How does one go about replacing the carpet in the boat?

What is the best way to take care of the hull on older boats?    

What products to restore the hull if it is oxidized?

                             

Matt

I replaced the carpet in my boat about a year and a half ago. I ripped up all of the old carpet. On the fiberglass surfaces, I just quickly rough sanded it to give the new glue places to hold.  On the wood deck surfaces, I treated the entire thing with a layer of fiberglass resin and 1 layer of mat to water proof it.  Then quickly rough sanded that to get a better bond.

I got a few sheets of printer press paper from where I work (its about 8' wide) so make templates of.  I then cut the carpet in the exact shape of the template, laid it on the deck, and before glueing, I marked where the corners of the lids were. I applied a good bit of glue to the deck and lids themselves, then laid the carpet on, used a rolling pin to smooth it out, then let it dry a few hours. After that, I cut out the lids, then laid down my 90 degree angle trim on all the lid edges. If your going to tuck under your lids, you will want to remove them, or cut them out before glueing, then use scrap to cover and tuck.

The best way is to make sure its not rotton before buying. If it is, you've got a massive job in front of you. If its structurally solid, the best way to preventing hull problems is to either garage it when not in use, or use a good waterproof cover. When I trailer home after using my boat, if the weather is clear, I leave my battery hatch open, bunji cord it down, so air can circulate into the bilge.

BassBoatSaver is good, as is lightly wetsanding.

Josh,

   Here is some pictures of "The Other Woman"!

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/allbaggedout21/2006_05232-18-070557.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/allbaggedout21/2006_05232-18-070558.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/allbaggedout21/2006_05232-18-070559.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/allbaggedout21/2006_05232-18-070560.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/allbaggedout21/2006_05232-18-070562.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/allbaggedout21/2006_05232-18-070563.jpg

Matt

thats a pretty sweet ride. That carpet looks good for another year or two.

Couple of things to watch for.  If it rolls over the edge of the hatch lids, be carefull and don't cut the corners too close or it will leave the edge exposed.

MAKE VERY SURE you cut all pieces on the same biase.  In other words lay the carpet out face down, plan and position all pieces to cut so they every piece will lay the same as it would toward the front of the boat as it would be installed in the boat and be sure to mark every piece with an arrow toward the front of the boat.  I say front, but they just all have to be cut so they all face the same direction as they were on the roll, it can be the side or the back, just so every pieces that is cut faces that same direction.  If not, it will look like patch work quilt and the pieces can actually look like they are different colors.

Another thing, watch out for plush carpets in boats that didn't come with it.  If you're taking 16 oz carpet out and putting 20 or 22 oz in, you will most likely run into trouble getting the lids to open and close if it wraps around them.  They will be so tight, you while need something pry them up, been there, done that.  Yea, the plush looks damm good, but you will curse everytime you have to open a hatch if it's surrounded by carpet.

Use a 7" side grinder with a cup shaped wire wheel to clean most of the old glue and piles off, blow it out.

Don't use carpet glue, use contact cement and both surfaces.  I use a paint roller to put it one the larger areas and brush to down the edges on the lids.   Makes life much simpler, especially when wrapping the lids.  If you have a tight spot, and need to position a piece without it sticking first, cover the area that has glue with wax paper, carefully position you piece, just don't put any pressure while positioning it, once in position, slide the wax paper out a peice at the time and press that area down, just be sure not to press on the other wax paper or you might stick it to the glue.

I lay the carpet face down, place the lid on it and using a sharpie, mark all four corners, then I use a guide strip the with of the material it's going to take to make the fold under the lid and mark that lid piece off, and use a utility knife and metel straigth edge and cut it, with a piece of plywood under it.   I also make an arrow showing the front of the boat and number that piece and lid the same.  

For the floor and large areas, I just cut my carpet a couple of inches larger than needed, glue it and then take a carpet knife to cut in  the edges.  Since there is only contact glue on the areas you want carpet, the glue on the extra carpet I'm cutting away doesn't have anthing to stick to so it comes right out.  Just be sure you have it fully pressed into the edges or YOU WILL CUT IT SHORT.

Nothing to add, but nice boat