Sagging floor
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23921
Printed Date: November-19-2024 at 5:36am
Topic: Sagging floor
Posted By: hef@88nautique
Subject: Sagging floor
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 1:03pm
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Hello,
My 89 Nautique has a soft spot immediately forward of the ski pylon dead center. The rest of the floor in the boat is fine. I reviewed SkiBum's documentary - my question is: Is there a way to just repair this specific seection of the floor without a major tear down? I was thinking I could perhaps cut out the soft wood and replace it with new? Anyone done this repair before? Thanks, Hef |
Replies:
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 2:11pm
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you better do some reading on complete re-floor/re-stringer threads ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: hef@88nautique
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 6:47pm
Eric I definitely am. 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. |
eric lavine wrote:Posted By: charger496
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 7:20pm
| 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. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 9:12pm
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! ------------- |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 9:34pm
I agree with Tim - watch out bellow!!  ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: hef@88nautique
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 9:51pm
In theory, if the stringers were ok, could I just replace the floor? Hef |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 10:09pm
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. ------------- |
Posted By: politicallycorrect
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 10:13pm
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I'm in progress on my southwind. If the floor is soft that means wet foam and that means rotten wood. You start digging and you'll find more and more wrong. Might as well put all new back into her and do it right!!!
Scott ------------- Skin grows back...fiberglass doesn't!! |
Posted By: hef@88nautique
Date Posted: October-23-2011 at 10:17pm
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 |
Posted By: charger496
Date Posted: October-24-2011 at 12:10am
| They usually go for a while with a ton of rot going on below before it gets noticed, (or fixed properly) so keep an eye on it. If all you can afford to do is band-aid it for now, then do what you have to do, knowing that the boat is weakened. Don't load it full of ballast, or fat people, and don't drive it like a slot car until the stringers are new again. Keep plenty of PFD's on board. And when you're ready, this is where to get your advice. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: October-24-2011 at 3:12am
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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. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: hef@88nautique
Date Posted: October-24-2011 at 10:24am
Thanks to everyone for your insight. I will let you know how it goes. If I am removing part of the floor forward of the pylon, do I need special supports for the boat in addition to the trailer? Hef |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-24-2011 at 11:46am
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. ------------- |
Posted By: watrski
Date Posted: October-24-2011 at 12:17pm
Unless your stringers are showing signs of failure just keep using the boat. |
Posted By: Morfoot
Date Posted: October-24-2011 at 12:40pm
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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. ------------- "Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman" |
Posted By: hef@88nautique
Date Posted: April-15-2012 at 11:49am
Ok I agree that I need to be ready to do this right. Maybe next fall I can prepare for this job and do it right. In the meantime: Would the stiffner ideally be positioned on end from stringer to stringer under the floor? I assume I would install the 2X4 from the bilge area? Would you use a stud finder to line it up? Thanks, Hef |