# False floor on my Classic



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

1708 is not really designed to be used with epoxy, plus it's a heavy waste of resin in this case. I've used 3/8" exterior in my last few skiffs for the decks, you just need a layer of 6-9oz cloth on each side. The weight of the exterior ply will be about 50% more then the marine okoume, but the application is so small that it won't matter much, maybe 5lbs difference or so. One gallon of epoxy should be more then enough to do a 9'x2' deck with stringers under them, and yes I would put stringers as it will help stiffen everything up a bit.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

firecat1981 said:


> 1708 is not really designed to be used with epoxy, plus it's a heavy waste of resin in this case. I've used 3/8" exterior in my last few skiffs for the decks, you just need a layer of 6-9oz cloth on each side. The weight of the exterior ply will be about 50% more then the marine okoume, but the application is so small that it won't matter much, maybe 5lbs difference or so. One gallon of epoxy should be more then enough to do a 9'x2' deck with stringers under them, and yes I would put stringers as it will help stiffen everything up a bit.


Everything this man said.... I am using 3/8 on my boat and it's doing just fine.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

Does anyone have experience with 1/2" Coosa Bluewater 20? My goal was to find Bluewater 26, but the only coosa I can find locally is Bluewater 20.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

With this being the first time I've used 1708, or messed with a false floor, I'm wondering whether I need to do anything to the 1708-reinforced area that will be beneath my false floor (i.e. gelcoat or bilge paint).

On the exposed floor, I'm fine with some printing/pattern bleed as I use my boat predominately for duck hunting, and it's nice to have some traction. I don't, however, want so much printing that I trap a ton of dirt or create a surface that gets worn down quickly. Those of you who have done similar projects...should gel coat over 1708 be fine, or do you recommend laying a layer of mat or fairing the floor before gel-coating?


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

I used 12 ox biax and epoxy on mine and put one layer of fairing down on it to fill the weave. Here's a link to the build.
http://www.customgheenoe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=27943&start=45


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Robby Stubley said:


> With this being the first time I've used 1708, or messed with a false floor, I'm wondering whether I need to do anything to the 1708-reinforced area that will be beneath my false floor (i.e. gelcoat or bilge paint).
> 
> On the exposed floor, I'm fine with some printing/pattern bleed as I use my boat predominately for duck hunting, and it's nice to have some traction. I don't, however, want so much printing that I trap a ton of dirt or create a surface that gets worn down quickly. Those of you who have done similar projects...should gel coat over 1708 be fine, or do you recommend laying a layer of mat or fairing the floor before gel-coating?


You don't need to do anything to the 1708 that is already down. If it is not down, don't use it. Use a 12 or 17 oz biaxial cloth. The mat is what is not for use with epoxy.

For the floor, use the same material. 12 oz makes a great tread pattern. I have exposed weave on my front and rear decks and have 8 oz on my floor.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> You don't need to do anything to the 1708 that is already down. If it is not down, don't use it. Use a 12 or 17 oz biaxial cloth. The mat is what is not for use with epoxy.
> 
> For the floor, use the same material. 12 oz makes a great tread pattern. I have exposed weave on my front and rear decks and have 8 oz on my floor.


I'm using poly, not epoxy. Do you still recommend going with the regular 12 or 17oz biaxial over the 1708?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Robby Stubley said:


> I'm using poly, not epoxy. Do you still recommend going with the regular 12 or 17oz biaxial over the 1708?


If using poly, then use the mat.

1708 is just plain too heavy for a gheenoe. 1208 will be great.

Don't waste time, energy and money on gel coat. A quality oil based camo paint job is what a duck boat needs. In a couple years, pressure wash and repaint.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> If using poly, then use the mat.
> 
> 1708 is just plain too heavy for a gheenoe. 1208 will be great.
> 
> Don't waste time, energy and money on gel coat. A quality oil based camo paint job is what a duck boat needs. In a couple years, pressure wash and repaint.





DuckNut said:


> If using poly, then use the mat.
> 
> 1708 is just plain too heavy for a gheenoe. 1208 will be great.
> 
> Don't waste time, energy and money on gel coat. A quality oil based camo paint job is what a duck boat needs. In a couple years, pressure wash and repaint.


Too late to do anything else on the original floor, but I may opt for the 1208 to overlay my coosa. I don't know how much weight the 1708 added, but I was very impressed with how much it stiffened up my floor. If I wasn't really set on having a more level floor, I would be done short of painting it. I've also opted for vinyl resin as opposed to poly for the false floor work.

Just spitballing, but in the spirit of limiting additional weight from this point forward, how would 5oz Kevlar perform in lieu of 1208 on my false floor? The entire floor surface that it would be applied to is about 20 square feet. (3x3 area & 5x2). Assuming strength would be similar--which it may not be--would there be enough weight reduction on an area that small to justify the cost?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Forget the Kevlar. You are now trying to compare apples to elephants. Forget it.

The weight savings will only be a few pounds (maybe 10-15) but you will not create hard spots with the 12 like the 17 and the tread will be softer on dirt collection.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

Update...and hopefully the last series of questions. I was able to get my hands on some Coosa 26. At its widest point, my false floor will be about 22" wide...will it be sufficient to glass the coosa down with 1208 (topside only) and poly, with no support/stringer beneath the coosa?

If structural support is necessary, I've seen where others have used PVC split in half as a support beam. Does anyone who has gone this route have any suggestions on PVC size and how to go about splitting the pipe without a table saw?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

No, you want glass on both sides. So cut to fit and then glass underside and determine if you need support. Then add the supports if you need too. Then attach the piece to the supports. The last step would be to tape the piece in place at the edges and then put the cloth over the piece and run it up the sides a little way.


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