Another Floor Repair

[baddjonny]

JUST LIFTED CARPET UP ON MY NEW $500 CMATE STARFLITE MORE GLASSING ,WOODWORK AND WET FOAM CHOPPING TO DO.There's no drains for any of the compartments under the floor in the starflites there all filled with foam, also the floor is just sitting on the stringers so any water or crud that lay's in the boat if it gets deep or the boat sits around for years uncovered (mine) water and all sorts of nasty stuf can get to the foam and stringers found tops of them uncoated . Will take some pic's to let you see what I'm up against .

Thanks jobn b

[baddjonny]

Heres more pics. took all the foam out saw nice brite yellow balsa core thru the glass. the stringers are only fiberglassed on the inside of the center well with some 5200 sealer under them. going to glass both sides of stringers after dryout for a few days. the damp wet foam was really starting to self destruct the boat/

[popeyebob]

GOD ! I hope mine is not that bad !!!

[baddjonny]

First place to check is in front of gas tank that was the first soft spot on mine a trailered 1988.But it did sit uncovered for a year or two. Then went up front like you sugested dug about 20-30 lbs of damp wet through that. I just cut a tunnel through the bottom where it was wet. then I decided to replace the soft spot in the back by the tank when I cut it out and found damp wet foam which rotted the corner of the stringer and all the fiberglassing in the ski well was unbonded from the stringers . was able to peal it away from the stringers with a small screwdriver and my fingers the wood was all damp and showing signs of delamination . will be picking up some new plywood for the floor today it's all half inch cdx the stringers are 3/4 .

PS here's a pic of a peice from the bow that weighed 8 lbs after sitting in the sun for 3 days. the foam does not seem to dry out once water is in it only way to get it out is crush it.

jon b (MR. DOOM and GLOOM)

[baddjonny]

The round pedestal mounts are 3/4 plywood with STEEL T-NUTS !
1/4" 20 mine all rusty but still there.

[baddjonny]

Starting to reglass the stringers.Going to use microfibers with resin under stringers then a layer of mat then a layer of woven roving and then should be in good shape for reinstlation of floor. going to screw and glue battens along the edge of old plywood .put some wet mat on top of stringers screw that down to stringers and battens.then stuf some wet mat into seam between old and new wood. grind flat and cover the seam with a extra layer of mat and cloth.

will see how it goes
jon b

[baddjonny]

Here's a pic of batten's to hold the new floor up till the glass is applied to the top. I reglassed both sides of the stringers as the boat was built with glass on the inside of the stringers bear wood on outside. My glasswork isn't pretty but it's solid and resin lite. which means there is just enough resin to saturate the cloth. plain old polyester fiberglass evercoat boat yard bonding resin .I used elmers waterproof glue for holding the battens to the bottom of the old floor along with a few #8X1.25 coated deck construction screws which I'll also use to hold down the the plywood deck after I put a mushey layer of mat and thickened resin on the stringers and battens when I drop the new deck in place.

jon b

[Tom D.]

Badjohnny,
Where you have your battens attached is that part of the original floor that you left behind? Or does your floor attach to the piece that's about 4 or 5 inches on both sides?

Tom

[baddjonny]

There part of the original floor I didn't want to go through cutting and grinding out the old floor to the chines thats why I'm useing the battens. to hold everything up till I get it all glassed.

jon

PS the lowered battens in the middle(hard to see) and the 1/2 2x4 on th stringer is where I added a extra peice of plywood under the floor for extra support under the front seats

[Tom D.]

Ok! I think I would add some wedges of wood under those or some more wood strips under the battens for support. One good wave with some weight on the floor ans snap! Your floor gets lowered. I can understand you want to lighten your boat by taking out wet foam and stuff but don't sacifice your structurally inegirity. Just an idea.

Tom

[baddjonny]

Threre just for holding up the plywood untill it's glassed thr resin and cloth does all the work of holding up the floor along the seam I'll first stuff wet mat into seam grind it flush then a thick layer of mat ,a layer of woven roving finally another layer of mat or cloth to finish it .

jon

[Tom D.]

Lookin' good! It won't be long for the water now.:cool:

[baddjonny]

unemplyed rite now doing this whole thing on unemployment which won't last much longer. Still have to build up a 200 merc that needs a sleve and also need a trailer.mabye i'll be done by cod fishing season ???

[baddjonny]

Ripped out all the foam glassed both sides if stringers factory only glassed ski well side.Used 1/2" cdx ply from home depot $10.a sheet took 1 and a 1/4 sheets. bonded old floor to new using battens and a layer of mat stuffed between seams then ground excess flat , one layer of mat 3" across the seam the a layer of woven roving 6" on top of mat and finally a 1 foot wide layer of heavy cloth . then I sealed the whole top of the plywood with a layer of cloth and resin used the cheap boatyard resin $18 a gal took almost 4 gals between the stringers,the bottom and top of the plywood.
Tried both fiberglass evercoat boatyard resin and another brand made in fla the evercoat was a bonding type resin the other was a finishing type resin can't remember the name but it aslo said boatyard resin nether said if they were finishing or bonding just boatyard. will start working on my blown up 200 merc next.

[pinbuoy]

Man, that's a ****load of work! I'm watching this thread very closely as my '89 Starflite is having trouble flying the bow. I know the bow foam in my rig is wet. I sure as hell hope the wet foam in my boat is forward of the bulkhead only!

pinbuoy

[ncst8er]

I'm dealing with the same problem. In my case the driver's front stringer & bulkhead were the primary problem. I found some minor rot at the rear of the passenger front stringer and the rear stringer on the passenger side. I'm cutting new pieces to fill the void and sistering them in on the backside. Will filly fiberglass, put in new floor and fibergalss over it as well.