My husband and I bought a 1998 Fisher pontoonboat for what we believed was a bargain. One of our first tasks was to replace the carpet that had dried out. It had been in direct sunlight for 10 years. The carpet was brittle and dry-rotted. My husband began tearing the pontoon down as soon the boat season ended. We brought an old pontoon to life by following these steps.
You will need the following materials for your project: paper, marker, glue, tape, adhesive, zip-loc bags and treated plywood.
1.
Photograph your pontoon to help keep track of everything. To keep track of the hardware, use zip lock bags with labels. To ensure that everything is reconnected properly, disconnect all wiring from the console.
Step 2
Make a deck diagram and take precise measurements. Take the measurements again and go back to make sure everything is correct.
Step 3
Make sure everything is secure. You should pay particular attention where there are most loose bolts, such as in the transom.
Step 4
You will need to remove the furniture, railings, and edge caps.
Step 5
The deck can be torn down and replaced with something better. The material can withstand harsh marine conditions, and it has a very long life span. Place all of your new treated plywood on top. Mark any areas you need to cut, mark, or drill. Next, take out the plywood. Then, place the plywood over the crossmembers. Place the fasteners where the wood has not been butted together on the crossmembers. You should use at most three fasteners for the whole cross members.
Step 6
You can roll the carpet out on your deck so that it covers the entire deck. Once it’s dry, store it in a place where it will be needed. Save the heavy-duty cardboard rolls that were included with carpet for future use. Consider the carpet’s color. Dark colors tend to attract heat, and therefore should be kept in mind. While light colors are more likely to get stained, they won’t require that you wear shoes on hot carpet.
Step 7
The plywood should still be in excellent condition. If not, it is necessary to get rid of the carpeting. You will need to cut strips of carpet at deck joints with a sharp knife. Once the carpet is cut, you can pull them up manually. You might find some carpet backing, or any other residue left behind. This can cause lumps in the carpet. You might find some pieces that are stubbornly resistant to being removed with a knife. In these cases, you can use heat guns and scrapers to get rid of the remaining residue. You might need to use sandpaper, a belt sander or sandpaper in extreme situations.
Step 8
You can use a paint brush to spread glue all over the deck. For a 16 foot deck, two gallons is recommended. Let the water sit for at least two hours. “flash out”Before applying carpet, make sure you have removed all glue.
Step 9
Apply the carpet when the glue feels tacky but not clear. This should be done when the temperature ranges above 60° F and when the humidity is not too high. It will take longer for glue to dry the cooler it is (and more humid). Even if all conditions are perfect, it is recommended that you keep the deck clean and wait for the glue to dry at least 24 hours.
Step 10
Spread the carpet on the back. Lay the carpet flat on the floor. It should be straight and tight. Use your fingers to smoothen wrinkles. The most efficient method to install carpeting is to place it on the ground in one go. After folding the other half back, apply the glue and pay attention to where the edges are. Lay the glue-covered half of the carpet down, and then use a roller for smoothing out air bubbles. You can repeat this step for the second carpet. You should expect the glue to dry within an hour.
Step 11
Use stainless steel staples to fix the carpet at the back.
Step 12
Use a flooring roller, rolling pin or cardboard tube to roll the carpet.
Step 13
Trim excess carpet and staple the remaining edges. The edge cap must be installed first. Position the whole rail onto the deck. You can clamp it to hold it in position. Others recommend that all stainless steel hardware be replaced. We were able, in our instance, to reuse the hardware we had removed.
Step 14
To reinstall hardware, take out the photos. Place the railing in the correct place and start with the edge cap. Fix the railings. All furniture should be placed on the deck.
Step 15
Replace the throttle and shift cables, as well as steering, throttle and throttle. To ensure a safe maiden voyage with your new pontoon, inspect the steering of the pontoon by rotating the steering left-right.
Step 16
You can now protect your pontoon by purchasing a cheap, 4- or 5-year warranty pontoon coverage. It will eliminate any extra cleaning required after a rainstorm or seagulls’ last fly-over. Additionally, it will preserve the appearance of your carpet for a reasonably long time and prevent rapid carpet deterioration that can occur if left in direct sunlight for long periods.