Pride Starfire Floor Replacement

[PQQ1950]

Good evening everyone,
I have a Pride Starfire of unknown vintage powered by an 80hp 2-stroke outboard which from the serial number appears to be from 1983. I bought the boat as a “project” with the aim of repairing it and then getting out and having some fun on the water – coupled with a bit of fishing.

The boat was bought back in early December and suffice to say it has yet to hit the water. Biggest problem was the trailer which had some bearing and rust issues. New bearings, new mudguards, new springs and new/2nd hand tyres have been fitted and it is now off having some new metal welded in. It will be a nice trailer when complete.

Now for the big sob story and question. When I was taking the old carpet (to throw away) and the seats (to clean) I found a few cracks in the fibreglass floor. Lifting and breaking away some of the fibreglass revealed sodden foam between the stringers and the plywood floor was just mush in a few places. Further glass and plywood removal shows that it looks like I will have to replace the whole floor as it is all wet and rotting. I’m not too fazed by the job as it is just tedious and has to be done. What I would like is opinions or advice or expert knowledge about the foam. I have no doubt that it has to come out as it is too wet to stay and will just rot the next lot of plywood, as well as add to the weight of the boat. I am unsure however whether there is a need to replace the foam - I’m guessing that it is just for flotation rather than structural – and if so would polystyrene be a better or worse option? If I need to go back to the type of foam that was in it (it appears to have been sprayed in like expanding foam), does anyone know where I can get it done. Note that I am in Port Macquarie and we don’t have access to all the facilities/services available in the cities.
Regards
Phil

[jimbo59]

Gday mate,just remove all the old foam, if the stringers are ok then you could pour some foam back in, i pay about 110 for a 4 litre kit that will make 190 litres.Use a piece of thin plywood as a template the take it to your local fibreglass guy, ask him to lay up a floor for you a bit bigger than the template then just trim and screw/ glass in...jim.

[PQQ1950]

Thanks Jim - Much appreciated. I hadn't planned on re-glassing the floor apart from around the edges. Plan A was to put in a thicker plywood floor (8-10mm) and then paint it with non-slip paint. I don't know if this will raise a structural strength issue or not but I would've thought that the floor screwed to the stringers and then glassed in at the edges would do the job?
Phil

[ovakil]

Don't know where you are but this guy just done some work on my boat.Very good to say the least.
Adam 0404050310,
He works out of Jacobs Well,Spainard King put me onto him.
Cheers Steve.
Sorry I just saw you are in Port McQuarie.