Floor is out!!!

[RonT]

Attaboy, work looks great, two things, the 1708 tape if possible get the 45/45 vs. 0/90 the strand orientation is the difference, what you want is strands at 45deg opposed to strands running lenghtwise & perpendicular (only half would be contributing to the strength) whereas 45/45deg. configures 100% of the strands working.
Second: Take your time filling the foam, you will have (4) "zones" to fill port to stb.  in 2' increments going forward, fill each aft. zone then wait to expand & begin to contract or cool before going up to the next level. Filling too quickly will cause something to bulge, in your case with extra HD floors I would suspect the hull bottom would bulge out. If any of this is confusing call me, I don't want to see any problems since you've gone this far doing a great job.....RonT Shop# 985-542-4336 leave msg.

[phil]

yeah, looking good for sure.

[Joel]

WOW!!!  Overkill is a GOOD thing when your talking about wood in a freshwater environment...  Looks like your doing a great job!!      Be sure to replace those old white or silver "dryer" vent exhaust hoses in the transom with the proper black exhaust hose BEFORE you put the gas tank back in...  Buy the absolute best quality you can get and use 1/2 again (X 1.5) as much as you need so you can get to it (with plenty of slack to work with)... cut it down to fit later.   You'll thank yourself for this when it comes time to connect your exhaust hoses from the front / engine compartment to the rear vent holes 

Mine are disconnected (rotted away) behind the tank - I have a 90 degree bend connector pipe under/behind the gas tank and I cant get to the upper connectors without pulling the tank...   DRAG... 

[56mulberry]

the 1708 tape if possible get the 45/45 vs. 0/90 the strand orientation is the difference, what you want is strands at 45deg opposed to strands running lenghtwise & perpendicular (only half would be contributing to the strength) whereas 45/45deg. configures 100% of the strands working.

Ron--I bought 75 feet of 45 degree, 1708, 6" wide 'tape' so sounds like we are on the same page.

Regarding the foam:
1-- how much should I mix up at a time?
2-- and what is best way to pour it?--will I need a funnel or just a slow careful pour?
3-- what do I mix it in?
4-- what is the "pot" time once the two halves stir together before expansion?
5-- What is the time usually to expand, cool, contract?

Ron--you told me to go with 2 to 2.5" holes to pour it in--then I will put some glass/mat resin over them aftewards to seal.

Also--how far forward do I carry the foam process?  I was thinking of going ahead and foaming aft to fore as far as the current floor is now.then when I install floor from pylon forward, I can foam the rest--I bought two gallons of foam which I think is 8 cu feet and according to my measurments I was going to prob need more like 12-13 cu ft.  Figured I could get more rather than have too much....was going to do one side from aft to fore first and see how much it took then would have a pretty good idead how much more i would need.

I went ahead and thisly resined the bilge side of the stringers also down the center of boat from under the dash all the way to the transom for further waterproofing since water will most likely get in there.

How necessary is it to change out all my vent ductwork?  They are all in very good condition--no cracks, holes, or breakage and still very flexy and pliable....

Right now there are three up fron going through holes in the floor baords, and two in the back by blower--where should the ones in rear terminate?  Do they just hang straight down and stop a few inches above the hull and below the floor behind the fuel tank?  that looks like where they are now...

On another note--was thinking of painting bilge area a nice light gray possibly, just to look clean and fresh and make easier to spot oil etc....I know it is not "stock" and I have been trying to keep this boat  as original as possible but was thinking of straying on that issue with the bilge area--just from pylon back to transom in exposed and visible area....whatcha all think?


Thanks --Sorry for all the questions...DOUG

[RonT]

See my post in tech for the foam pouring, as for the gelcoated bilge, absolutely, Thats std. in my shop, just be sure to degrease, scuff sand with 80-180grit. If you havn't bought the gelcoat yet see if its available in "enamal" formula they will know what this means.

[Joel]

The ventilation hose forward can stay if they are in good condition as they tend to get less heat, moisture, etc...  They go into the bilge under the floorboard to provide natural (non-powered) positive (pushing in) fresh air ventilation below deck and to the engine compartment.  One or two may go to the backside of your heater if you have one.  CG regs used to require both powered and natural ventilation - not sure what it is now, but MORE ventilation is always a GOOD thing when you have wood floors / stringers.

The aft vent hoses need to be replaced as they look aftermarket and probably dont meet spec - spec hoses typically arent white or silver - usually black.  There was probably one or two 90 degree plastic or PVC pipes mounted (glassed or whatever) to the hull and/or the transom under & behind the gas tank (thats how mine is set up and its a killer to get to after the tank is in).  The vent hose from the plastic rear grate/vent on the stern comes down & connects to the top of the 90 degree pipe while the vent hose from your blower connects to the bottom.  This setup alleviates the weight of the entire hose length from your blower on the underside of your rear grate/vent connections (so they dont pull off) and maintains a tighter system - any gas vapor, fumes and a lot of HEAT will be blown directly out the rear grate/vent and not just circling around in your bilge.  If you have two hoses hanging down, the second is probably for your natural (non-powered) negative (sucks out) ventilation - that hose should come from somewhere in the bilge (below the engine on the stbd side since the forward natural vent hose is probably on the port side - helps circulation).  It should extend all the way back & connect to your second hose - again, a 90 degree PVC or other pipe connected to the hull works very well to connect both hoses.

