Doghouse and Removable floor

When I tore into my 1973 Skier the doghouse hinges were screwed into the removable floor in the rear. The removable floor was screwed into the stringers and the carpet ran across the entire section so I did not know that part was removable until I pulled the carpet. As I understand it, and I may be wrong, but it came with T trim to hide the seam and the floor was wrapped in vinyl. Does the trim create enough pressure to hold all that down with no screws? I have a hard time trusting a pressure fitted doghouse with my kids in the back. What do you guys think I should do? I am going with carpet.

Thanks as always for the info Tim. I have already been thinking it is going to take me few days to bed all of the floor pieces because I only have so many weights and will have to basically have to do them one at a time to get them in there really good. Especially the rear ones.

I do not have any trim in the boat and will go with your suggestion and just wrap the panel in carpet.

When I redid my 78's interior and floor, I had screwed the back section down. Those screws all broke off years ago, and it has never moved around one bit with only the weight of the panel.

I wrapped the carpet around the bottom and secured it under so there was no way to snag in and pull it up from being on the floor of the boat.

storm34 wrote: Tim...you have an 81?! Don't think I've ever heard any mention of that one.

I had an '81 Chris. The projects were starting to pile up, so I let it go.

In case no one was folling me on the Z-curve comment, here's what I meant:



A better way to do this would be to run the permanant floor flush with the edge of the secondary, then the glass only has to make one 90 to go down the side instead of 3. (Glass does not like making corners.) The panel has plenty of support just sitting on the primary stringers.

Keegan, dont forget to trim the panel down before installing the carpet. Depending on the weight of the carpet (I assume you have at least 20oz, which is pretty thick) you may need a good 1/4" of clearance on each edge of the bare board for it to fit down in place with the carpet wrapped around it. Not sure if you wrapped the tops of the secondaries or not, but you may want to trim them down a touch under the panel as well- otherwise it will stick up higher than the rest of the floor.

TRBenj wrote: I had an '81 Chris. The projects were starting to pile up, so I let it go. In case no one was folling me on the Z-curve comment, here's what I meant: A better way to do this would be to run the permanant floor flush with the edge of the secondary, then the glass only has to make one 90 to go down the side instead of 3. (Glass does not like making corners.) The panel has plenty of support just sitting on the primary stringers. Keegan, dont forget to trim the panel down before installing the carpet. Depending on the weight of the carpet (I assume you have at least 20oz, which is pretty thick) you may need a good 1/4" of clearance on each edge of the bare board for it to fit down in place with the carpet wrapped around it. Not sure if you wrapped the tops of the secondaries or not, but you may want to trim them down a touch under the panel as well- otherwise it will stick up higher than the rest of the floor.

I thought the Z and almost made them flush with the edge of the secondary, like you suggested, but already did it just like in your amazing diagram.

As for the carpet wrap I was thinking I will leave the hatch the size it is until I put the other floor pieces in because it keeps everything square. Then I will plane down the sides so it will fit with the carpet wrapped. The height is definately an issue. I may beef up the permanent floor on the sides with leftover biaxial, but even that would take a lot to raise the floor that much. To quote John Lennon- "There are no problems only solutions." I will figure something out.

You guys are great! Thanks for the input everybody.

There were no screws on my 83 or 95 holding that section down.. There were screws on the 72 mustang but they are not going back in. The hinge screws didn't go into the stringers on any of them.   

The doghouse screws did not go into the stringers on my 78. I don't recall how the panel was attached, or rather unattached on mine from the factory.

No screws to turn if you hinges have removeable pins but you have to remove the doghouse, back seat, and on some boats the panel behind the back seat to remove the panel.

Good points. Even though my back seat is the original 3 cushions on the floor design, I would have to take out the seat back which does have several screws. I was kind of planning on taking a trial run without the doghouse and rear panel installed so I can make sure everything is dialed in before I take the family out. I like the idea of having one up front, since I will be replacing all my wiring at some point. I just don't have the time or money right now. Summer break starts tomorrow!!! I'm late!