Sagging floor

you better do some reading on complete re-floor/re-stringer threads

   The original wood was not treated with a thinned epoxy (CPES is a popular choice) to keep the wood from getting wet. Any stringer job done properly will contain this important step. If you do this, it'll last 10x longer than the factory intended.

TRBenj wrote: hef@88nautique wrote: The section I am having trouble with is fiberglass over wood mkaing it more prone to rot. I guess I need to tear into it and see what is going on. You hit the nail on the head- the floor is soft in the only area where it can get soft. Not a good sign for what lies beneath. Dont tear into it unless youve got the time and money to spend on a complete stringer and floor rebuild. It always looks worse under there than you expect!

I agree with Tim - watch out bellow!!

hef@88nautique wrote: In theory, if the stringers were ok, could I just replace the floor? Hef

Of course!

That being said, Ive yet to open up a boat with a mushy floor to find dry foam and pristine stringers below. Usually, a soft floor is just the tip of the iceburg... its a symptom of the underlying disease.

TRBenj wrote: hef@88nautique wrote: In theory, if the stringers were ok, could I just replace the floor? Hef Of course! That being said, Ive yet to open up a boat with a mushy floor to find dry foam and pristine stringers below. Usually, a soft floor is just the tip of the iceburg... its a symptom of the underlying disease.

Yea makes sense.
So what if I do nothing for now?
The floor is a little saggy but I can live with it.
How do I know when its structurally compromised to the point where it is unsafe?
I have never heard of a ski nautique breaking apart on the water - yet!
Its a shame the boat runs great and I cant afford a new one.
Hef

Hef -There is no foam directly under the area you are referencing.      Yes, it can be sectioned out & patched.    I would cut it out to the middle of the stringers so you have good support at the joint.     When you get it cut out, take a hole saw & cut thru the glass on the stringers (as low as you can reach) & see if the wood is wet or even still there.

Good luck, let us know what you find.

SNobsessed wrote: Hef -There is no foam directly under the area you are referencing.      Yes, it can be sectioned out & patched.    I would cut it out to the middle of the stringers so you have good support at the joint.     When you get it cut out, take a hole saw & cut thru the glass on the stringers (as low as you can reach) & see if the wood is wet or even still there.

I would not recommend a fix like this, as there is really no point. You wont be replacing any of the structural integrity that is lost due to rot. The pylon is secured with the cradle, so a strong floor isnt needed for skiing. Replacing that section of floor will only make you "feel" better. You'll spend a bunch of money on wood, fiberglass and carpet.

My vote is to do it all, or none of it. Unless the stringers are rotten under the engine (check the cradle bolts) you can probably run it as-is for a while longer. Just keep an eye on it and recognize that it will need to get a full stringer job eventually.

I 2nd to Tim's last comment. Don't waste the time or money on a temp fix like that. If you wanna fix the soft spot TEMPORARILY then reinforce the soft spot by installing a stiffner. Use a PT 2x4 spanning stringer to stringer place it underneath the floor and screw it in from the top using countersink, brass/stainless screws. Not pretty to look at but keeps someone from going thru the floor.