It sounds like a pain to do, but your going through all this trouble to do it right and proper ventilation is KEY to keeping your carpet & floors dry.   Once the gas tank is in... you run out of options real fast...

[56mulberry]

OK--If I understand you correctly----so you are saying my 2 vent hoses (both the blower and the natural vent) should both attach to some 90 degree elbows back under the fuel tank essentially and then have another tube extending fore to under the engine in the bilge/engine cover area?  IS that how far fore should they go? I have two hanging down--one is attached to blower and the other to the vent--both are just dangling and terminate right under the floor level right now--no 90's in sight.

[56mulberry]

ANd also--the floor is ALL IN from the pylon back and matted one layer 3" wide from floor to lip (of old floor glass)  and will put another 6" wide strip of the 1708 tape half up hullside and half onto floor and be done---also drilled the 2" holes and resined the raw edges of it so can pour foam Sat hopefully.   Am going to reinforce the front half of floor under the seat area with a another layer of 3/4" ply resined and screwed to the bottom slightly larger that the footprint of the seat base so the seat base (which BTW I just got back from the machine shop--mine was the cracked aluminum style---now replaced with thicker aluminum rails)  so the seat base has more wood to bite into when we screw it down.

WIll post some pics when get them off camera onto computer----DOUG

[RonT]

Vent hose routing in the transom: One hose should go down & attach to the stringer approx. half way down the stringer, this is the natural vent and is suppose to draw from the lower third of the bilge. The other hose is the powered vent hose, depending on where your blower is located will determine if you have or need any elbows. Early models had the blower mounted above the tank & just had a hose running down similar to the natural vent. (again the intake for this must also originate from the lower third of the bilge) Many Advances had the blower mounted on or near the engine, a short hose on the intake side of the blower was fastened to the stringer at the magical 1/3 mark on the stringer. The discharge of the blower snakes around to a 3" pvc pipe running along the muffler & had a 3" elbow on the end against the transom with a short piece of hose connecting the elbow to the exhaust vent grill. Hopes this helps...RonT

[Joel]

That is how my powered / blower ventilation is configured.  I dont know if I was clear about the natural ventilation - the gist is the air is naturally forced into the port side bilge from the forward deck vent/grill - where it will collect in the bilge.  The rear vent/grill will cause negative pressure (while underway) and will suck the air, vapors, fumes, etc out the back.  This is important as it helps to keep the bilge area well ventilated and dry while sucking out any errant gasoline vapors, exhaust, etc.  The powered / blower ventilation is much more efficient, but may fail (bad ground, etc), therefore the "natural" ventilation is a MUST...

Hope this makes sense.  Lord knows you've busted your butt on this boat and the last thing I want to do is add any more WORK 

[Joel]

Sorry, I didnt answer your question...  Yes, both hoses should go up into your bilge (The natural one least halfway up the stringer).  Your blower hose should go all the way up & under the engine (probably have to snake it up there).  You dont NEED the 3" pipe or 90 degree bends, but they are handy.  You can feed the hose up the center (between the stringers) along side your rudder, shaft, etc.

Hope this helps...   Joel

[56mulberry]

SO still a little confused by verbal descriptions--I drew a rough diagram:  Just not sure where the natural and blower hoses terminate--please look at pic I drew and tell me if correct or not--green hoses are x3 in fore to bilge from natural vent on hood and two in back-- one to blower and one to aft natural vent--do both of these do 90's and go ALL the way to engine cover area or does on or other terminate (or originate I guess) further back?  Thanks DOUG

PS  Sorry so confused on this but want to get it right.

[RonT]

Should be 2 hoses in front connecting the deck vent intake & dropping into the bilge, (some did have a third but it does the same thing) The natural vent discharge hose only drops down behind the fuel tank & is fastened to the stringer about halfway down. The natural vent uses the bilge as an air plenum. The powered vent hose is the only one that has ever used an elbow. The powered vent discharge originates in the motor box area, into the blower & out to the transom vent, to make the system more durable part of the 3" plumbing is 3" pvc pipe (along the muffler) and has an elbow at the transom pointing up toward the vent with a short piece of hose connecting to the vent. Your drawing should only have one hose from the transom to the engine area not 2. If this is still greek call me. I'm in my shop this afternoon rebuilding a Volante.  985-542-4336  RonT

[56mulberry]

Nope--got it this time--sounds good--I just need to attach the existing hose to the stringer, as you said ,and then put an elbow on the other hose and run it fore to the engine cover/bilge area.  All makes sense now. 

Now just have to find out how far back the rear floor/hatch needs to go--you said NOT under the fuel tank-- so should it end slightly in front of the tank but behind the carpeted board that covers the tank? About 12-14" short of the actual transom?  Was going to slide it all the way back with 2 cutouts for the vent/blower hoses. But then you said no carpet/wood under the tank......?

thanks DOUG

[Joel]

Doug,

YES!  The floor needs to end under the rear cover board, but short of the tank.  I wish mine was out of storage - I'd send ya some pics.

Sounds like you got it well in hand...

Joel