veilside180sx
Smolt
Coming along great
Evan's boat projects: floor replacement
- Thread starter Evan B
- Start date
With the new motor on, and nice weather here: The final touches have been put on the floor and I'm finishing up putting in the gas tank and attaching the panels today. Then a few wires to hook up and I'll call this about done!
There of course will be a few odds and ends to fine-tune, but I'll be getting it out on the water this weekend to break in the new Suzuki.
Will post some photos once assembly is about done later today after work.
There of course will be a few odds and ends to fine-tune, but I'll be getting it out on the water this weekend to break in the new Suzuki.
Will post some photos once assembly is about done later today after work.
Shake down / motor break in tomorrow after the wind dies down.
New video by Evan Burck
photos.app.goo.gl
One very frustrating thing, and this is ongoing...
This is the third time I've installed a gas gauge in a boat. All three were brand new on different boats the past few years. Not a single one has worked despite following the wiring diagram exactly.
I have such little motivation to pull it apart to figure it out. Hopefully the NMEA cable running from my Suzuki will get me a good reading on fuel consumption
This is the third time I've installed a gas gauge in a boat. All three were brand new on different boats the past few years. Not a single one has worked despite following the wiring diagram exactly.
I have such little motivation to pull it apart to figure it out. Hopefully the NMEA cable running from my Suzuki will get me a good reading on fuel consumption
Evan, if the battery space in your boat is open to the bilge at the back you might consider installing a 3-4 inch high fence across the front to prevent unwanted stuff from sliding back there on a wet deck and vanishing. Think split shot, keys, phones, flopping trout, sand shrimp, you get the idea.
I've thought about it but never really had any problem in the past. If things find their way back there often I may do something. But if you go straight back, there's no gap. The only drop to the bilge is right behind the control panel and it's fairly easy to reach in there.
Gas gauges are about as reliable as trailer lights.
Good thing I got this now
Shakedown run was a success. Only real issue is I need to remove the back platform to pull apart the gas tank filler hoses. They seem to leak a bit around the couplings.
New video by Evan Burck
photos.app.goo.gl
Yeah I have another trip or two for break in. Want to fine tune a few things before I spend more time in it.
I got a private message requesting a bit more information. Instead of making the answers private, why not help anyone else wondering the same things:
Going to break down the questions one-by-one-
1. I'm interested in how the wrap around the plywood edge went, and what adhesive you used, and any other tips you have.
This was honestly much easier than I anticipated. The vinyl is very pliable and wrapped around the edges without added bulk. The corners, I found a few different techniques on the YouTubes and all seemed to work. After doing a few, I just kinda made it up as I went. Some corners I messed up, others went perfect. What was nice is there was nothing that couldn't be fixed on the fly.
Adhesive-wise, I tried both vinyl flooring adhesive, which kinda reminded me of a bucket of like wood glue, and 3M spray adhesive. The spray adhesive seemed to work way better, but one can does not last very long and gets spendy quick. So just go with the cheap option since the staples really do the bulk of the work. I DO recommend getting prepared with a LOT of stainless staples and a good staple gun. This was crucial to success.
2. I'm also interested in any reviews of the eva or vinyl you have now with some weeks of experience.
I like both. I don't know that I would want a full vinyl floor, though. It'd work I think, but I can't quite articulate why I wouldn't to a full floor. Just seems like my third place option out of the different materials I used. I think it's great on my panels and back platform, and to help waterpoof things.
For EVA, I like it quite a lot and am going to be putting more down on my floor soon. Main reason being that the seam lines between the plywood, despite being sealed with everything I had, seem to keep separating from the wood expanding/contracting with the weather, and I'm getting nervous about water getting in if the primer/paint doesn't hold up. So I'm going to put another sheet of EVA down once the weather allows. This will add another layer of protection on top of the multiple layers of marine primer and deck paint on them. I think the TotalBoat deck paint is awesome, but for this project and my own peace of mind, I'm going to add the EVA on top of pretty much all of it. I will post an update once that's done.
The EVA does get dirty pretty easily, but does hose off. The texture and all that is best described as being like your cheap pair of flip flops. Same material.
