Advice on new floor install on 23'

[take a potter]

Trying to figure out the best way to do the floor on my rebuild.
I am using 1/2" marine ply with 2 layers of 1700 on each side.

Here are a couple of pics of where I am at now.











So questions... All of these are as much about final function/structure as they are about how to actually fabricate/install.

Scuppers will go out the side, I plan on a fabricating 2"x4" fiberglass tubes to go thru the hull sides at a rear ward angle. I am not sure if I will build clam shells on the outside or not. I think dirtwheels did, but I don't think kmoose did. Not sure of the need? Do I just run them out above the deck with a little well? Or should they go down thru the deck and then elbow out the side?

I would like to raise the deck about 3/4". So if I would put 1" pvc on top of the potter putty on top of the stringers, seen in the above pics, and then crown the deck so that it sits on the top of the existing deck at the edges(would be about 3/8" of crown). Or do I need to remove all of the potter putty and build up the stringers? The good thing about the putty that's there is that it did touch the deck in all places so it would give me a good base height. Was interesting to see the nail holding a small piece of ply that had been used during construction to space the deck.

I am undecided on whether to build the deck with a main hatch caulked down over the fuel tank of just make it solid. In order to access the whole fuel tank in the future the console would need to come out anyway. One less "hatch" to make if I go the solid route.

I would assume that with crowned deck I should layup the deck and then cut the hatches, thereby incorporating the crown into the hatch. Is this the best method?

Also, what are the pros and cons as far as laying up the whole deck as a unit and installing it as one piece? Any big gotchas that favor one way over the other?


There were gutters on the aft sides of the deck. Can anyone see a problem with getting rid of these, not just from a water flow perspective but also from the stand point of glassing in the new deck? If I bevel the edge of the ply before glassing it then I would think that wrapping the edge would be easier.


OK, that was a lot of information, and I thank you for taking the time to read thru it all!

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Thank you.

[SeaChuck]

I have 2- 1972 23's. I completely gutted removed cap , opened up the stringers and removed the foam, cut the top off the keel and removed the wood core on the yellow boat.

Unexpectedly, my buddy decided not to keep his 23' after his deck delaminated from the potter puddy and needed the floor replaced. I just bought this boat and put the banana boat on hold.

This boat has had the transom replaced , Armstrong bracket added and has 2 2005 Yamaha 4 stroke 150's. Great boat, made many crossings from Ft Pierce to Grand, Bahamas before the almost 50 year old floor gave it up. Boat was built to spend extended time away with a 150 gallon tank moved completely forward against the step up.

I removed the gas tank hatch and cut out the right forward floor last week end and plan on removing the port side this weekend. I am still in the planning stages on the replacement. I do want to keep a gas tank hatch and I am trying to figure on how to keep the very large rear floor hatch/ door. This large hatch allowed great bilge access and also housed a custom box for storage. I will send some pics.

This my first go at a new floor, just trying to put a band aid on her and get ready for a family Keys trip this summer.

Current plan is to bond glassed plywood on top of existing puddy to get to the same level as the before and then raise deck 2" with Nida Core and glass. I wanted to stay all composite but the ply gives me something to screw into to secure the console and the tee top back to the stringer for strength. Still figuring it out , but also thinking on getting a mechanical means of bolting the ply wood to the stringer for extra peace of mind , using ceramic transom pour. I got this pic somewhere that is similar...trying to post.

Open to any ideas or input , as mentioned this is my first floor.

Thanks everyone for this wealth of knowledge.

[SeaChuck]

Finally , back working on the deck replacement. 3/4 " plywood on top of the existing potter puddy gives a good height over to the left over ledge of the deck liner. Plan is to glass the 3/4" ply and then epoxy to 2" Nida Core and epoxy the Nida Core to the liner ledge. 1 layer of 1708 on bottom and 2 on top.

Might be over kill but I removed the foam about 2" deep and used the drill with Allen wrench to rout out under the top of the stringer. Poured with Arjay ceramic pour and sunk in the 3/8" bolts with nut couplings to thru bolt the deck to the stringer. Did this 2 places on port and starboard stringer. New deck will be chemically and mechanically secure. Center console and tee top will screw thru the Nida Core into the plywood.

Still figuring out the stern of the deck, going to keep this big access door, and storage box