installing a false bottom

[nadders]

Hi all,

i am mulling thigns over in my head..and just wondering if anyone has an opinion on getting a false bottom put into my boat, or doing it myself?

its a 4.45 sea wasp which is the same basically as a stessco hurricane i think 445?

basically 2.0m wide and fairly tall, comes up to over my knees when i stand in it

what would the cons be of getting a false bottom in other than the loss of a bit of depth while standing?

how hard would it be to do myself, and how expensive to get it done by someone else?

cheers in advance

dan

[dhess]

Pretty easy to do providing you have some basic power tools and are reasonably handy. I reckon you would save quite a bit as there is a reasonably large labour time component to it.

I am about to embark on my own boat flooring poject.

Going to rip out the old squishy carpetted ply floor out of my 5.6m platey and put in a 3mm checker plate aluminiuum floor. A bit easier as the subfloor strycture is already in place.

[Davo_Dinkum]

sounds nice and light dhess.

mite need a few ribs to stop the checker plate bowing . but still lighter than ply .

[Bri The Pom]

dhess wrote:

Pretty easy to do providing you have some basic power tools and are reasonably handy. I reckon you would save quite a bit as there is a reasonably large labour time component to it.

I am about to embark on my own boat flooring poject.

Going to rip out the old squishy carpetted ply floor out of my 5.6m platey and put in a 3mm checker plate aluminiuum floor. A bit easier as the subfloor strycture is already in place.

Hey Dhess

Won't that ally floor get bloody hot in summer??

[dhess]

Davo,

Existing ribs in roughly a 300x300mm gridpattern so shouldn't be any issues with flexing. 3mm plate is pretty damntough.

Bri,

Surprsisingly heat is not much of an issue. Fish regularly on a friends boat with a checker plate floor and heat has only once become an issue, and it was easily solved with a bucket of water splashed over it. The thing is I am rarely out on the water around midday anyway. Mostly do very early morning sessions.

[Davo_Dinkum]

ah k

sounds good

i was thinking more a area 2 m x 1 or 1.5 sort of area .

with ribs that close it will be strong as .

i always thought carpet was more for grip than heat.

[wesfish]

all you need is is some ally angle a heap of rivets a hack saw and drill to start your frame work, then either 10mm marine ply or some checker like dhess suggested, i am going to do my rear casting deck this weekend, i can order some extra ally if you would like from work tomorrow , will have it by thursday at cost price!

[dhess]

Hey Wes,

Can you get onto 3mm checker plate at cost by any chance?

I am still in the hunt for a good price?

[tugger]

i have some rotten floor boards that need replacing too nadders as was wondering if you need to seal the ends of the marine ply before you carpet over

[shortie]

tugger wrote:

i have some rotten floor boards that need replacing too nadders as was wondering if you need to seal the ends of the marine ply before you carpet over

Marine ply i a waste of money. Just use standard form Ply. Yes seal it first i usually give it a good coat of paint before i apply the carpet.

[shortie]

Dom. the checker plate is a great idea. I need to do exactly that on my boat. I reckon carpet over the top of that would still be a good idea.

[Davo_Dinkum]

it would be a idea to seal the ends ,make it last longer.

i have seen people gel coat it and put some anti slip sand stuff on top .makes a good floor.

[dhess]

shortie wrote:

Dom. the checker plate is a great idea. I need to do exactly that on my boat. I reckon carpet over the top of that would still be a good idea.

Even better you can use rubber tube matting. Soft on the feet and doesn't clog up with stench causing filth. :ohmy:

If you are keen we should get together and we might be able to get some quantity based discount.

Problem is it aint cheap at close to $300 per 2400 x 1200 sheet for 3mm. I'm sure I can get a better price though.

Also debating the best way of cutting it. From what I have read shears are probably the best way to go. Jigsaws work too but are meant to be pretty slow. You can also use an angle grinder with an aluminium cutting disc but somewhat dangerous as they are prone to clogging and exploding.

[shortie]

Ive got a mate who owns an engineering works. He should be able to get us a good price on ally sheets. What size do you need. He also has a gilutine that i can use.

[faulked]

all righty guys hers a few words from experience

ply woods come in various forms

marine ply 2 face sides and glued with resin

form ply 1 face side and compression glued with resin "this stuffs mean but only resin based glues will stick"

strucual ply 0 face sides and glued with pva typed glue

normal ply ie the whiteish stuff at bunnings 1 face side with pva style glueing

cutting ally

powerd shears no good on checker plate great on sheet but does curl it a bit '

a jigsaw slow the speed down and make up a lubricant and a squirt bottle 1 blade will go miles just dont over heat as the ally will melt onto blade and thats another one screwed

a power saw with a correct blade again lube it lots and hang on make sure of eyes and ear protection these things can be scary and farkin lethal

guilotines havent used a great deal but from what i know only cut in a straight line but do a beatifull job of it

folders are handy for using up the of cuts of floor etc to make thingys for the boatyou know what i meen all those doobrys that the old fellas use that looks soo handy

i have some tools i can lend if needed

variable speed jigsaw

dropsaw

drills

riveter

grinder

etc

hope this helps in some way

if any one has acces to cheap fiberglass resin im after a 3 or 4 litres

jason

[noname]

i have seen around the traps a rubber tile around 400mm square with raised circles about the size of a 50cent piece, it would be ideal for non slip and easy to clean situations. i have seen them in boats and walkways!

rob

[dhess]

shortie wrote:

Ive got a mate who owns an engineering works. He should be able to get us a good price on ally sheets. What size do you need. He also has a gilutine that i can use.

