[C320-list] Interesting discovery on cabin floor

[Jeff Hare]

Hi Jack,

Check out my project using Lonseal to completely remake a cabin sole for an O'Day 32. I think it came out ok.  We purchased it from Defender.  I discussed the project with the Greg Nord at Lonseal quite a bit before doing the project.  I have info on the various differences between their types of Lonseal product as well as the technical application guides for working with it if you're interested.

https://c320.org/mediagallery/album.php?aid=296

If you're going use new plywood, consider using this as a guide.  Don't use anything except marine plywood, and you won't find it at any normal lumber yard or home center.

Few things about marine plywood that you may already know. Marine plywood has no voids in any of the internal layers and uses waterproof glue. It will rot just as fast as any other wood if not properly treated. Don't confuse it with exterior grade 2 side sanded plywood you see at lumber yards.  Marine plywood has more in common with cabinet grade plywood in that you can cut it anywhere be guaranteed to never have an edge void.

We used BS 1088 certified Hydrotek marine plywood. First coat, all surfaces, of West Systems epoxy was thinned with alcohol by 10%.  Second coat was unthinned.

Pay very close attention to the teak/holly pattern alignment as you transition across the different boards.  While they were all in place we made accurate alignment marks so that we'd have a way to get the stripes exactly straight and not be offset as they transition across the different boards.

We used West epoxy thickened to mayo consistency and the special fine toothed trowel (you can get at Defender).  Since you'll have the original flooring to pattern from, plan to take it the new wood back to the boat and do a test fit screwed down.  Then mark the alignment marks once all your gaps are exactly how you want them.  Once you roll out the excess glue with a heavy duty roller, cover the lonseal with the old matching floorboard and carefully pile on cinder blocks or buckets of rocks.  (ie: Lots of well distributed weight.) flat surface is key. Deal with the squeezout after it's cured and start trimming the lonseal back.  I found a Ridgid oscillating edge belt sander from home depot made it really easy to get the edges fine-tuned.

BTW, you'll want to belt sand any epoxy bumps or blobs out of the panels before applying the thickened epoxy and lonseal so that those won't telegraph through the finish.

A bit of care and it'll look awesome.  We will be doing this to our boat at some point in the future as our factory floors are starting to crack and discolor.  At that point, we'll also carry the pattern through to the galley (or use just the solid teak version there).  TBD.

Cheers!
-Jeff Hare
Adaptive Marine Solutions, LLC
#809

  

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Jack Brennan
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2019 3:39 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Interesting discovery on cabin floor

So I’m getting ready to install a new Lonseal teak and holly floor in the cabin. I was steeling myself for a tough afternoon cutting out a pattern of the floor with all of its twists and turns.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered those screws don’t just hold down the laminate. They also hold down a quarter-inch plywood base that screws into the real cabin floor.

So the good news and the bad news is that I was able to lift up the plywood base and haul it into my garage, where I will be able to use it to make a perfect pattern for the new floor. Unfortunately, it is cheap plywood that has not weathered 20 years well.

It looks like I’ll be cutting a new plywood base for at least part of the floor.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320, no. 528
Tierra Verde, Fl.
Dolphin Cruising Club of Tampa Bay