When my husband and I bought a 1998 Fisher pontoon for what we thought was stolen, one of the first things we had to do was replace the dry, rotten carpet. The pontoon had been out in the sun for ten years and the carpet was torn and had areas of dry rot. As soon as boating season was over my husband started tearing down the pontoon. This is what we did to bring an old pontoon back to life.
Materials that might be needed for this project: Camera, paper and marker, zip-loc bags, treated plywood to cover the deck, stainless steel hardware, carpeting (marine or indoor/outdoor), electric drill, cordless screwdriver, glue for carpeting, paint roller or trowel, floor roller or roller, sharp scraper, sandpaper, clamps, stainless steel staples and a staple gun,
Step 1
Take pictures of your pontoon so you have a visual memory of where things go. Use zip-lock bags and labels to keep track of all hardware. Disconnect all wiring from the console and label it to make sure you will be able to reconnect everything correctly.
Step 2
Draw a diagram of the platform and include precise measurements. Then go back and measure again to make sure everything is ok.
Step 3
Check all wiring under the deck and hardware to make sure everything is tight. Be sure to pay special attention to hardware in the transom area where most of the loose bolts are found.
Step 4
Remove furniture, railings, and trim cap.
step 5
If the platform is questionable, remove it and replace it with. This material is a chemically treated wood that excels at withstanding harsh marine conditions and has an incredibly long lifespan. Place all new sheets of treated plywood on top of the old plywood to mark any areas that need to be cut, scored or drilled. Then remove the old plywood. Attach the new plywood to the studs. Install the clips in the studs where the wood is not attached. Use at least three fasteners on all crosspieces.
step 6
Spread the mat over the clean deck to ensure you have enough to cover the deck, then place it in a handy spot until you need it. If the mat came on a heavy-duty cardboard roll, save it to use later as a roll. The color of your carpet is a very important detail to consider. Remember that dark colors attract and retain heat. Light colors will get dirty faster, but won’t require you to wear your shoes because the carpet is too hot to walk on.
step 7
If your plywood is still in good condition, you will need to remove the old carpet. Use a sharp knife and cut the carpet into strips at the joints of the deck and pull the strips by hand. There’s a good chance that some bits of carpet underlayment or other debris will remain and you don’t want clumps in your new carpet, so use a sharp instrument and scrape up as much of this material as possible. Some parts may stubbornly refuse to come out with a knife, so you may want to use a heat gun and scraper to remove any residue. In extreme cases, you may need to sand away any debris with sandpaper or even a belt sander.
step 8
Use a paint roller to apply a generous amount of glue to the deck. Two gallons of glue is recommended for a 16 foot deck. Allow the water to “run out” of the glue before applying the mat.
step 9
When the glue is tacky to the touch but before it becomes transparent, apply the mat. This should be done when the temperature is above 60°F and when the humidity is not too high. The colder the temperatures (and the higher the humidity), the longer the glue will take to dry. It is suggested that you have the deck out of the elements and wait at least 24 hours, even when all conditions are optimal.
step 10
Lay the mat in the back first. Lay out the rug flush to the edge. Keep it tight and straight. Remove wrinkles with your hands by pulling the rug to the front and sides. An efficient way to install your carpet is to lay the carpet in one go, fold the middle of the carpet back, and apply the glue paying special attention to covering the edges. Then place the glued half side down and use a rolling pin to smooth out any air bubbles. Repeat this process on the second half of the rug. The glue should dry in an hour or so.
step 11
Staple the carpet along the back with stainless steel staples.
step 12
Using a floor roller, rolling pin, or even the cardboard tube the carpet came in, roll the carpet up to ensure the carpet is in contact with the plywood.
step 13
Staple the rest of the edges and trim any excess carpet. Install the trim cap first. Lay the entire rail on the deck and align it into position. Use clamps to keep it in place. Some people suggest that you use all new stainless steel hardware. In our case, we were able to reuse the hardware we removed.
step 14
Take out the images to use to reinstall the hardware. Start with the trim cap, then reattach the railing to its proper location. Secure the railings in place. Place all furniture on the platform and secure using stainless steel fasteners with protective washers.
step 15
Reinstall the steering, throttle, and shift cables. Re-inspect the sidepod steering by turning the steering left and right before your next launch to ensure a safe maiden voyage in your almost-new sidepod.
step 16
Now is the time to protect your almost new dock with the purchase of an inexpensive dock cover with a 4 or 5 year warranty. This cover should eliminate the extra cleaning needed after that last rain storm or seagull flyby and will keep your new carpet looking good for a reasonable period of time instead of showing the rapid deterioration of carpet that has been left behind. outside. in the sun for long periods of time.
