68 Mirrocraft deep V 14’ floor build

[notoriouskeef]

How did you attach the floor to the boat?

 

[farmer4life]

The frame is screwed into the aluminum ribs with short self-tappers. The floor will be screwed to the frame once painting is complete. Will post pics of attachment once I assemble everything.

 

[thill]

Looking good!
I typically use a slightly thinned coat of paint first, to really soak in and absorb into the wood for the best bond. Then roll on a very heavy coat of full thickness paint with sand shaken in while wet. After that dries, roll on one or two coats to add some durability.

After this, you need to let it really dry and cure hard before using it too much. Bare feet for the first week or two if possible. Direct sunlight is your friend. After that, it will be a very tough, grippy floor. that is still easy to clean.

Buy an extra can and/or store any extra paint carefully. I like to put a piece of Saran Wrap on the surface of paint in the can before cleaning and sealing the lid onto the can. That way, you can topcoat anytime to freshen it up, and it will blend in perfectly. If it looks light at first, that's normal until it dries.

You are looking good so far. I hope everything goes great for you!

 

[Fishingman48]

I guess I am a lil too late however for future rebuilder's I myself am a newbie as well and have learned a couple tricks. Instead of the framing out of the floor the manufacture now has utilized wide metal band strips starting from the bow and following the curve and running along the side all way down to the stern Solid as a rock 3 rivets per rib. The following pic' is of my 14 troller it was remodified by the manufacture. notice the Wide galvanized aluminum BANDS which run along both sides of the floor alongside of hull. As stated, they run from bow to stern your floor "plywood " is attaché by screw's at edged of plywood into metal band. I suggest in using small washers with them the Manuf. did not & screws pulled through with boat movement, not all but some! I personally would have none! lol! the floor is a two-piece center spine / keel construction most of it bow to stern last two feet at stern jointed. Two crossovers by bow area & same distance from stern. The plywood is the rest of bracing for floor which is resting partially on the rib & banning full open floor 1/2in. this boat has two small side compartments if yu will one is all floatation other side is 80% as compartment for fish pole's & pole Lite's both run 3/4 length inside & as you can see in 2nd pic which is a 86 troller has wider walls "same design toughest for floor set up. the width of the floor base is 33&1/2 inch& of course run's full contour of base of boat but the keel / spine is liquid foamed in place within your front platform frame pic#3// if you revert back to pic 1# they went to just undertip part of frame w/ foam & BACKSIDE OF RUG// this is the beginning of front of inside of your compartment for front platform if you're going to install takes away from total body of boat but it also helps stabilizes it in front as rear bench stabilize in back. As I found out the boards will be a lot easier to remove if needed does same job buoyancy wise & save's on $ may have to use some insul spray foam which again same stuff as liquid to just lock everything in place, so as not to bang around or knock around under floor there was no insulation in floor space! Space only space between floor & hull > "I do not know how that would affect the Buoyancy'" >If you filled in the spaces under floor< as side's are covering this issue as well as bow// my bench is a live well, i am sure weights around 80 to 100lbs filled with water .Just giving idea with foam // don't know what yours will be so there is more weight to my boat this is a sitting of 4 people my 25 hp merc. and gear & live well.

 

[Fishingman48]

Looking good!
I typically use a slightly thinned coat of paint first, to really soak in and absorb into the wood for the best bond. Then roll on a very heavy coat of full thickness paint with sand shaken in while wet. After that dries, roll on one or two coats to add some durability.

After this, you need to let it really dry and cure hard before using it too much. Bare feet for the first week or two if possible. Direct sunlight is your friend. After that, it will be a very tough, grippy floor. that is still easy to clean.

Buy an extra can and/or store any extra paint carefully. I like to put a piece of Saran Wrap on the surface of paint in the can before cleaning and sealing the lid onto the can. That way, you can topcoat anytime to freshen it up, and it will blend in perfectly. If it looks light at first, that's normal until it dries.

You are looking good so far. I hope everything goes great for you!

Oh, he's going to use paint on deck no rug? Does that sand in paint really hold up well? SERIOUSLY!???

 

[Fishingman48]

REASON WHY I AM ASKING IS I HAVE TO PUT NEW FLOOR DOWN AND BOW PLATFORM IN GOOD SHAPE TO JUST BE PAINTED WHEN REINSTALLED INSTEAD OF CARPETED? WHICH LAST LONGER? & WHICH CHEAPER?

sorry for the caps!

 

[farmer4life]

Nope no rug. Seems like it would get dirty/ratty too quickly. I looked at vinyl but too pricy. Paint is cheapest, and there’s a few folks on here who speak highly of the paint-and-sand combo so I’m giving it a try. For $30 it’s worth the risk.

