Re-carpeting my bass boat

The carpet in my Tracker bass boat was shot the day I bought it (new) from the dealer. It was a prior-year model that had sat on the lot for 9 months. The dealer gave me a 'due bill' to replace the carpet under warranty, but wanted to keep the boat for several months to get it done. I decided not to give up that much fishing time. Meanwhile, the long-time dealer closed up shop.

Several years later I removed the carpet from the foredeck, forward bin lids, and the main cockpit floor, and replaced with indoor/outdoor carpet. It was a lot of work removing all that adhesive and gluing new carpet down, and it initially looked OK. But it was a big mistake; Indoor/outdoor carpet is not cut-loop carpet (as is fishing boat carpet), and doesn't really stand up to our California sun (it gets 'hard'). Meanwhile, the remainder of the original carpet continued to get beaten up.

Recently, I've looked at new bass boats, but kept asking myself "what's wrong with what I have?" I've also obtained quotes for re-carpeting, but wondered why I'd put $3,000 into a 10-year old fishing boat.

Enter Chris (my other half). She has a lull in business, and volunteered to re-carpet the bass boat; I immediately ordered the (correct bass boat) carpet and adhesive. Chris has a business remodeling yachts and home interior decor; She's achieved some amazing results, but yachts typically don't have glued-down carpet. So, this is a new one for her.

The adhesive turned up today and the carpet will arrive on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Chris has been busy removing old carpet and adhesive, and making templates. I've been busy drilling rivets and removing screws to take sections of the aluminum boat apart. Hopefully we can put it all back together 

I spoke too soon; Chris got busy on another (paying) job, but will get back to the bass boat this coming week. Meanwhile, the new carpet turned up from the supplier.

A silver lining on the delay ... after much procrastination, I've ordered (from amazon) a recessed pan to flush mount the trolling motor foot pedal. This will de-clutter the foredeck and make it easier on the leg and ankle. I just need to cut the foredeck to mount the pan (it comes with a template and hardware).

I replaced the 10 year old carpet in my aluminum hull bass boat many years ago. Since it had wood substrate for floor boards over the aluminum, I replaced that as well at the time.  Rather than glue it all down again, I used stainless trim screws for much of it and just glued (sparingly) the more open areas where it might ripple and the edges around wells and such.

I no longer have the boat but it held up for 20 years of light use (the boat was covered much of the time).

Aye, screws &/or staples would work for the wooden foredeck and main cockpit floor, and IIRC I used them in combination with adhesive last time around. But there's a lot of aluminum that needs carpeting also - more surface area than wood (aft deck, storage bins, bait & live wells, helm console, seating areas and walls); They'll use adhesive only. It will be interesting to see how Chris approaches it.

Edit: I just removed the carpet from the foredeck and confirmed I'd previously only used staples (on the underside) and screws (on the topside), no adhesive. Those screws either held the deck down, or held hardware to the deck. Looking a little closer, it appears that's the way they did it at the factory, except they used double-sided tape over the base of the front seat pedestal.

Things are finally coming back together. Chris did a huge amount of adhesive removal using some acetone and a lot of time with a palm sander. She's re-carpeted most, but not yet all of the boat and components. What I see so far is a huge improvement, even better than the boat when it was 'new'. Looks like I need to order more carpet for the main cockpit floor.

I removed a ton of rivets and screws, which need to be replaced as we put it all back together. Hopefully, we can figure out where it all goes  ???

After procrastinating over the price of the powder-coated aluminum pan, I went ahead and recessed the foot pedal for the trolling motor. It's going to be so much easier on my leg/foot/ankle.

Looks like I need to order more carpet ...

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The additional carpet arrived yesterday. Chris has started on the starboard panels that are carpeted, and the floor.

Slow to follow-up on this subject. Chris did a great job of re-carpeting the bass boat, but I've been somewhat slow to put it all back together. We'd left town for a few months, then bad weather set in, we left again, etc ...

I finally got back to it recently, and the finished job is great, although I probably should have chosen a darker color carpet.

Took the boat out for a test run today, but the trolling motor had quit working. Yesterday, after initial troubleshooting, I figured it was a failed plug &/or socket, and ordered OEM replacements via Amazon. Confirmed the problem today, and I'm eagerly awaiting the replacements arriving tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the dogs (mother and daughter) insisted on accompanying me on the trip today.

I figured it was a failed plug &/or socket, and ordered OEM replacements via Amazon.

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Surprise, surprise, that solved the problem. Had a couple of nice days floating on the CA Delta. Can't seem to get out on the water without the doggies (mother and daughter) hopping aboard.

That looks so good and now that you have had a chance to practice re-carpeting,,,,, MY boat should arrive at your house on Tuesday. Think you can have it ready by Friday? 

Seriously, great job I know you and the dogs will enjoy the boat for many years.

Cheers,
Vance

LOL Vance. Chris has a yacht/home remodeling business but, after this experience, we're agreed we won't take on any re-carpeting jobs  ;D