Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hello again everyone! I have another pontoon I'm starting to rebuild and ran into a small issue I'm sure a few other people have had also. I searched the forum (especially the voyager's) but I don't see the solution. My original deck is 20' 1" long and the floor supports are not spaced all on 16" centers, the front and the back are slightly off, I'll attach a few pictures if I can. I know if I order 6 sheets of plywood I can match the original, but am I missing an easier solution so that I need only buy 5 sheets and shorten the deck slightly?

WOW! Someone needs to be arrested for pontoon abuse!.

Can you move the crossmembers forward or back to make everything line up?

One consideration might be the side rails. If you change the length of the deck, the side rails will be too long. Can't really tell if there's room, but the fence may not fit either (IF it runs full corner to corner). You might be able to cleanly cut an inch off a side rail, but fence is fence.

BUT! Keep dem seats! They will clean up like new with a little elbow grease!

By looking at the helm seat...Capt. pretty much said To the rest of the crew

TWB is right, so it's best to configure the plywood the way the factory did it. If it's one extra sheet that will be the cheapest part of the build....lol.

Motor7 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:20 pm

.... it's best to configure the plywood the way the factory did it. If it's one extra sheet that will be the cheapest part of the build....lol.

I found that my 24' toon was actually 24' 6". As Steve suggested, I looked at moving the crossmembers but quickly decided the reconfiguring and labor to move crossmembers far outweighed the cost of a sheet of plywood (at last year's prices).

Plus, I wasn't sure I was good enough to move crossmembers without major problems!

steve1313 wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 3:23 am

WOW! Someone needs to be arrested for pontoon abuse!.

Can you move the crossmembers forward or back to make everything line up?

It was so bad bringing it home, pieces of seats/carpet/stuff kept blowing out!
Probably I could move or add crossmembers but as TWB mentions, my rails need the floor dimensions to stay the same.

TWB wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 14, 2021 6:09 am

One consideration might be the side rails. If you change the length of the deck, the side rails will be too long. Can't really tell if there's room, but the fence may not fit either (IF it runs full corner to corner). You might be able to cleanly cut an inch off a side rail, but fence is fence.

BUT! Keep dem seats! They will clean up like new with a little elbow grease!

You're absolutely correct, there might be room if I push the rails to the very edge of the plywood, but then I'd have no room to attach my outer trim.
The seats are wonderful to have around, my wife pushes me to work on the boat just so the neighbors won't have to see them, lol

bansil wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 22, 2021 4:15 pm

By looking at the helm seat...Capt. pretty much said To the rest of the crew

The previous owner told me he was planning on rebuilding the whole thing at some point, so he put as little money in it as possible and still fish out of it...with the exception he took great care of the motor which for an old two cycle runs unbelievably well.

Motor7 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:20 pm

TWB is right, so it's best to configure the plywood the way the factory did it. If it's one extra sheet that will be the cheapest part of the build....lol.

Unfortunately I agree, I'll order another sheet of marine grade just to add one inch to the deck, although its worth mentioning I won't have a one inch piece on there, it will be like half a sheet up front and slightly over a half in back (something like that)

Finally making some headway on my project, turns out Bill's Boat Stuff had pretty much everything I needed, including marine grade plywood. The vinyl I picked up is soft and cushiony I'm not sure about that at all, the last vinyl I put on was heavy duty, so I'm curious if anyone here has used this type? The console I got is brand new with a switch panel included although no gauges. I plan on making this new build a center console so that may present a few challenges not sure yet, has anyone moved their console to the center? Also I may put this console on a base to raise it making it easier to drive standing up, anybody have experience with that or ideas? The remote control is my primary concern moving it to the center, running the throttle cables and such. The plywood was only 5/8 thick but that is exactly what it originally had on it, including the little football shapes.

Man I'm envious I waited for weeks to get a helm and ended up having to rebuild the old one.

Not to state the obvious but If your going to move the helm I would first try to align the steering and control cables and make sure it physically works both in distance and in making the curve etc.

PaulinOK wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:38 am

The vinyl I picked up is soft and cushiony I'm not sure about that at all, the last vinyl I put on was heavy duty, so I'm curious if anyone here has used this type?

Bought our flooring from PontoonStuff. It is 140mil marine-grade. Not sure of your mils or your manufacturer, but IF your flooring is rated as marine-grade, I would think it should be fine. Ours is also a bit cushiony to the feet and we love it. Though yours looks to be ever-so-slightly thicker. I think the key will be getting a good coating of glue, absolute attention to no wrinkles, and stapling the edges all around. We had zero problems.



-Paul

Kytoon wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 18, 2021 3:28 pm

Man I'm envious I waited for weeks to get a helm and ended up having to rebuild the old one.

Not to state the obvious but If your going to move the helm I would first try to align the steering and control cables and make sure it physically works both in distance and in making the curve etc.

I'm lucky to live a reasonable driving distance from Bill's, I couldn't bring myself to order one I hadn't seen in person. I agree with planning the move to center, I plan on laying it out using my old console first even before I lay down the new plywood.

TWB wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:46 am

PaulinOK wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:38 am

The vinyl I picked up is soft and cushiony I'm not sure about that at all, the last vinyl I put on was heavy duty, so I'm curious if anyone here has used this type?

Bought our flooring from PontoonStuff. It is 140mil marine-grade. Not sure of your mils or your manufacturer, but IF your flooring is rated as marine-grade, I would think it should be fine. Ours is also a bit cushiony to the feet and we love it. Though yours looks to be ever-so-slightly thicker. I think the key will be getting a good coating of glue, absolute attention to no wrinkles, and stapling the edges all around. We had zero problems.



-Paul

Well in truth I don't know for sure it is marine grade but I believe it is. I agree about the glue, and I'll rent a roller like I did last time. I didn't staple my edges last time but I did make sure to coat the whole edge with glue, I can't decide how I feel about staples, seems like too many holes in the floor...Also I ordered the rail spacers but I'm in doubt whether or not I'll use them, I kinda feel like the fence would be more secure not using them? IDK I'm really worried about that soft vinyl lol, I wish I had just ordered the heavy duty from pontoonstuff. However it will be as it will be lol, we shall see. This is not my final pontoon build either, I will sell or trade this one next spring, hopefully get back to 28ft+ boat.

PaulinOK wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:17 pm

I can't decide how I feel about staples, seems like too many holes in the floor... Also I ordered the rail spacers but I'm in doubt whether or not I'll use them, I kinda feel like the fence would be more secure not using them?

Hey, Paul.

I expect it would be OK with no staples, but for me, it's another feeling of permanence. Tiny littles holes don't cloud my peace of mind.

The spacers create the really fast draining of water from the boat. I love it because I wash down the flooring after every outing. Again - a personal preference. I expect there is no Right or Wrong. As you say - We shall see!

Good luck! Keep updating.
-Paul

Definitely use spacers! It only took 1 time to realize these walls hold water bad, plus leaves and such will still allow drainage