Building a False Floor

[Killing_Nemo]

Gday,

Just wondering if you guys have any tips on making a false floor for a 4m v hull tinnie? Any suggestions or pics would be appreciated.

Cheers

[Blackened]

G'day
Go down the boat yard with a screwdriver and start ripping up theirs!!!
Hahaha no! dont do that. I have one in my 12' tinny and prior to having bulkheads welded in to strengthen the foor, it was flat with a vertical section running along the middle down to the keel for support. All of this was in 12mm ply. A tip to stop anything from rotting is use structural ply and coat the ply in norseal or polyester resin. Paint or carpet ontop as you see fit.
Dave

[Killing_Nemo]

Thanks for the info Dave, sounds like a job for the weekend.

[finga64]

It's not a real good picture but you can see the ribs etc I welded in under the timber. There are 3 ribs running front to back with an angle across each end running parrallel to the seats.
I only used 12mm structural ply on the top and I recon the cook and I could do a tap dance and it wouldn't bend :)
It's only a 3.75M v-nose punt but the theory would be the same.
Makes a lot of difference with a flat floor :)
Cheers Scott

[finga64]

And with the floor in. I used two pack paint on everything and use an anti-fatigue mat to take the bumps out of everything
Where in Brissy are you Nemo??

[lenm]

You could also use a piece of 20mm poly/plastic honeycomb - you can cut it with a stanley knife then cover each side with a layer of chop strand fiberglass. Will be lighter than the ply & won't get waterlogged. The floor in some new boats are made of this.
It's around $120 sheet 2.4m x 1.8m x 20mm.

[Blackened]

G'day
The honeycomb is a great idea. Never used it myself but the weight saving will be a bonus. Just keep an idea on the cost of materials and see what suits you best.
Dave

[dnej]

I used 12 mm structual ply , straight from the hardware store. Treated the final laminate with Lanolin, both sides, then painted with oil base paint, and covered it all with outdoor carpet, from Clarke rubber. Used velcro to hold it down in a few tricky places, but mainly, it stays put.
David

[Killing_Nemo]

Thanks for the info guys. Finga, I live on the northside....Everton Park. Where abouts would i be able to see about that Honeycomb? Not sure what it is but may be worth a look if someone knows where to buy it.

Cheers

[James_Rand]

I've got a 4m Stessco I put a false floor in 6 months ago. Used 17mm ply $80 per sheet. Not sure what you've got but my hull has a 'raised internal keel'. Down the centre of the ply sheet, I installed 3 pieces of timber that fit neatly over this internal keel to stop the floor moving left to right. The cut outs for the ribs down each side stop the floor moving forward and backwards. Undercoated and top coated in 3 coats with external enamel paint and covered with marine carpet fastened with stainless staples on back of ply sheet.

I didn't want to have to weld in ribs etc. This way, I can remove the floor in 10 seconds and can use the boat without if needed and not be tripping over fixed flooring ribs.

Because the ply is supported down the centre and because it is 17mm ply, it is rock solid and stable. In my boat, the extra weight towards the centre of the boat has actually improved the ride.

Total cost $100 and about 3 hours work!

P.S. I sell the marine carpet through my Solomons Flooring business. If you want proper marine carpet, I can provide it to Ausfish members at cost.
Don't confuse proper marine carpet with the cheap shit you get from Bunnings!)

jr/

[cyclone]

My two bits worth Formply is another good option only edge needs sealing as it comes with a waterproof venier on the outside. Only requires nonskid surface or carpet and job done. andrew.

[Fishin_Dan]

Cyclone - Have you got any info on FormPly?

[Fishin_Dan]

P.S. I sell the marine carpet through my Solomons Flooring business. If you want proper marine carpet, I can provide it to Ausfish members at cost.
Don't confuse proper marine carpet with the cheap shit you get from Bunnings!)

jr/

You might hear from me in the not too distant future ;)

[James_Rand]

No worries Fishin Dan

I'm based at Cannon Hill, Brisbane. 8-)

jr/

[seatime]

Killing Nemo,

Have recently put in a floor to 4m tinnie. I don't have the photo upload thing happening yet, but I'll try to explain how I did it.

