Vinyl Foor 101

Bruce,
I've got the original blue Nautolex on the floor of the X55. The stuff is quite heavy and I say it would be difficult to bend around corners like the kick on your Cuda. I'd say what you're looking at on the kick is the heavy weight vinyl wall covering.

Dave,
I've seen the weight of the vinyl wall covering that CC used when working at Watercraft Sales in the late 60's and early 70's. I also remember it in the 70 Cuda I had as well as Charlie's (brady) 70 Cuda. I'd say the 21oz. material is heavier than the original.

Also, I know Charlie sent away for sample vinyl wall coverings. I'll ask him if he remembers the weights and can compare them to the original in his boat.

Which would be period correct for the ole 66? I remember the white flooring and the aluminum strips and upon talking to my dad he says about a year after we had it, this is when he went on a vacation for 4 days with the boat,and came back with some kind of astro turf in it, that he had taken it to a guy that owned a wooden Chris Craft,that he had just redone.He tells me that they took the flooring up,and refoamed it,refloored it,and that's that.I remember that mahogoney CC was rad! He was a fireman(my dad) and worked the 3 days on,4 days off, and every 3rd month got 2 weeks off!I'd just been talking to him about this vinyl floor post and he tells me about that. I told him that I thought it had the vinyl floor at one time. He said that even though I was 8 or 9 ,he thought I would have remembered all that.

It is a heavy weight vinyl, Mr. Pete Brainerd says.Hang on to what ever pieces you have! Take the boat inside, let it get good and warm, then maybe use a heat gun,blow dryer, and your wife's plastic spatula and see if you can get some good useable samples to take to a wall covering store.If you need help,give me a call
Marty Mabe
1-336-847-8676

Yes, you could be the hero of many if you could find something that looks original and is readily available... Good Luck with the task. Keep us informed !!

Moj'

Larry that looks pretty good to me. I do not have a sample of mine nearly that big to go from but I would say it was similar to that.

Based on what I have read on this site you might use 3M 5200 to seal those edges instead of paint. We would all love to see pictures of a new vinyl floor!

Web address? Or what's the name of the joint where you're getting this?

This 21 ounce material is definitely thinner than the original stuff. The original has some type of woven fabric backing which made it thicker. The new material is completely vinyl and should be waterproof. I pulled hard on the corners of my samples and it stretches a bit, but does not tear. That's why I think that gluing it down will make it even stronger and more durable. I'm going to glue it on the top surface of the flooring and wrap it around the edges to the backside of the plywood and use SS staples there.   

I replaced the wood and vinyl in our '71 SN in 1978. The material was also heavier with a fabric backing like the original, but doesn't have the same texture / pattern. I glued that down then and it's still there. I am concerned that gluing that vinyl may have worked better because of its fabric backing. This new 21 ounce vinyl does have some woven-type texture on its backside, though. Also, the 27" width is not a problem. I just wish the double roll this stuff comes in had a few more running feet!

We are removing some waterlogged foam now. There was water there, mostly in the exhaust hose wells, but so far it hasn't been as bad as I expected. There are some extra screw holes in the tops of the stringers behind the engine and I probed them and the wood is solid there. So far, this boat doesn't seem to have anything close to the saturation I found in the '71 SN back in 1991.

I appreciate everyone's comments, questions and suggestions as I consider this material for our '67.

Thanks! - Larry

          

Keeganino wrote: My wife thinks I am crazy getting all excited over this... What do Ya'll think

Keegan, my wife THOUGHT I was crazy back in 1997 when I bought our 3rd Correct Craft. Now she knows I am. But she's also been to 10+ CC owner reunions, met lots of great people and had tons of fun. So what does that make her? Tell your wife it all makes for a better relationship as you'll obviously have no time for bars and other women. Just hope though, that she doesn't take the road of a college girlfriend of mine who actually told me almost 28 yrs ago, that she thought I loved my '58 Starflight more than I loved her. I do miss the boat the most.

Keeganino wrote: As for cleaning my idea right now is to get it nice and warm and use a polyester brush to try and remove the foam that is stuck to the finish.

This is probably your only safe approach. Anything that would attack the foam will go after the vinyl too.

Don't spend too much time at it though. The scraps used may not even be the same material they used on the floor. Just take a look at the pictures in the thread again and then go out and see what's close. I think you'll be able to find a vinyl wall covering damn close and appropriate.

Yes Reid, What happened to the Starflight? Do you know where it is now? "Y" block?

8122pbrainard wrote: Yes Reid, What happened to the Starflight? Do you know where it is now? "Y" block?

   

No idea of its whereabouts. I had it from 1981 until only about '88. I was living in So Fla heavy into the salt water boating thing, never thinking I'd ever live back on fresh water. My dad was storing it for me and had a guy bug him for several years to buy it and I finally said OK. I'd done a very poor resto job on it as a college jr/sr. Originally had the Y-block 292 and Dearbo reduction with angle-drive similar to modern PCM 1.23. Had trans rebuilt, but still only ran while oil was cool. Heated up and slipped. Got tired of that quickly, found and installed a Merc 302-215 inboard to get the boat running consistently and that's what it sold with. THEN, I lost the 292 package in a storage deal. The things we do as kids. If only there'd been CCF back then.

Here's my sample from Gary's . It's the sandstone color sample. Doesn't look very thick.

Marty,
I'm curious as to why you went to a upholsterer for vinyl wall covering? Does he handle the stuff?

I'd say Nautolex is the ticket.

MartyMabe wrote: Isn't this the place everyone's talking about where to get it? Gary's Upholstery Products in Tampa,Florida. Also it's a sample of the Nautolex Marine Flooring. Hey by the way, I went to my wall covering place here in High Point,NC, Huffman's Paint and Wallcovering, they've been in business since 1948, Now get this- the guy said- Vinyl wall covering on the floor of your boat!? The 3 people looked at each other and gave the snickering and eye movements.They said, that in no certain terms that any wall covering would hold up on the floor of a boat.I told them I would bring them a piece someday and let them tell me what it was then.

Well, all I can say there has been plenty of "snickering and eye movements" once it was known CC used the stuff. Did they have vinyl wall covering or did you just walk out the door?? Maybe they don't carry it? They must wear street shoes and go dancing in there boats?

I'd also question that sample of Nautolex you got. It looks too thin.

I think you guys are confused. Gary's has sent some people samples already and nobody is saying its fake. The incident Marty is talking about happened at a local paint store. I've been there, these guys don't have a clue, but have been around town long enough you would think they could point you in the right direction.