1983 19' Tournament Aft Floor Question

[Johnyrude200]

I am rehabbing one of these boats, and recently discovered the floor is totally rotted out underneath the two helm compartments. The port side is the worst, and it looks like the storage compartment at the bow would just allow all water to sit on the floor below it and pool. The starboard side isn't nearly as bad since that compartment has a through-hull drain hose for it. The rest of the boat is still solid, and from what I can tell these two areas were never glassed over and just bare plywood.

Have other folks seen this too? Everywhere else I see no evidence of compromised struction, and in fact the transom is bone dry and doesn't even weep on a hot day from any screw holes that had been in it.

So again - the rest of the floor, where you would normally be walking, shows no signs of softness and is still OK, but these are areas that were protected from water.

 

[DennisG01]

Johnny, can you better explain - I'm not quite sure what areas you're talking about. Your post title says "aft floor" but then in your description you talk about the bow and say the area where you'd normally be walking is good.

But if you're just wondering, in general, about exposed plywood and can it rot... sure, all wood can. The boat is 40 years old - time takes it's toll.

 

[Johnyrude200]

Well yeah, of course plywood will rot. My question was if other folks have seen this same issue on this model boat from this era. I was just shocked to see they didn't even bother to glass over the subfloor and was surprised at such a poor design given the quality of these boats in general.

But there again, this was made in 1983 and they were probably still revising their construction approaches to these boats. For instance, my model only has a 20" transom but is rated for 200hp, yet in 1984 the boat had a 25" transom and shallower spashwell. Getting a 200hp engine in the LS configuration isn't something that is common, they are usually reserved for bassboats, fortunately I own a marina so I had one here.

And yes my typo - meant to say the forward flooring under the dual consoles.

Separate question - what speeds have folks seen on these boats with a 200HP? I would guess it will hit 50MPH, or at the very least mid to high 40's. I mean...I have hit 40-43MPH on a good day with my 22' seafarer from the same vintage and a 225hp, and that boat is much larger and heavier than this 19' tournament.

 

[Fishtales]

I believe construction and materials were no as good as it is today. That being said, if water penetrates the core in the decks, the core seems to go very quickly. To be fair the hull is almost 40 years old but even today they do a poor job in areas that the customer doesn’t see. Sometimes coring is glassed, painted or left bare. Hatch openings can have finished edges or exposed wood. Really not acceptable today is you ask me. I hope they address their processes.

 

[Hatteras204-C]

I just started restoring a 78 Overnighter. The stringers are only partially glassed and basically anything that was a cutout isn't glassed.

 

[Fishtales]

I used coosa board on my aft deck when I recored it. Worked out well.