That would be awesome. I was after 2400x1200 3mm checker plate. Probably 5 sheets. Your mate would rewarded with beer or equivalent for use of his guillotine for a few cuts.

[dhess]

faulked wrote:

all righty guys hers a few words from experience

ply woods come in various forms

marine ply 2 face sides and glued with resin

form ply 1 face side and compression glued with resin "this stuffs mean but only resin based glues will stick"

strucual ply 0 face sides and glued with pva typed glue

normal ply ie the whiteish stuff at bunnings 1 face side with pva style glueing

cutting ally

powerd shears no good on checker plate great on sheet but does curl it a bit '

a jigsaw slow the speed down and make up a lubricant and a squirt bottle 1 blade will go miles just dont over heat as the ally will melt onto blade and thats another one screwed

a power saw with a correct blade again lube it lots and hang on make sure of eyes and ear protection these things can be scary and farkin lethal

guilotines havent used a great deal but from what i know only cut in a straight line but do a beatifull job of it

folders are handy for using up the of cuts of floor etc to make thingys for the boatyou know what i meen all those doobrys that the old fellas use that looks soo handy

i have some tools i can lend if needed

variable speed jigsaw

dropsaw

drills

riveter

grinder

etc

hope this helps in some way

if any one has acces to cheap fiberglass resin im after a 3 or 4 litres

jason

Thanks for the generous offer and good info Jason. I might take you up on the jigsaw as my one is a bit sh!tty.

Will have to start my own boat floor thread as I have crashed Nadders' thread in really big way.

[Davo_Dinkum]

as faulked said ally clogs and over heats jigsaw blades.

but if u get the right blade for ally and go slow and use lube,it's all good.

gilutine would be the way to go ,then the jig saw for any small/fiddly cuts etc.

[straddiebrad]

i can get a price on checker plate next week,3 and 5mm, when iam back to work and let u guys know.brad

[dhess]

That would be awesome. Thanks Brad.

[shortie]

Spoek to my mate he will get confirmed pricing. But he believes last order he paid $180 to $200 a sheet

5 sheets seems a lot for a 5 mtr boat.

Mine is a cabin boat and i would expext i would only need about 2 sheets

[dhess]

Sounds like a lot but I will end up loosing a fair bit through cutting mostly because the way the size of the pieces have to go in. Hard to explain. I guess I might be able to get away with 4 sheets but will have to work it out carefully.

Will hopefully make up a ply or mdf template on the weekend.

[FREEWILLY]

I dont suppose someone could point me in direction of some pictures of fitting a false floor. i have the same job on my hands and could use some idea's. thanks, Harry

[Bri The Pom]

Kelvin read this

[mick fillet]

a heads up to any one with a false floor planing on fishing in NSW it is ilegal to have a false floor with out a bilge pump fitted. not sure if the ruling has made it in up here in Qld yet.its been that way in NSW for a few years now.

[kmcrosby78]

i have seen around the traps a rubber tile around 400mm square with raised circles about the size of a 50cent piece, it would be ideal for non slip and easy to clean situations. i have seen them in boats and walkways!

rob

Yeah I wondered about that Rob as soon as I saw someone (not in this post) mention Clark Rubber as a source of Marine Carpet. Saw their catalogue and some of the rubber products look good. Can't see why they couldn't be used as a carpet alternative. Prob wouldn't even need to glue them in, so could just lift up and easily hose the ply off.

Going to hopefully check Clark Rubber out tomorrow.

Thanks for pointing me towards this post Bri.

And Mick - that's a good headsup mate. Certainly want to take it to the Tweed in the not too distant future. Assuming it is regularly enforced? Would possibly just take the floor out as I'm not likely to fish down that way often.

Cheers,

Kelvin.

P.S. Dhess, Nadders and Tugger - assume each of your jobs turned out well?

[mick fillet]

kelvin-for the sake of 20 bucks fit a bilge.wont regret it.for the 1 day of the year the heavens open up on ya while ya fishin you be glad you got it.

another great tip if any persons thinking of using polystyrien foam for under floor floatation think twice.the foam breaks down due to vibration between the floor and the hull and after a while the little white balls of foam fall off and glogs the impeller of the bilge. use milk bottles pool noodles old boogy boards from the dump shop etc

[kmcrosby78]

Righto Mick - had no idea it'd be anywhere near as cheap as that. Good tip regarding the flotation - I'll see how mine rides after the new floorboards etc are done as can always put in extra flotation underneath the main floorboard area on each side of where the storage is. I am teaching swimming at the pool in Corinda at the moment so can hit them up for broken noodles when needed.

Cheers mate,

Kelvin.

[tugger]

turned out well the first time but i'm in the process of doing another section that has let go with the timber all painted now i just got to stick the carpet to it when i get time

i have seen around the traps a rubber tile around 400mm square with raised circles about the size of a 50cent piece, it would be ideal for non slip and easy to clean situations. i have seen them in boats and walkways!

rob

Yeah I wondered about that Rob as soon as I saw someone (not in this post) mention Clark Rubber as a source of Marine Carpet. Saw their catalogue and some of the rubber products look good. Can't see why they couldn't be used as a carpet alternative. Prob wouldn't even need to glue them in, so could just lift up and easily hose the ply off.

Going to hopefully check Clark Rubber out tomorrow.

Thanks for pointing me towards this post Bri.

And Mick - that's a good headsup mate. Certainly want to take it to the Tweed in the not too distant future. Assuming it is regularly enforced? Would possibly just take the floor out as I'm not likely to fish down that way often.

Cheers,

Kelvin.

P.S. Dhess, Nadders and Tugger - assume each of your jobs turned out well?