Quickie Floorboards

[Bob Smalser]

These are incredibly important because they often become the major visual element in an open boat, yet they are done at the end of the project and frequently in a hurry.

I’m no different….am rapidly running out of time on this project and need to move on to the next one. I was going to install sprung floorboards…boards that nicely match the curve of the boat bottom, but that woulda took 4 or so days of spiling, even at a commercial pace. Instead, I scribe-fitted the edge boards and built the floorboards in place in the boat in two long days.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7562968/99128131.jpg

I cut the ½ X ¾” White Oak floors to fit individually and affixed them to the bottom using double-faced tape, so no measurements would need transfer to the bench.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7562968/99128126.jpg

Then I just fitted each ¼ X 3” floorboard from outside in. Curves were scribes ala a kitchen cabinet against an unplumb wall, the curves faired using a fairing batten on the bench, and taken straight from the bandsaw and block plane to the screwguns in the boat.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7562968/99128122.jpg

The floorboards were resawed out of 7BF, 8/4 plank of Purpleheart I had on hand….and I ran out…

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7562968/99128119.jpg

…so I filled in using some of the White Oak I had left out of the three short timbers I resawed to make the other framing parts of the boat.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7562968/99128113.jpg

This foam tape is powerful, so you don’t need much…work a thin prybar under the oak floors…not the thin floorboards…to pry your work loose.

Soaked in teak oil, these will serve for a long time and look OK in the dory.

[Dan Forman]

Looks great regardless of being rushed (one would never have known). The contrasting wood is very eye catching.

Dan

[Kelly C. Hanna]

That looks great!!! Sometimes running out of one wood is a good thing!

[Todd Burch]

Bob, is that a floating floor, or does it get adhered to the bottom of the craft?

[Richard Wolf]

Your work always looks great!!

Richard

[Bob Smalser]

Bob, is that a floating floor, or does it get adhered to the bottom of the craft?

It fits pretty tightly, so I don't think I'll have to make buttons to hold it in.