whats under the floor

[melp64]

I've only had my boat since august and within months had to wrap it up for the winter. Since then I have been refinishing all the doors drawers and any of the frames I could get off the boat. I am missing the flooring in the aft cabin and in the galley. I have the main cabin and the V berth and Nav station. The galley and the aft cabin looks like it will be a 1/2 thick. The main cabin I'm guessing is 3/4? My wife didn't seem that impressed with the teak and holly floor that is in the boat now and wants something that would match closer to the wood work.
So here is the info I'm looking for.
1. How thick are the panels in each section?
2. How they held in place. (screw thru the face?)
3. Whats under the large pc of flooring in the main cabin?
4. How deep is the bilge in the middle panels under the table?
I know these seem like simple questions but because I cant get back into the boat I need to ask

[tmac]

Dan,
I recently worked on my teak and holly soles on my 1988, so I can answer most of your questions.  The panels are almost exactly 1/2" thick.   The panels are screwed down around the edges with small (size 6 ??) screws.  You may find that the screw heads might have submerged into the wood, depending on the skill level of the previous owner, and might be difficult to see.  As you loosen each board, gently lift the edges and you'll be able to tell where any remaining "hidden" screws might be.  When you reinstall, you might consider small washers beneath the screw heads to keep them closer to the top of the wood.

The boards over the bilge are two 1/2 panels glued back to back making them about 1" thick.

Each panel sits in a fiberglass recessed pan that is the same depth as the thickness of the wood, so if you remove the wood panels, you can still safely walk around the boat.

I don't have a measurement for how deep the bilge is, but refer to the attached photo – I'd guess about 10" or so?  Maybe someone else can answer that one.  Note - in that photo you can see one of the screw heads on the corner of the panel beneath the table.  They are pretty small and easy to miss.

Free advice (worth every penny) – be really careful refinishing the sole panels.  The veneer is VERY thin.  I've attached a photo of mine, which were aggressively sanded by previous owners, and you can see how the holly is missing in a number of places.  For now, I went ahead and very gently removed the existing finish and revarnished to do what I could to improve and protect, but I'll eventually need to replace the main long panel and probably the galley. 

Take the time to seal the undersides of the panels too.  Water, dirt, sand gets beneath them and damages them.  I've started periodically pulling up the most heavily trafficked panels and vacuuming the pan beneath them.  You'd be amazed at how much sand collects under there.

If you have dents in the wood from dropped utensils, etc. , you can "undent" them to a large extent by placing a (nearly dry) damp towel over it and use a clothes iron placed on the towel to drive steam into the wood.  Don't overdo it or you can delaminate the veneer or scorch the wood.  Sneak up on it a little at a time, and you'll be surprised at how the wood fibers will swell up and fill back in.
Good luck on your projects!
Tom

[Noah]

No guarantees, but I think 1/2 thick is too generous. Mine are closer to 3/8 thick. I believe 1/2 will "ride" proud of the hull pan recess.

[melp64]

Thanks Tom and Noah
I wish my cabin soles were in that good of shape. Mine are moldy and black. Basically at the point of no return. Talking to my wife she would rather see wood that matches the color of the teak doors/drawers I have been refinishing in my basement.
The reason I wanted to know the thickness of the pans is I thought of using a piece of plywood and then some wood flooring. If all the pans are 1/2 I'm not sure if that will work. I was thinking putting down some 1/4 inch and then the flooring, most of the flooring is 3/8 this would make the flooring and 1/8 of and inch proud of the fiberglass. I was going to create new teak and holly panels, I was going to router in the groves with a router and then pour in cream colored epoxy but after showing my wife she thought it would look really good with just some hardwood flooring that matched the teak I am already doing. Looks like I'm just going to have to experiment with it in the spring when I'm refinishing all the teak inside the boat.
I really like the idea of the damp towel, I'm going to have to remember that one.
Have you ever painted the inside of your boat or did you buff and wax the inside?

[Noah]

Search this forum using term "cabin sole" and tons of info pops up. You might consider a vinyl substitute such as Lonseal?

[Ron Hill]

Dan : Yes the thickness of the original factory T & H sole is 3/8".  The new sheets of wood T & H sole are 10mm - a bit thicker than the pan.  I'll guess that the reason the #6 screws are sunk into the sole is because the workers and or the PO used a drill with tooo much torque.  What I did was to use SS finishing washers on the screws which works great.

It is VERY important to seal the underside and the cut edges of the existing sole so it doesn't delaminate from moisture.  There is new T & H sole that is NOT wood that you might want to look at.  If you are
looking at a wood laminate floor, remember that it is just a picture and the 30 year vrs the 20 year is just a bit thicker picture. 

A few thoughts

[glennd3]

 When I refinished my floor I used West system clear epoxy and have been very happy with the results. I can post pictures if you would like.

[waughoo]

I would be curious to know what the epoxy looks like.  This project is in my near future.

As for the thickness of the new stuff, I was able to get 3/8 (or the metric equivelent) as recent as 1 year ago.  I got mine from Edensaw in Pt Townsednd WA.

[Noah]

Alex- I thought you said in a previous post your "new" T&H sole measured out at 5/16th?

[waughoo]

Noah,

I would have to pit a tape on it again, but it was the same thickness as what was in the boat before.  I am away from the panels at the moment, but I can check again tonight.