TOPIC: What happens if I ignore a rotten floor?

I have a 1969 Silverline Riviera with a soft, no, VERY soft floor in spots. I bought it knowing the floor was trash, but it was (relatively) cheap, and I was impatient, lol. At the time, I didn't know if I really wanted to get back into boats after 20 years, and didn't want thousands tied up in something I might not be able to sell again right away.

Now, a year later, I'm at a bit of an impasse once again. I'm not particularly attached to this boat, and would like something nicer, but the good boating season is just around the corner. I don't really want to dump a ton of money and time into this boat that could be put towards something nicer. But on the other hand, I'm likely going to have a harder time finding a boat I like, in my budget, that isn't going to be another big project, this time of year. I'm sure that given the condition of the floor, the stringers are likely trashed at this point as well.

So, since I still want to get on the water this year....what happens if I just ignore the rotten floor in my boat while looking for another boat? Is it merely a matter of accepting that it's going to be slower, and burn more fuel due to the additional water sitting in the hull, and being careful that I don't break an ankle off on the soft spots? Or am I exponentially increasing my odds of having to swim back to shore while thinking about how many thousands of dollars of fishing gear just took a trip to the bottom of the lake?

I don't think a soft floor is going to sink you. Doesn't necessarily mean that your bilge if full of water either. just water soaked timber.
Sounds like your intention is to sell the boat later on and get something more desirable. Right now it's just a little heavier than it should be, you should watch where you step and warn any guests that you bring aboard. When your ready to sell make sure you let everyone involved that the floor need replacement. and keep in mind that you did get some enjoyment out of it and maybe recover your initial investment.....or not.

I wouldn't take the risk if I were you. I knew a guy who ignored a rotten floor. The Marine Interior Integrity Police got him, impounded all his fishing gear, took him away, put him in chains on a pier and made him watch all the other boaters launch and go fishing. Crowds gathered to laugh at him and say disparaging remarks. He was fed pink tofu three times a day until he eventually died of frustration.

Ya, that's what happened to my friend Harry from Appleton, WI. Actually it wasn't frustration that did him in. It was the chains holding him under water. Snopes...

Rotten transom is bad. If you a just running a trolling motor I would even push that one. I wouldn't mess with a real motor on a rotten transom. I don't get the Mr Safety award. Rotten stringers bad but less so. depends on how hard you run it. Rotten floor is usually good indicator that the stringers are shot. there is a structural component but that failure is beyond what you can walk on.

Detroit80 wrote: What happens if I ignore a rotten floor?

you end up in the basement

Or, you may end up swimming also.

In my experience, they don't rot from the floor down, rather from the keel up. If the floor is rotted, then it's likely the structure underneath is also compromised. I'd be very wary of using a boat with rotted stringers and battens. The fiberglass can flex, crack and fail, leaving you with bigger issues...