Carpet in Boats

[Lance]

This may seem like a stupid post, but I'm going to give it a try. Why do we want carpeting in boats. I have a Princecraft 167 (40 hp tiller)and fish 2-3 times a week (walleyes in the UP, Bay de Noc,and northern Wi in early summer and Muskies later in summer and fall). I work harder keeping the boat clean thanI do my living room carpet. I sometimes think it would be nice to purchase to a Lund Alaskan 16-18 feet with a 40-60 hp tiller. Would be looking at aprox 78??"" beam on Lund versus 83" beam on Princraft. It is nice to have carpet below the feet when fishing but is it really necessary. Also like to duck hunt in Fall. Any experiences out there with "downgrading" (so to speak)like this. Not as nice a boat to fish from but more usable in fall. Would appreciate hearing your experiences

[DAM]

Can you say runners? Why not just cover the carpet in those areas that take the most abuse. The heavy duty ones wont slide around or blow away. When you pull them up the carpet is like new.

[AquaMan]

I have often wondered the same thing. Most big water boats (Cabin/Cuddy Cruisers) have glass decks with textured surface. Boston Whaler has a similar deck that is virtually skid free. It sure makes for easy cleaning and maintenance and the white is a lot cooler on bare feet then a dark blue carpet.

As for the Alaskan. There is a guy up on the Ottertail river that has the 18" Camo Alaskan with rod locker that doubles as gun storage, live well and tons of dry storage with the Honda 50HP. He hunts and fishes very confortably out of that boat. It has a vinyl covered floor that wipes/sprays clean in seconds compared to my carpet.

I have been looking to move into that exact boat if I ever find the right deal. I left a note on his boat this spring that when he wants to sell...call me!

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[RD]

I just got rid of a Boston Whaler that had the textured glass surface flooring. It was the hardest floor I have ever seen in trying to keep clean and looking nice. Tennis shoes that had dark soles would even leave marks on the floor that I would have to litteraly scrub off with soaap and water. Carpet is the way to go.

[AquaMan]

Most of the lakes I go to have sandy shores...that has to be worse then black soled shoes.

Was your floor slippery when wet? I know that carpeting can be more so then most people think. Fell in the drink several years ago when I was hopping into the boat one damp morn and never even had time to react when my foot went over my head and I in the water. Kerspash...the experlatives were a flyin' and the whole river emptied of birds...

Kids thought it was pretty funny though. I told them that it was all in the name of humor...right!

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[mlc]

Lance, why "downgrade?" In the pacific North West area both Lund and Crestliner will offer a vinyl floor package. I will not own a boat with carpeting. Vinyl is so much easier to keep clean and, in this country, dryness becomes an issue because it rains alot. I am not trying to sell vinyl flooring as that is a personal issue, but I do not think you have to "downgrade" to get it. Actually, you may have to "upgrade(spend more money)" to get it on your boat.

Take care,
mlc

[REW]

All of the posts are right on.
I have an all glass boat - with a white textured floor. No problems with slipping -- the textured floor always gives me good footing - even when wet.

The post about keeping clean is right on as well.
The all white floor is great in the summer time - especially with a lot of skiing and other sports. If there is no mud, crawler dirt, or blood - the white floor in the heat of the summer is great. I enjoy it a lot.

However, in the spring and fall - when the weather is colder, folks wearing heavy shoes and boots - often tracking in grass mud and dirt - from morning condensation or a daily rain -- not so great. The floor is very easy to clean -- but with the white floor - it just never looks very good.

The floor of the boat has dark gray hatch covers. During the time that the white floor is looking a bit tacky, with the foot prints etc. you can't seem much at all on the dark gray hatch covers.

Based on this experience, if you have a hard floor - get a floor with a darker color. Then, even if there are foot prints etc. the boat will still look ok, but still be easy to clean.

I have enjoyed the textured floor very much - on the way home, I swing by the car wash and blast out anything that might have occurred during the trip.

Finally, after a few years, of washing out the boat several times a day, vigorous use of the sponge hourly during a fishing trip -- I decided that I didn't want to clean quite so much.

I went to the local building supply store, and picked up a nice grade of carpet -- that was very weather resistent -- and with a very STIFF backing. The reason for the stiff backing - is that I only FREE LAY -- no glue -- on the bottom of the boat. It took me about an hour to trim around the hatches, sides of the floor, seat pedestals etc.

I used a dark gray carpet - which matches nicely with the hatch covers. Now I can go fishing for a week - enjoy the fishing and don't get bent out of shape with a bit of "stuff" on the floor.

Again, on the way home, I blast everything out with the car wash -- high pressure.

