After working on my wooden floorboards inside the cabin for the past three years I finally gave up on them. I removed the wooden floorboards and replaced them with a sheet of .063 thick aluminum tread plate. You know - the stuff they make tool boxes etc. that you see in the back of pick-up trucks. I love it! I thought it might be slippery when wet, but after all it is made for tread plate. Not slippery at all. It gives the old "J" a new look. (Although non-traditional). I cut a piece of treadplate 39" x 96" to cover the forward part of the sole. I cut out a hatch over the bilge. Then I made a template and pieced together a couple pieces fit at the aft end and around the engine cover. It really looks clean - and is easy to maintain. And weighs less than my wooden floorboards.

I think we need to see some pics of that. sounds mighty interesting, although I cannot imagine that I will get the wife to agree to such a conversion...

plus carpet is probably lighter, than again I remember that the roll was pretty heavy

let us see the alloy floor

Thanks

I have some photos of the aluminum floorboards - how do I post them?

email them to me

Thorsten@thorusa.com

I will try to find a place on the web and than post the link

Thanks

your al conversion sounds interesting. Did you get a chance to send those photos?

Michael

I can assist with uploading photos.

Dave@j30.us

This is not a good post to find first as I foray into the wooden cabin sole world. I am in the process of restroing (refinishing) my cabin sole. After 20 years as a salt water boat on the Long Island Sound in NY, my j30 has found a new Home on Lake Champlain, so I am attempting to do some much needed repairs, upgrades.

I am in the process of sanding the entire cabin sole with 60 grit palm sander (yes, it is taking forever, but nothing a few beers doesn't help) I like to control of the amount I sand off and so far am happy. My main concern is that over the years, the floors have gotten scarred (can sand most of it out) and stained with my guess is diesel fluel at many locations. Is there any way after I have all the old finish off the floor and am down to bare wood everywhere to bleach or dry out the sole? I'd like to lighten up the whole floor as the Teak / Holley lines are now blurred into just dark wood in many places.

Any help or direction would be appreciated.

I did the same thing with my floor this spring. I used 60 grit on a hand sander. Then I scrubbed the living daylights out of the wood with a TSP solution, which did a good job with spilled oil/diesel.

Whoever got the bright idea that yacht floors must be teak and holly needs to be keelhauled. Teak holds up pretty well, and sanding and re-varnishing did a good job restoring it. But Holly just dry rots like nobody's business.

I just sanded as best as I could, slapped down 6 layers of varnish, and called it quits. Not as good as new by any stretch of the imagination, but a lot better than it once was. (The teak is actually golden instead of discolored grey.)

I considered bleaching, but the thought of working belowdecks with little ventilation using chemicals that harsh that need to be neutralized and rinsed off, not to mention what they'd do in the bilge, convinced me otherwise. If I personally were going to bleach the floor, I'd insist on removing it first. And if I'm going through the trouble to remove it, it'd probably be easier to use it as a pattern to make a brand new floor.

I have photos of the refinished floor here:
http://www.mackenziegems.com/gallery/tesara04

It certainly isn't perfect or like new, but it's a lot better than what it was.

Ryan Pierce, #337

Call me nuts, but I am desperate to get something other that the fiberglass flooring on my J30. The Teak & Holly looks beautiful and the wife loves it. (Talk to me in a couple years). Anyway, WHERE CAN I GET THIS DONE? Who sells this stuff and what are the in and outs of getting installed, costs, etc. Many Thanks.

Louis LaFontisee

Louis,

The teak and holly soles you see in most boats is a plywood with a teak and holly veneer. You can find it at most specialty wood vendors for between $250 and $300 a sheet. 1/4" is common.

Installation is fairly straightforward. Just template the cabin sole with heavy paper and transfer the template to the ply. I recommend marking the center line on the template so you can make the holly strips even. Cut the ply out with a jigsaw and cut about a 25 degree inward bevel for a more finished look.

You can bond the ply to the sole with a strong adhesive sealant like 4200 or even 5200. Be sure to weight and clamp it down thoroughly. Some use screws to mechanically fasten the sole while the adhesive sures. Then you can remove the screws and fill the hole. Mahogany colored Sikaflex is a could choice to use at the edge of the ply to finish it off. You could add a teak or mahogany trim, but that adds significantly to the complexity of the project.

I highly recommend Ultimate Sole (looks like varnish but has non skid properties) as a finish. After you dry fit the sole, apply a few coats before installation; it will help protect the wood. Then, once the sole is in and the adhesive sures, add a couple of finish coats.

This is a satisfying and doable DIY project. I would not recommend paying a yard to do it for you.