Repairing Trillium 4500 floor

[kylesoconnor]

I just recently picked up a 1978 Trillium 4500, and after getting it home and doing a more thorough inspection, found that the plywood floor around the 4 rear bolts that attach to the frame, was severely rotten. My two week project turned into a two month one!

I have removed the rotten wood and clean up a bit and now need to figure out how to get plywood into the area. the area is larger than the hole through the dinette seat. Do I need to remove the dinette to have a full piece here, or could I maybe put a tongue and groove between pieces, get them into the area, then epoxy and glass into place.

How have others dealt with this? I have searched extensively, and it seems that everyone that has had to deal with this much rot, actually gutted out the furniture.

Thanks for any help, advice.

Kyle

[MurrayC]

Kyle
I would first make sure the fiberglass is good.
If the plywood was laminated to it this may have compromised the floor.
You might think of putting a new layer of glass on the floor before new plywood.I put down a new layer of glass and then glued the plywood down with Sikoflex 291. You have to weigh the effort to make one piece or have a seam.
If you seam it put lots of adhesive at the joint.
Good luck
Go and enjoy

[Island Claire]

I put a new coat of resin on the floor. I put a coat of fiberglass around the new wood before I put it back in and then fiberglassed it into place. I did not remove the whole bench, just made a slit at the bottom, though even that was fiddly as it curves up at the back. Sometimes, what looks like the hard way is actually the easiest when it comes to the time factor. Good luck.

[jokra]

Hi, sorry to hear/see that you are running into this problem. I got my 78 T4500 about five years ago and found that most plywood used on this trailer was rotten. I think that these were never designed or intended to last this long and we are running into the same problems that a lot of sailboats built in the 70's are running into. I recommend replacing whole pieces rather than trying to patch local areas, especially if they are structural members. Try to find plywood using waterproof glue. You may have to find a local boat supply shop. Good luck with the repairs. IF you do the repair right, you will only have to do it once! :-)