Fixing cabin flooring

[gtmoore]

I need to replace the cabin flooring in a 1982 Moody 29 which currently is very badly fitted plywood screwed into battening along each bunk moulding edge. I would like to secure the replacement rather better but wondered why the existing flooring is not screwed into the glassed in wooden bearers running across the boat. Is this a viable alternative or a strict no no

Thanks

Gavin

 

[philip_stevens]

If the wood is glassed-in, it is sealed. If you puncture the epoxy seal with a screw, you would open the way for moisture to penetrate the wood - possibly leading to rot.

Maybe that is why your floor is not screwed into the bearers.

regards,
Philip

 

[Guest]

It's a NO. You need to be able to get at the hull if you get a leak so the more of it that is accessable the better but sole peices should be secured by some form of latch in case of a nockdown.

Roly, Voya Con Dios, Glasson, Lancaster

 

[gtmoore]

Thanks guys - I wondered why and now I know. My problem is the glass on the bearers just aren't flat enough for the floor to sit as well as I'd like. I guess I could lay ply strips over the bearers and perhaps secure with an adhesive compound of some kind (perhaps no-nails?) and screw into the edge of this. As for allowing the bilges to be checked for water and to get to the keel bolts, I had intended to allow a centre section of the main cabin floor (is this the sole?) to be releasable for pumping out water if necessary as well as small inspection hatches in other areas (similar to how it is now).

Interestingly, on another (maybe slightly later) Moody 29 I viewed, the floor has a different moulding and this problem doesn't seem to occur.

Regards

Gavin

 

[chippie]

Just a thought: If the floors dont sit well on the bearers you could tape kitchen wrap to their underside and then put a bead of bedding compound on the bearers and carefully place the floors on it, wait for the compound to (semi)set and hey presto your irregularities are taken care of. Remove kitchen film and all systems are go. Is this a viable scenario?

 

[gtmoore]

What kind of bedding would you recommend? I had a call yesterday from a very helpful guy at Moodys (in response to the question of flooring I posted on their website) and in discussion he tells me that its very difficult to get anything to stick to the gelcoat on the members. He also tells me, contrary to advice here, that it's OK to screw into the bearers provided you use "packing" in the screw whatever that is. In the yard they apparently screw wooden joists to the side of the bearers to screw the floor into.

I'm a bit confused now but I think I agree with Philip here that I would rather not puncture the seal and will try something else such as you suggest.

Thanks

Gavin

 

[chippie]

I was thinking of a urethane type compound available from a builders merchant in a tube , as 'marine spec is not called for. If you wanted to use a 'proper' compound, 3M and Sika both do products that would suit. A slight sanding on the area to be treated would help adhesion.