Floor Livewell cover reinforcement / Bayliner Trophy 21

[fdny76]

I just upgraded to a 21ft Trophy. The boat has a large livewell in the floor on the starboard side next to the I/O motor cover. It has a fiberglass cover that you walk on and is in a high traffic area on the boat for trolling. Now its a little soft/spongy and I'd rather not put my foot through it. Does anyone have any idea how I could reinforce this cover or replace it? Thanks

[Gezijamez]

fasten a support across the center. side to side, like a piece of aluminum or stainless.

[bluewater]

fdny76,

I have the same boat with the same problem and I also have been trying to think of a way to reinforce it as well. I think the only way to do it is to add some type of metal support to it, but it's not an easy task when working with saggy fiberglass. I have actually been considering having some one make a whole new one for me made from aluminum with some type of cross support underneath and then I figured I would put some sort of non slip coating on it. I wish someone made a strong replacement but I have not found anything yet.

[bluewater]

Another possible option I have considered is putting a piece of aluminum on the top thats the same size as the cover and drilling a hole in each corner and putting lag bolts in. Just a possible option.

[seasquirrel]

Take it off and reinforce it with fiberglass cloth and resin on the underside. NAPA has a cheap kit that would be enough to do the job for about 12 bucks. DONE!

[fdny76]

Good stuff, Thanks guys for all the help. I think I'll try the NAPA solution first and see how its goes. Thanks again

[bluewater]

That sounds like a great idea seasquirrel I never thought of that one, I think that might do the job once it is thicker and harder underneath. Thanks. I will have to do that.

[lakebound88]

i had a 87 trophy as well, i had an aluminum cover made instead, let me look for a pic.

you can kindof see it. it worked great, a bit more heavy but worked great. i painted it to match the flooring, but all in all, no soft spot

[seasquirrel]

Rough up the underside good with abrasive paper and wipe down with laquer thinner or something then fiberglass it.

[Diversion]

The hatch probably has wood as a core in it, and that wood core is probably shot. Best idea is to cut that wood out from the bottom side of the hatch, and glass new wood back in. Use lots of resin to fully coat the wood, making it good for another 20 years.

[Splitshot115]

Diversion,

No wood in them, they are hollow, but that would work.

Checked mine today and it is in fact hollow.

[fdny76]

Hey guys, I tried the fiberglass resin & cloth repair yesterday. Come to find out my floor panel does in fact have a wood core inside the fiberglass shell which of course was cracked open. I did the job inside a 65' garage and it appeared solid as a rock within 3 hours. I stepped on it this morning and it made some creaking noise but it was 22' here this morning and despite the noise it was pretty solid. I'll let you know how its holding up in a week or so. Thanks for the suggestions and good luck bluewater.

If this doesn't hold I will cut out the wood, replace, and try again.

[lakebound88]

the cracking noise can be due to te use of too much harender, it will make the noise, but still be strong. Will probably be good for one season

[fdny76]

Thanks for the tip lakebound. If I get the whole season I'll be suprised and happy.

[fdny76]

lakebound, just for curiosity sake, where did you get the aluminum replacement made and if you don't mind, at what cost? Thanks

[bluewater]

I work at an aluminum factory and I know several people who could fabricate one for me because I think thats the route I plan to go, when I find out what it will cost I can let you know unless you are able to locate someone yourself. I can get aluminum very cheap. I just have to get a hold of someone to make it.

[lakebound88]

well, i had it made at a metal fab shop here in elmira, but im sure you can take it to any metal working/weld shop out your way, they can even get you the aluminum, fyi aluminum is not cheap!!! but, i think it was around 300 bucks by the time i paid for the plate, and the fab work.

[fdny76]

I just wanted to shoot you an update, I dropped her in the water today for about 6hrs and the fiberglass seems to be holding pretty well after some fishing and walking on it. Its not 100% but I'm pretty sure it will hold for the season. Thanks again for all the help and maybe I'll suck it up and spend a couple hundred to replace it next season.

[FSNmachine]

I see this topic is a little dated but my fish wells in my 20 foot Trophy are getting a little soft. They do have wood in them wrapped in fiberglass. So it looks like this will be a winter project but I was going to cut into the fiberglass on the underside and put some strips of 1" plywood standing up to give more strenght and then wrap them in a blanket of fiberglass. If the old wood is rotten then I will replace what looks like 3/8 with 3/4 and fiberglass that in. This way I do not affect the top surface like I would if I bolted angle iron or aluminum onto the covers.

[Gill-T]

Consider King Starboard.