Has anyone replaced a cockpit floor?

[wander22]

I have an O Day 22. I had a large crack and many small cracks in the floor that were there when I got the boat. I started by cutting out the entire cockpit floor. The core was rotted and soaked throughout.
I was wondering if anyone else had done this type of repair that could give some input.
Thanks

 

[topcat0399]

Lots of people have had and are having exactly the same problem. Its a common problem.
This forum is full of stories about it as well as the internet try using search
on this site or on something like Google.

Replacing our cockpit floor was my first BIG fiberglass job.
If I were to do it over I would have just built a new layup and glued it right
on top of the old floor after cutting it open and letting it dry out.
Instead I cut out the top skin, dug and ground out all the crap,
laid some glass layers and a layer of 1 inch balsa, more glass layers, faring into the sides,
painting and nonskid. It was more work than necessary.

ymmv

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

If using balsa, make sure it is the cross grain not straight grain. If using actual wood get the marine grade. Since I was not a dealer for the O Day line, not sure about the set up. In some cases and forgive me for misspelling but there was a foam sandwithch product that manufacturers also used called Dyvancell which came in contact with the resin and hardner would shrivel up within the layers of fiberglass giving it strength, flexibility and less weight depending on the where and manufacturer. Not sure if that was in the flooring of the ODay 22 as I am not as familiar with it. ODay went bankrupt in 1989 so finding what actually was in the flooring from someone in the factory is going to be looking for a needle in a haystack.