Mine's a Bluefin V type hull, I used Oregon 4 x 2 beams from an old bed frame to support the ply. This Oregon is furniture grade, rot and worm proof, I covered it all in marine varnish after fitting.

The Oregon was trimmed to sity on it's 2' edge on top of the ribs flush with the chines, beam to beam. They were bedded down on sikaflex, that's all that holds them in place as the forces are acting down anyway.
I got 3 beams which is plenty, I cut the 12mm external construction ply so the 2 pieces meet on top of a beam.
The ply was eva-dured and varnished to seal it and give a base for the carpet to stick. IMO the timber muffles any sound and the Oregon was lighter than alloy. cheers

[finga64]

#Killing Nemo,

# #Have recently put in a floor to 4m tinnie. I don't have the photo upload thing happening yet, but I'll try to explain how I did it.

Mine's a Bluefin V type hull, I used Oregon 4 x 2 beams from an old bed frame to support the ply. This Oregon is furniture grade, rot and worm proof, I covered it all in marine varnish after fitting.

#The Oregon was trimmed to sity on it's 2' edge on top of the ribs flush with the chines, beam to beam. They were bedded down on sikaflex, that's all that holds them in place as the forces are acting down anyway.
I got 3 beams which is plenty, I cut the 12mm external construction ply so the 2 pieces meet on top of a beam.
The ply was eva-dured and varnished to seal it and give a base for the carpet to stick. IMO the timber muffles any sound and the Oregon was lighter than alloy. cheers

Nice :)

[cyclone]

Dan formply is available at any specialist plywood store it,s the stuff they use to form up concrete so it has to be tuff and water proof as it is used over and over again. Comes in various thiknesses but 12 and 18mm come to mind. it,s biggest asset is the surface no rough grain so it breaks clean off concrete and waterproof. Price is very comparable too. Andrew.

[moater]

One thing that I've rarely seen mentioned in any forum about false floors is the need to clamp it tight/without movement,to the surface that it's fitted to.I've seen some tinnies with significant wear to their hulls from the bouncing/movement of the floor over the years.It might not seem a lot but when you can see and certainly feel an obvious concave type wear line on a hull,just from slackness in the fitting,then you can understand that a 0.3mm+ decrease in metal thickness with,say a 1.3mm hull...sorta gives a vision of a (one day) detachable hull with the topsides maybe drifting around - if you're lucky.

Sorry to be a doomsayer,Darren

[James_Rand]

moater, #Quote "Hull worn out by loose fitted floor" - Who would install a false floor so it would rub against the external sheet metal of the hull. #If you have additional welded supports installed, the floor should only be acting against these supports and the ribs. If in my case, the floor is acting only against the ribs of the boat with carpet on metal, and also acting against the internal keel, then you have no worries. #How would that wear out the hull - a properly installed false floor shouldn't touch the outer sheet metal of the hull! #

Just my opinion.

jr/

[ahoj]

Form ply is a s good or better then raw marine ply . Already treated it stands to salt and moisture OK extra top coat of paint will be advisable you don't want a brown floor.
I use it on my cats floor.. have glued non slip vinyl No problem don't like marine carpets unless its in dry area....
Ahoj

[seatime]

The exterior hardwood 12mm ply I used is made with the same water proof glue as marine ply, the main difference is the face veneer, marine ply has maple or similar and hardwood is just that. The 8 x 4 sheets only weigh slightly more than marine ply and about $15 cheaper. Seal all edges and cuts and holes well and no probs, except splinters until it's sealed.

[Fishin_Dan]

Hmmm definately something to think about! :) Now I just have to find time to get to the stage of puting it all back together! ::)