Boat Carpeting & Reviniling: Underlayment Considerations for Fiberglass Boats

Question
I have an 1972 Starcraft 18' fiberglass boat and am recarpeting and revyniling the interior. I have noticed under the carpet there is a rubber material between the carpet and the floor. Can I sand and clean the floor then just put down the adhesive and carpet or do I need to put something else under the carpet?

Answer
Sounds like you're restoring this boat from stem to gudgeon Steve. I sure hope it's financially economical to do so on an 18 36-yr-old boat. By the way, so long as you keep the bottom well waxed, there's no need to apply an anti-foul paint, so save your money.

Without knowing exactly what the "rubber material" might be beneath the carpet, I'm at a loss to offer advice. Are you sure it isn't the adhesive that held down the carpet in the beginning? If so, you want a smooth surface on which to lay the carpet, therefore, some scraping and/or sanding might be appropriate. Make certain the plywood sole is solid and not dry rotted, otherwise, replacement will be the next expense, so use a marine grade plywood, not construction grade which will delaminate due to application and exposure to moisture.

Safe Boating
Ron