 

[Fishingman48]

HMMMMmmmm !!! my main deck I believe going to do same I'll strip all else and paint those same I'd rather soak 50 to 80 bucks into a good exterior paint that will hold up with getting a little washed off every now and then to something that will tear & rip & dry rot // what coarse sand? construction grade?

 

[farmer4life]

I had a half bag of polymeric construction sand so I used that. Now that it’s on the board it’s a little more coarse than I’d like but I’ll live with it. I don’t generally fish barefoot so it will be fine. Definitely grippy!

 

[Fishingman48]

I had a half bag of polymeric construction sand so I used that. Now that it’s on the board it’s a little more coarse than I’d like but I’ll live with it. I don’t generally fish barefoot so it will be fine. Definitely grippy!

ok ! that's cool I don't either 'I mean I don't mind kick'in shoe's off once in a while but since handicap with ankles have to abided by rule of thumb use what one needs in order to walk good! lol! I kind'a figured a heavier grade than reg. play sand or beach sand. Thanks for the feedback it's appreciated!

 

[farmer4life]

How did you attach the floor to the boat?

This is how:



What you’re seeing is the wooden frame (2x2) which supports the floor, a stainless angle bracket screwed to the end of the 2x2, and a stainless self-tapper screwed into the aluminum rib. Rubber pad added between the bracket and the rib for cushioning/protection, and 3M 4200 applied to the screw as a sort of loctite to help it hold in the rib. I have these attachment points roughly every 2 feet or so, each side, holding the frame to the boat. The floor itself will be screwed into the wood frame. (Pics on that soon!)

 

[Fishingman48]

Yeah, the pounding the bottom & frame is going to be taking at times you're going to need that bracing you're doing I believe so! As seen as I stated with manufactures set up with my floor, they just sunk screw into ribs through ply floorboard along edge some grabbing the metal band some not & over time floorboard pulled through and left screw sticking out of rib underneath. thank GOD! only like 1/2 a doz. did this the rest held . I am taking it those area's is where the boat bottom / hull twisted moreso ??????But I also think it had to do with sinkin the heads into the ply- instead of havin some type of bracing under the head of screw to hold pressure down around base of head of screw ontop of ply, "washer first then screw" it just makes sense to me any ways Thats the way I am going to be doing it when new floor goes in

 

[farmer4life]

The floor is in!

Here’s the installed frame with all the foam (in several layers). I fit close to 9 cubic feet which gives me close to 540 lbs flotation. Following the US Coast Guard Boat Builders Handbook I calculate somewhere around 500 lbs needed, and their calculation assumes worst case. So I’m feeling pretty comfortable.



Then it was a simple matter of dropping in the floor and screwing it down! 4200 used on all screw holes to provide a seal. I will touch up paint over top so they aren’t as visible.



I also got the new transom installed! All bolts here sealed with 5200, and so is the transom itself against the aluminum. I pity the fool who needs to remove this in the future… (hopefully that isn’t me)



Shiny!

Now it’s on to seats and other miscellany, as well as electrical.

 

[farmer4life]

The boat is finished! (Well, good enough to fish out of anyway!) Four days till it hits the water!

Here’s the finished product:

 

[Stand Up]

Very nice! I like the seats as opposed to benches. Makes it very much like a fishing boat that was purpose built. One of a kind for sure.

 

[farmer4life]

Very nice! I like the seats as opposed to benches. Makes it very much like a fishing boat that was purpose built. One of a kind for sure.

When I was shopping boats two years ago I saw one for sale very much like this layout. They were asking (what I thought was) too much so I bought this instead. Now, many hours and dollars later I’m likely approaching the cost of that other boat… but I can still tell people I bought this boat for the price I originally paid

 

[farmer4life]

Boat report: I love the layout. There’s so much room compared to the old benches! It’s rock solid, the side braces do a great job of keeping the hull from flexing. It’s fairly stable in the water. The floor does move the centre of gravity up a few inches but still very stable with 3 guys all standing to fish. A casting platform in the front would make it less stable but I’m not sure I’ll go that route anyway.



After sitting in the boat for ~24 hours or so this weekend, there are a few things I’d like to add. A bit of storage in the back corner, elastic straps along the side to hold the life jackets, rod holders for trolling, a couple small platforms/shelves to hold lures.

But overall this baby has it where it counts. This 20HP outraced my buddy with a 16ft and a 30HP. Caught a few fish to boot.

Thanks all for the tips and advice! Hopefully my journey can help someone else too!

 

[Bear0214]

I like it! For me, not to have to step over the bench seats is such a plus. You did a great job and thanks for sharing.