Salon Floor Replacement

[Play'N Hooky Too]

So for my winter project we decided to finally get around to replacing the floor in the salon. The old floor was sagging a little in some places and generally had a little more flex than it should. The substructure viewed from the engine room is a hodgepodge of supplemental support, poorly installed FRP strips over the exposed portions of the beams and rigid fiberglass insulation panels covered in a deteriorated fabric that rains a white powdery substance whenever you touched it or brush against it. The wood in a lot of places is breaking down and looks like it is growing hair. I presumed that this was caused by a combination of 48 years of salt air, heat, humidity, and off-gassing from the batteries(?).

I was curious if anyone knows what type of wood Hatteras used for the framing under the salon floor (1976 46C)? It has a coarse grain similar to pine but is more dense and reddish in color. I have access to cypress and was considering replacing the framing with that since it has good rot resistance and is a little lighter in weight than some other woods that are available in this area.

Any thoughts on this subject? Thanks

 

[Bob Bradley]

I can't speak to what was there originally, but I've used white oak for floor supports successfully. I've also used aluminum. Two pieces of the original wood supporting the deck in my prev boat, a 79 43C, had been compromised by heat from the turbos next to them, so I procured solid 7/8" x 3" aluminum (same dimension as the original wood supports) and replaced them with that.

No real need to overthink it. If you seal the end grain and paint it, virtually any strong wood (other than red oak) would do.

 

[Play'N Hooky Too]

Thanks for the response Bob.

I also discovered that the previous owner had installed 1/4" plywood over the original floor....as in over the entire floor, covering up even the access panels for the engines and the genset. I had presumed that he had just covered up the panels with the vinyl flooring since they were still visible from underneath in the engine room. Not being able to remove the panels made engine maintenance a b$%&h. This will also be resolved.

-Alan

 

[bostonhatteras]

The wood species is fir. not exactly vertical grain fir but close. Don't forget that this was a furniture making capitol back then so quality wood stock was abundant and expected in that region. Most of it, even the plywood, was treated with chlorapentaphenol. Thats the green tint you'll see on the wood. its an antifungal preservative. I think the furriness is not affecting the structural qualities, from what I've seen its only on the surface. I believe as you said its from the batteries off gassing.

 

[bostonhatteras]

So for my winter project we decided to finally get around to replacing the floor in the salon. The old floor was sagging a little in some places and generally had a little more flex than it should.

On my 45 I found that the floor framing was entirely sufficient, as was the ply as sole. The deficiency was the design of the hatches. The hatches were the area that gave the spongy feel. I designed new hatches with a strong eye towards rigidity and the sponginess is no longer. The insulation can be replaced with owens corning 703 semirigid fiberglass faced panels, its pretty much what was used originally.
https://dcpd6wotaa0mb.cloudfront.ne...lation-Product-Data-Sheet.pdf?v=1708053097000

 

[drburke]

Some here know of the epoxy chemist guy in New Hampshire named Paul Oman who operates Progressive Polymers.

Even though I live down the street from Steve Smith, the originator of CPES, I actually make my own penetrating epoxy with 50-70% xylene solvent. This works with any brand of epoxy resin so I source locally to mitigate shipping issues.

https://epoxyproducts.com/penetrating4u.html

(sorry for the nightmare site that Paul runs)

I soak the original Hatteras ply in this formula which stiffens it considerably, then apply a hard layer of Water Gard 300 in white (also from Progressive Polymers). Xylene is pretty stinky so don't plan on being aboard while it evaporates and cures.

https://www.epoxyusa.com/product_p/ep05.htm

This process fully restores the sole subfloor and enhances it to shiny hard waterproof finish.

For non-salon hatch edging I replace the factory bottom-screwed ply pieces with white oak boards which I then through-bolt with SS fasteners.

All new ply hatches are treated both sides prior to assembly.

The final solution is rock hard and totally moisture proof.

 

[brettportzer]

I learned on this forum at some point that the insulation in the engine rooms, Owens Corning compressed fiberglass faced with that white sort of cloth stuff, is called “hull board”.

https://www.generalinsulation.com/products/marine/marine-insulation/incombustible-hull-boards/

Same stuff as referenced above except with a different facing.

 

[bostonhatteras]

Some here know of the epoxy chemist guy in New Hampshire named Paul Oman who operates Progressive Polymers.
(sorry for the nightmare site that Paul runs).

That guy is awesome. His site is the craziest thought...where did that page I was just on go? haha

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I had to cut out my floor to remove engines during the repower. I rebuilt it just like Hatteras had it; same insulation and lead. I used engineered lumber for the cross beams. They are stronger than the original wood, essentially water proof and perfectly straight. 3/4 Plywood on top, 1/2" underneath makes a nice clean look especially if you paint it before install.

 

[Play'N Hooky Too]

Thanks guys!

That's all some really helpful info. I'm hoping I can get this all framed out and back to functional by this weekend. Then I just have to decide what to put down for the finished floor....but that's another thread.

I appreciate y'alls help.

 

[Cricket]

All of the structure is Fir, as other have posted. You can sand the fuzz off and just coat the wood with epoxy.