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Boat deck replacement?

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GScott

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I have a 21' aluminum hull, Starcraft that I intend to tear the deck out of this Spring and replace.

I'm replaciing it with 3/4" PT plywood but am wonderiing about sealing it.

I'll paint the surface and edges after I resin it but should I resin the whole thing top and bottom or should I resin only the top?

I'm wondering if the bottom should be left alone so that moisture can escape?

I would appreciate any insight from any one that has done a similair project.

 

Gregg

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GScott,

I own a 21ft starcraft center console and replaced the floor. Here is a list of things I used.

 

CDX Plywood I think 1/2" or 3/4" thick

WestMarine Epoxy

SS Snap rivets

SS Screws

3m 5200

Outside carpet glue not the spray

1/8" or maybe 1/16" spreader

Jigsaw and blades

Vinyl Flooring from Defender Marine down in CT (order online)

I found a really close match at defender at a few low price

 

I started by pulling out the center console, then the storage compartment, which is only screwed down. Now drill out the snap rivets and make sure to get them all and pull up the old wood floor. You will find thin alum. strips under the seams of the floor, try not to bend these. They keep the floor sections together. If you have a center console, there is the front storage section and I bet your asking should I remove it, but its attached to the hull and to find a rivet and reseal it would be hard and to time taking.

Now that the floor is out, trace the old floor on to the new wood and cut, the front sections will need little cuts and tight turns to go around the hull. Dry fit and make sure the hole locations line up. Now time to get into a warm dry "vented" place and epoxy both sides of the floor wood and "all" seams. I would put two coats on. Normal drying time is overnight.

Put the floor down and then a thin sheet of alum. at the joint. Drill a hole into the wood and thin alum strip and counter sink the ss rivet, and snap it. Do the same thing for the other end. I used additional ss screws counter sinked into the wood. When you do the front storage the panel will be in the way if you try to put the vinly flooring in after the wood. I would put the vinly floor on the storge area first then the wood. This helps make the floor all one peice and will help keep the water from getting under the deck. Glue down the vinly flooring and 3m the gas tank covers to the vinly and make sure to fill the screws for the center cosole with some time of water sealer. Put every thing back in and together and have a beers.gif

 

A few things I did not take about was replacing the wet foam you find with new foam and fixing the messed up cables and wiring job.

Starcraft-1.jpg

IMG_0759-1.jpg

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I also have replaced my deck. Several times over the last 12 yrs! The fello who said it is right! "vents are a must". I finally solve the moisture problem with a solar powered vent that I mounted to the round access hatch on the deck. When the boat is not in use I pop the cover and put the vented cover on. Keeps everything down there nice and dry. The powered vent was cheap on ebay and I doubt I'll ever have to replace the plywood deck again!

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Venting is a good idea. If you want to do it once there was a project shown on Ship Shape TV, think it was called divinycell (spelling is probably off) but it was a no wood product. About 30% more then marine grade plywood and glass but it won't rot on you.

 

There is a really cool forum on **** that shares all sorts of cool idea's for projects. A lot of guys have aluminum hulls on there too. Just food for thought.

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