of the balsa and wood floors in the boats but it essentially has a THICK layer of glass/resin over the wood and that has to give MUCHO strength to a flat or hydro...

A well done floor has virtually no sign of having a thick layer of glass over the wood floor... Your boat may not need that kind of strength but if you want a slick / good looking floor that will not have checks/cracks all through the resin it's going to have to have a substantial amount of glass buried in there...

Also, just resin alone with no urethane clear over the poly resin will start to turn yellow in a matter of years if it is left in the sun for very long... The resin alone without the glass is not very strong, like a cement driveway/street without steel in it, it will crack up... Add the fiberglass and it becomes some tough shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiat... :)

[77nordic]

Any shop recommendations? I'm just going to replace the wood and carpet over it.

[77nordic]

Any socal shop recommendations?

[2manymustangs]

I've got nothing... :(

[77nordic]

Still looking, I'm bummed I didn't get the Hotboat drink coozie in time tho. I leave for a week of boating tomorrow

[HB Vic]

Really sorry about that. My supplier really hosed me this time.

[77nordic]

I got my coozies! Been taking them everywhere with me and have the big hotboat.com sticker on the back of my truck. Little update, I stripped all the carpet and upholstery out, next is the floor but I'm debating on taking the engine out. I should but no hoist and no money have stopped any progress.. I'm also looking at the trailer and it needs a over haul as well. Instead of bearing caps the last owner put cardboard and electric tape and ducttape over it. The breaks on the trailer need to be re worked as well. So it's officially a winter project now. Job hunting in the meantime if anyone is hiring close to Downey, ca. Thank you all for the advice, keep it coming if you see something. I'll keep it updated when it changes!

[HB Vic]

I got my coozies! Been taking them everywhere with me and have the big hotboat.com sticker on the back of my truck. Little update, I stripped all the carpet and upholstery out, next is the floor but I'm debating on taking the engine out. I should but no hoist and no money have stopped any progress.. I'm also looking at the trailer and it needs a over haul as well. Instead of bearing caps the last owner put cardboard and electric tape and ducttape over it. The breaks on the trailer need to be re worked as well. So it's officially a winter project now. Job hunting in the meantime if anyone is hiring close to Downey, ca. Thank you all for the advice, keep it coming if you see something. I'll keep it updated when it changes!

Cool deal. Lets see some pics of what you've done so far.