stern cabin entrance floor. adding a flat floor so no longer standing on the hull

UK-WOOZY

UK-WOOZY

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 Feb 2015
Messages
1,152
Location
medway river
Visit site
so, had my hull repaired last year after sandblasting and found a crack in the hull below the waterline in the stern cabin entrance. was suggested by the man who did the repair from West Systems that i make a flat floor to stand on instead of standing on the curve of the hull. i then bought some 12mm thick marine ply, and have epoxied it both sides with 3 layers to protect it. so am looking at starting to install it this weekend. I assume i can just use some hardwood battens around the sides of the existing bulkhead and engine bay wood to support the floor or do i need to add a support on the hull too? thanks in advance

Q43XCNU.png

x9ITBV9.png
 
Last edited:
or add a couple of batterns in the middle one side to the other? also should i use bolts or just screw the battens into the existing plywood? thanks
 
I have just done the same job in my bow cabin. Battens on 3 sides and a 50mm square timber post more or less in the middle as suggested. The 4th side against the angle of the hull is bevelled for a reasonable fit against the hull. I used body filler to locate the centre post and made the post slightly too high initially (deliberately) and then sanded it down till my new 'floor' sat on all the supports squarely. Takes time but not difficult.
 
12mm ply is quite bendy, so you'll need at least one bearer in the middle of the panel. Ideally this should be a full length support, bonded to the hull. I wouldn't use a point-load single support in the middle.
 
Unless the edge resting on the hull is very carefully spiled it will rock and rattle or squeak when stepped on or when you're motoring; a fixed support at that side is better.
 
pvb said:
12mm ply is quite bendy, so you'll need at least one bearer in the middle of the panel. Ideally this should be a full length support, bonded to the hull. I wouldn't use a point-load single support in the middle.
Click to expand...


so id have to glass in the support? :(
 
penfold said:
Unless the edge resting on the hull is very carefully spiled it will rock and rattle or squeak when stepped on or when you're motoring; a fixed support at that side is better.
Click to expand...

i was going to screw into the battens like how the original cabin sole is done, also 12mm
 
penfold said:
Unless the edge resting on the hull is very carefully spiled it will rock and rattle or squeak when stepped on or when you're motoring; a fixed support at that side is better.
Click to expand...

Chamfering the edge which rests on the hull makes the end result much neater. If the board is then screwed down, it should move much. Self-adhesive rubber strip along the chamfer should stop squeaks.
 
Glass in a mini bulkhead athwartship in the middle of the floor area. You will find 12mm of that area flexible. Not keen on a single post. Screw battens to existing panels and them ply to them. chamfer the edge sitting on the hull to a good fit so the panel sits square on all battens and mini bulkhead.
 
UK-WOOZY said:
the original galley boards creak as it is lol
Click to expand...

On my last boat, there was a floor panel in the walkthrough to the forecabin (see pic below). It was shaped and chamfered to the curve of the hull. It was sitting on decent bearers, with self-adhesive rubber strips on top of the bearers. But it still creaked and groaned - the only bit of floor in the boat which did this. In the end, and in desperation, I decided I'd glue it down on to silicone sealant. DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF! It was impossible to remove it subsequently - but it didn't creak!

floor.jpg
 
I'm not sure that you're going to be any better off with a flat floor that isn't level. At least you can stand on a nearly flat corner (bottom left), and it isn't slippery either. All this work for twice a day traffic?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top