Then when I get home - I pull the carpet - hang it up and let it completely dry - open all my hatches, bilges etc. put a fan - in the boat to totally dry everything -- recharge the batteries, top off the injector tank - check for any loose fittings - and I am ready for the next trip. After letting the carpet get totally dry - 1-4 days depending on the humidity --- I free lay the carpet back in the boat -- and the stiffness -- keeps it in place -- even when underway -- with no cover on the boat.

The floor - looks like brand new, and very little maintenance.

Because the carpet was relatively inexpensive --
If it shows too much wear, or becames too heavily stained -- I simply pitch it and cut another piece. When I purchased the carpet, I picked up enough so that I could do it three times. -- Close out roll of carpet.

Then in the heat of the summer - when everyone is running around in clean tennis shoes, or bare feet - I pull the carpet -- and use the bare floor for the typical summer activities like skiing and tubing for the children.

The same thing will work very well for vinyl as well.

I specifically chose the solid glass floor -- because of the three floors that I had put in my previous boat -- all carpet covered -- that tended to stay wet through the entire fishing season. Even with fans etc. it is very difficult to get the floor and carpet really dry.

Take care

REW

[john mannerino]

The best option I got on my boat this year was vinyl on the deck,carpet on the sides. The only drawback is it`s gets hot in the sun so I put a rug down when there will be bare feet in the boat.We all know what a boat like after spilling crawlers,coffee,just hose it off. Just my 2cents.
John Mannerino

[Glyde Ryder]

Uncarpeted decks ice up on me . Frigid swimming is lethal.

[bob oh]

Boat I fish in has a textured glass floor (SportCraft hardtop) and it is fairly easy to keep clean - Simple Green and a boat brush. Tennis shoes don't make marks, but they can slip when floor is wet. Hard-soled shoes are a no no - make marks and are very slippery. The answer is deck shoes, that's what they are made for - secure footing on wet fiberglass. I wear them all the time and almsot never slip, even when I walk on the sides to fish off the bow. Not even on the bow which is textured fiberglass.
Bob

[Lance]

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate hearing that solid glass or vinyl works good and people are happy with it. Still here daily if any more replies. Sites like this make are a gooood thing!!!! Lance

[Bronco]

Carpet is no big deal to keep clean- I just back the rig in the car wash and hose down the carpet. Then pull the plug and park on an incline to drain. The carpet looks brand new again.

Good Luck
Bronco

[Rich (MI)]

I have a vinyl floor in my Starcraft Fishmaster 190. It is great. The only time I have had a problem was when I dropped a fish on the floor and had some slime that made the floor slippery. When I bought my boat this was the only model that had the vinyl floors and I knew that I wanted that after the carpeted previous boat. Clean up is simple and a short ride or just a half hour uncovered and the floor is dry.

[skeeter]

I did the same thing REW did. I got tired of
cleaning the carpet after fishing all day. Slim
from cat fish or pike and blood. All made for
a mess. I got a piece of carpet heavy backing but
outdoor and lay it down just before I set poles
and man does it save me cleaning. Just roll it up
and dry it when I get home. Nels

[fishin_fool]

About once a week I pull through the car wash and hose out the boat using the pressure washer. Cleans the carpet up like new. Coffie,Blood,fish slim,crawler dirt, it all comes out with the pressure washer and only takes about ten minutes to do a real good job.

[John]

Very interesting topic!
I was on the phone with a representitive of a boat manufacturer that we hear about on this board. I specifically asked if I could order one of their boats without carpet. The response was that they are experimenting with snap in carpet so that we can have the bare (with non-slip) when we choose. I'm not going to expose the manufacturer but do know that a rep of theirs is among us. Please feel free to let them know we think this is a great idea as I personally wouldn't mind seeing it come to fruit;-).

Otherwise, I second REW's solution.

P.S. I was told it might be offered in the 2001s.

[Jim/Wi]

I might be a bit late on my comments on this subject but I still want to put my 2cents in. I redid my whole rig(82 18ft sylvan) this winter and got rid of the carpet and put in "Nautolex" marine vinyl flooring. Best choice I could have made. Easy to clean good looking and not slippery. I'd be hard pressed to get a new boat with carpet. I do like REW's idea of removeable carpet. I think the boat Rep who said they may do a removable carpet is on to something.

I keep my rig in the water all spring/summer /fall and the vinlyy sure drys faster than carpet so I get less mold. Vinyl is the was to go.

[Eye Dog]

We may as well have a small hose in the boat so we can rinse on the way back to the landing. Just like the big boys.
LOL, Eye Dog