Soft floorboard turned nightmare...

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

So the past couple time's I've taken my supra out, I've noticed a soft spot on the port side, and the base of the back seat. So today, I decided to yank the seat out and have a look at the entire situation. It was devastating. My only guess is, after 7 years of sitting in a garage, it dry-rotted, then in our 6-7 wakeboard outings, this happened...

Not so bad...

Holy sh*t...

Ugh, the other side too...

Then, as I'm gazing into this disaster I take note of my stringers. Anyone ever have this? If so, how the F*CK do I fix it? I didn't think the gas tank straps could put that much stress on the stringers...

Port

Starboard

GuitsBoy · Posted: Jul 03, 2008 5:22 am Post subject:

What year boat? Are those wooden stringers? Gonna be a HUGE project if youve gotta cut out and glass in new ones.

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

It's an '86 Comp. I'm fairly certain they're wooden stringers. I'm thinking about re-enforcing around those cracks, and then glassing over them. I know it's a band aid, but I can't glass in all new stringers, I might as well save up for a new damn boat!

ridininmd · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 16 Feb 2006 Posts: 1231

a friend of mine just had new floors and composite stringers put into his CC 2001 for about $3000.

Even if you patch them the wood is going to keep rotting from the inside. Eventually the motor mounts will get loose and throw your alignment out.

GuitsBoy · Posted: Jul 03, 2008 11:19 am Post subject:

Not the same boat, but here's an older MC where the owner replaced his stringers. He made it look pretty easy too!

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=23492

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

Wow... That doesn't look easy, bit it is amazing. I wish I had a garage/shop to handle all that in. I scoffed at the $3000, but it's looking better now!

wotan2525 · Outlaw Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Posts: 174

Check out the forums on the supra website. Plenty of people have the same problems and there is some pretty detailed documentation about how they took care of it. In a word: you're in for a lot of $$$$ and time to fix this.

My stringers rotted to the point where the engine went out of alignment, bent the prop shaft, the strut, ruined the coupler, and wore a hole through the shaft log. Then the boat sank. It was just a couple of feet of water, but it was sitting on the bottom and I had to bilge it out and tow it in.

Now, I've got all new stringers. A new floor. New carpet. A new interior. I'm happy as can be.... but the last 2 years have been hell. Mine is an 87 Saltare. Looks just like yours once.

Beware, supra owners.... these boats have a serious design flaw that doesnt allow water to drain and saturates the stringers.

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

Ok folks, here's what I've decided. I called the guy that we bought the boat from in 1994. I also worked for him(he owns a marina). I explained the issue, and he told me that the boat was not worth the time/money that would be involved in overhauling the entire thing. Some people would probably disagree, but they have $$$.

So, right now, I'm reconstructing the base of the back seat from PVC planks and stainless steel screws. That'll be a permanent fix for the rotted seat base and get me through the summer. This fall however, I'll be removing the back seat, again, and doin' work son. I'm ripping every bit of carpet out of this bitch, and yanking the floor boards out up to the motor box. Ripping the fuel tank out, re-enforcing the stringers with star-board and fiber glass. Then I'll lay new floor boards, and put new carpet throughout.

I so wish I could handle a total overhaul. But 1, I don't have the money. 2, I don't have a shop. And 3, full time work and school leave little time for wakeboarding, much less a full overhaul.

Pics coming soon!

GuitsBoy · Posted: Jul 10, 2008 3:09 am Post subject:

Sounds like a good plan. Do Work Son!!! Enough glass back there and youll solidify anything. Just make sure it bonds to something thats still in good condition. You dont want teh new stuff pulling away.

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

Ok, so yesterday I headed over to home depot for supplies. I explained the story of the seat brace, and the guy recommended PVC planks. They're 4" by 3/4" by 12'. Easy as hell to cut, and are "impermeable" to moisture. Here's what I've gotten done tonight.

I've just been tracing and cutting. I should have the other side cut tomorrow after work. Then it's stainless steel or galvanized screws!

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

Finished her up today. Can't wait to put this new carpet throughout the ENTIRE boat.

The Beginning...

Assembled...

The End...

GuitsBoy · Posted: Jul 11, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject:

Its Looking good man...

critterCQB · Criminal Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 58 City: Neptune Beach

Thanks! Floorboards are next. I initially planned on waiting till the fall, but the seat brace turned out so well, I'm anxious to get more done. We'll see.

Iman · Outlaw Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 116

I'd definitely mess with reinforcing/saving the stringers if I were already doing as much work as you are. Get out as much rot everywhere you can then the best products I've seen can be found on the Rot Doctor website. I have a 1972 fiberglass houseboat so I'm very familiar with rot, anytime I find a soft spot, I treat it the best I can with CPES and no rot has came back in those spots so far.

Hollywood · Posted: Jul 17, 2008 6:51 am Post subject:

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

Critter really sorry to hear about that. I have an 87 SunSport and just took the rear seat out for the first time not too long ago. Should've done that before buying! But Luckily for me everything is ok. I have just a TEENY bit of wet rot on the corners of the rear seat base. Floor is ok and stringers are strong from what I can see.

I really really want to hear a discussion from people who have ripped out the floors in a Supra to see WHERE are the spots that I need to keep water out of!

My boat seems ok so far. Water seems to all drain into the bilge valley. I can't really see how you would get water to drain outside the bilge valley.

There should be some pics of my rear floor/seat base in my gallery. Just got done putting two sacs in, one in the rear ski locker, one under rear seat. Fill and drain through raw water intake, one Simer pump. SIMPLE!

grip01 · Outlaw Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 120 City: altus

What causes a older supra to rot is the drain passages at the transom being clogged.There should be a passage from the muffler box then under the stringer to the floor.make sure its clean and can flow water easy.

OconneOldGuy · Newbie Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 City: Marietta

Another problem that Supra has had with the older boats is that between the stringers, Supra filled the hollow spaces with foam. Once the stingers on the outside get wet, the foam absorbs the water - for years. There is no air passage for evaporation. I would seriously suggest cutting in a deck plate in the floor (both sides of the boat) about 6" outside of the stringers used for the motor mounts. This will give you access between the next stringer. Then start tearing out some of the foam - this won't be easy - and see if you can detect any moisture. If you find moisture, you are screwed! You will discover that it has been rotting for years.

I highly recommend Bennet Boat Repair in Marysville, TN. He does most of the repair work for both Mastercraft and Supra. He also documents the entire process via photos, which he gives to you, as progress reports and so that you can see what you paid for. I have an entire CD with photos of the process.

If you have an older Supra, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".

WakeMikey · Addict Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 640 City: Fridley

So if I take good care of my boat and always store it out of the sun and rain (on a boat lift under a canopy or on the trailer under a cover), will it take on and permanantly hold any water from normal use?

If I and my guests get in and out of the water and drip all over the floor in a normal fashion, is there any chance of this water getting held up outside the bilge valley? That worries me...