Evan's boat projects: floor replacement

[Evan B]

Picked this boat up from a friend earlier this year to use as my quick n easy ride for my local Columbia and Willamette River programs.

Been using it like crazy, so had to prioritize replacing the original plywood floors after the season came to an end. After my trip out yesterday, I started the teardown process.

Here's what's coming out. Took this Pic after already removing some of the bow storage panels.


Now my first challenge: getting these floors out in one piece so I can use them to stencil the new ones. Instead of being fastened by screws, looks like it's rivets, which I've never worked with.

 

[Denwor54]

Hey Evan those are pull rivets you can drill them out easily with the right size bit. Drill from the button side or top try a .187 .190 single margin bit, you want to drill two thirds down but not all the way thru. Use a steel punch and a hammer and tap out what is left and button will stick to the punch. Not sure what the hole size is for the pop rivet probably .226 or .254 once you get them drilled out the whole panel will come out. And if you don’t blow out the holes they are easy to reinstall and if needed you can always upsize if needed.

 

[Billy]

Hey Evan those are pull rivets you can drill them out easily with the right size bit. Drill from the button side or top try a .187 .190 single margin bit, you want to drill two thirds down but not all the way thru. Use a steel punch and a hammer and tap out what is left and button will stick to the punch. Not sure what the hole size is for the pop rivet probably .226 or .254 once you get them drilled out the whole panel will come out. And if you don’t blow out the holes they are easy to reinstall and if needed you can always upsize if needed.

Too technical. Just take a sledge hammer to it @Evan B

 

[Evan B]

Too technical. Just take a sledge hammer to it @Evan B

I would but it'd make the new floor installation even more technical.

 

[Denwor54]

I wish I lived closer I would help you with the removal and sorry for giving to much detail. They really are simple to remove and reinstall just need the tools and make sure your drill bit size is undersized to the fastener size.

 

[Billy]

I would but it'd make the new floor installation even more technical.

You don't want a three year project like the carpet on my bass boat?

 

[Billy]

I wish I lived closer I would help you with the removal and sorry for giving to much detail. They really are simple to remove and reinstall just need the tools and make sure your drill bit size is undersized to the fastener size.

I was being a smart ass. Your advice was spot on and I'm sure @Evan B appreciates it

 

[Denwor54]

When I get a chance i will take a pick of the fasteners and tools and how they work

 

[Denwor54]

I was being a smart ass. Your advice was spot on and I'm sure @Evan B appreciates it

I realized that just figured you might be serious, you now how bass fisherman think.

 

[Evan B]

I realized that just figured you might be serious, you now how bass fisherman think.

Like thinking carpet is an acceptable thing to put in a fishing boat

 

[SurfnFish]

Drill out should be easy, oversizeed bit so it just removes the head.
looks beamy with high freeboard..what hull?
MDO for the replacement floor?

 

[Evan B]

Drill out should be easy, oversizeed bit so it just removes the head.
looks beamy with high freeboard..what hull?
MDO for the replacement floor?

Yeah it's really wide and deep. Perfect for the Columbia here.

It's a Northwood, which is just a SmokerCraft that was built for cabelas in the early 2000s.

While at it, I'm going to also reconfigure everything near the back including removing the live well which I have no use for. Plan on putting my new 12gal gas tank in that area it'd free up.

 

[CRO]

Looks like you will need at least 2sheets of marine grade plywood if the bottom is wider than 48 inches. take lots of money with you when you go to lumber yard. Its muchh easier to replace if you can use the old pieces for a pattern.

 

[Evan B]

Looks like you will need at least 2sheets of marine grade plywood if the bottom is wider than 48 inches. take lots of money with you when you go to lumber yard. Its muchh easier to replace if you can use the old pieces for a pattern.

Yup, prepared for both. Going to keep them as intact as I possibly can. I think I'm probably going to need 4 sheets due to the width of the boat. The sheets will need to go length-wise from side to side vs front to back.

 

[Denwor54]

Like thinking carpet is an acceptable thing to put in a fishing boat

You should look at some of the materials that they use for garage flooring my brother in law refloored his sled with the material. When he gets back from a trip I will ask him what he used. There are many options out there and I agree carpet is not realistic for long term use.

 

[Evan B]

You should look at some of the materials that they use for garage flooring my brother in law refloored his sled with the material. When he gets back from a trip I will ask him what he used. There are many options out there and I agree carpet is not realistic for long term use.

I've checked it out a bit. I think bang for buck, marine vinyl is pretty hard to beat. It also has better long term uv protection.

 

[SurfnFish]

last wood floor project I helped on, owner replaced them with MDO primed and painted all sides and edges, final topcoat with Totalboat TotalTread...that was decade ago, when I fished on the boat last fall, floors still looked go to go.

 

[Evan B]

last wood floor project I helped on, owner replaced them with MDO primed and painted all sides and edges, final topcoat with Totalboat TotalTread...that was decade ago, when I fished on the boat last fall, floors still looked go to go.

Yeah I've been considering that route, too. That's the other main option I'm considering vs marine vinyl.

 

[Evan B]

Really starting to feel like this is a good decision

 

[Evan B]

I'm taking solace in the fact that reconstruction will be simpler than this demolition. Turns out the soft floors are pretty well adhered to the foam underneath, making them very difficult to peel off.

There's also certain obstacles that are riveted to the hull like the rod holder brackets, and the side console things along the rear 1/4 of the boat.

Today pulled up the front floor piece and almost got the live well out.