3. I'll replace the underlying plywood with paint-sealed ACX or ABX, rather than marine or MDO. Mine will also live outside, under a cover and tarp
Yup, just like mine. Here's a screenshot of the tag from the plywood I used. Marine plywood is obviously best choice, but I was having a hard time with the price tag. I figure if I lay enough waterproofing paint and primer on this stuff, it'll last me quite a while. Stay tuned....
4. Did you bevel the edges?
Only a little bit with my sander
5. when you reinstalled, how did you get the new fasteners in...are they in the old holes where the rivets were, or did you just install new fasteners in new holes?
I wasn't going to try to line up the holes, so just drilled new ones. No reason not to. I used rivets to secure the floor just like were in there before.
6. Did you bed the edges of the plywood to the hull in 3M 4200 or something similar?
The edges don't go all the way to the side. There's about a 3/4" gap all the way around between the edge of the plywood and the hull. Each edge of floor plywood was coated with the same primer and paint as the top. I did use some paint thinner to make sure it got in to the crevices and hard to reach areas.
Hope that helps a bit!
Going to break down the questions one-by-one-
1. I'm interested in how the wrap around the plywood edge went, and what adhesive you used, and any other tips you have.
This was honestly much easier than I anticipated. The vinyl is very pliable and wrapped around the edges without added bulk. The corners, I found a few different techniques on the YouTubes and all seemed to work. After doing a few, I just kinda made it up as I went. Some corners I messed up, others went perfect. What was nice is there was nothing that couldn't be fixed on the fly.
Adhesive-wise, I tried both vinyl flooring adhesive, which kinda reminded me of a bucket of like wood glue, and 3M spray adhesive. The spray adhesive seemed to work way better, but one can does not last very long and gets spendy quick. So just go with the cheap option since the staples really do the bulk of the work. I DO recommend getting prepared with a LOT of stainless staples and a good staple gun. This was crucial to success.
2. I'm also interested in any reviews of the eva or vinyl you have now with some weeks of experience.
I like both. I don't know that I would want a full vinyl floor, though. It'd work I think, but I can't quite articulate why I wouldn't to a full floor. Just seems like my third place option out of the different materials I used. I think it's great on my panels and back platform, and to help waterpoof things.
For EVA, I like it quite a lot and am going to be putting more down on my floor soon. Main reason being that the seam lines between the plywood, despite being sealed with everything I had, seem to keep separating from the wood expanding/contracting with the weather, and I'm getting nervous about water getting in if the primer/paint doesn't hold up. So I'm going to put another sheet of EVA down once the weather allows. This will add another layer of protection on top of the multiple layers of marine primer and deck paint on them. I think the TotalBoat deck paint is awesome, but for this project and my own peace of mind, I'm going to add the EVA on top of pretty much all of it. I will post an update once that's done.
The EVA does get dirty pretty easily, but does hose off. The texture and all that is best described as being like your cheap pair of flip flops. Same material.
3. I'll replace the underlying plywood with paint-sealed ACX or ABX, rather than marine or MDO. Mine will also live outside, under a cover and tarp
Yup, just like mine. Here's a screenshot of the tag from the plywood I used. Marine plywood is obviously best choice, but I was having a hard time with the price tag. I figure if I lay enough waterproofing paint and primer on this stuff, it'll last me quite a while. Stay tuned....
4. Did you bevel the edges?
Only a little bit with my sander
5. when you reinstalled, how did you get the new fasteners in...are they in the old holes where the rivets were, or did you just install new fasteners in new holes?
I wasn't going to try to line up the holes, so just drilled new ones. No reason not to. I used rivets to secure the floor just like were in there before.
6. Did you bed the edges of the plywood to the hull in 3M 4200 or something similar?
The edges don't go all the way to the side. There's about a 3/4" gap all the way around between the edge of the plywood and the hull. Each edge of floor plywood was coated with the same primer and paint as the top. I did use some paint thinner to make sure it got in to the crevices and hard to reach areas.
Hope that helps a bit!
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This whole thread is going to help a lot of people. Thanks for being so generous with your process!
