No one likes to discover a soft spot in their fiberglass motorboat’s flooring, but it does happen. If you take action quickly, you can easily repair your fiberglass boat floor with ease as long as you have the right products to tackle the job. We have written about replacing fiberglass flooring on your boat and how to repair a soft spot in your boat floor in previous blog posts, and here we have broken it down into easy steps you can take if you identify a rotted fiberglass boat floor. What follows is how to fix a fiberglass boat floor on a motorboat.
Step One: Identify wood rot
To identify wood rot in your fiberglass boat flooring, look for areas that are sagging. You can do this by simply walking barefoot over your fiberglass boat’s floor, or by eyeballing it from a crouched position, or by using a level. Once you find sagging areas in your fiberglass boat floor, then you can tap it to see if it is soft and giving, or if it is sturdy and solid. If it is the former, you know that water has worked its magic and the composite wood is no longer at its optimal strength. If you don’t take action to replace it now, it could worsen.
Now that you have identified wood rot in your fiberglass boat floor, it is time to move on to step two.
Step Two: Cut out rotted wood
This part is challenging only because it is tedious. First, you’ll need to gather the correct tools. You will need a circular saw, hammer, screwdrivers, and drill. Remove the carpet from the area in question, then very carefully, saw the perimeter of the wood floor to cut out the rotted wood. You want to be careful not to drill too deep or you risk cutting into the hull, stringers, or other areas below the flooring that are integral to the boat. Next, you will need to gently chip away at any areas that are sealed tight to remove the composite wood used for the flooring.
As you do this, you might identify other wooded areas, like stringers, that have rotted wood. If this is the case, first allow those areas to completely dry out by air drying them, or by using a hair dryer to ensure that they are completely dry. Then, add our two-part liquid epoxy, “Git”-Rot®, as per the manufacturer’s instructions, to fill in the rotted crevices. (Please note, temperature and humidity play a factor, so please refer to the instructions before applying the product). Once the product is completely dry, the wood will be back to its original strength and is ready for sanding, painting, or to be nailed or drilled into.
The same goes for the fiberglass boat flooring. There is wood in between the fiberglass flooring, so if it is rotted and dry (the only way to know if it is truly dry is to drill holes into the material and if the fibers come out dry, you will know) then proceed to repair using our “Git”-Rot epoxy as indicated above.
Lastly, once you have removed the rotted wood flooring that requires replacement, it is a good idea to do a thorough inspection of your entire boat’s hull, from bow to stern, to identify if there are other rotted areas or areas that need reinforcement or repair.
Step Three: Replace the wood flooring
Now that you have successfully removed the rotted wood, it is time to replace the wood flooring. First, measure the areas in question and then cut a piece of marine-grade plywood to fit the area. A good idea is to first protect it by adding a thin layer of resin before installing. If you find any holes or cracks that need repairing that do not need to have structural movement, use our Fix Repair Putty, which applies like a putty and cures like steel. It will adhere to any wood, metal, fiberglass, glass, or concrete areas that need strengthening.
Next, screw the flooring into place along the stringers and bulkheads. Then, using a fiberglass kit, seal the edges per the instructions and then apply the fiberglass resin over the top. See our blog on how to fiberglass a boat floor for specific instructions. Once dry, sand all edges to ensure smoothness. Now you’re ready to install the carpeting or enjoy your new fiberglass boat floor!
For a full list of products, visit our online store and product catalogue and be sure to check out our blog for more boat maintenance tips and tricks at www.boatlife.com. Don’t forget, we now offer free shipping within the continental U.S. for orders over $49.
About Life Industries Corporation
Founded by Mr. Edwin Kehrt on Long Island, New York in 1959, Life Industries Corporation formulates, compounds, labels, packages, and ships various chemical compounds. Parent company to BoatLIFE, RVbyLIFE, and AeroLIFE Industries, the organization relocated to its present home in North Charleston, South Carolina in 1995. Grace L. Schmidt, Mr. Kehrt’s daughter, has been president since 1987. Last year marked the company’s 65th anniversary.
