Finished the carpet job!

I took a few pictures along the way and have some tips if anyone is considering doing their own boat. My carpet started out charcoal gray, but through the years and wear it became thread bare, sun rotted in places, floor area between the consoles wouldn't stay tacked down no matter how much 3M I sprayed and it was almost completely black. Now that I have all my motor issues worked out, time for the cosmetics.
(if these pics are too big, Backlash is welcome to help out with the sizing)

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps7e0511a0.jpg Removed the rod lockers, notice the color and the lack of carpet around the pedestal seat.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...psb566e8e0.jpg Took all the lids off and started working on getting all the hardware off to begin the process of removing the old carpet.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps3de28ae2.jpg This is a look at how much the carpet has changed, I did not replace the underside of the lids ot the boxes.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps10f8fb3b.jpg New carpet sample laid over the old stuff, pictures can't show the difference in feel. Fished today and notice padding under my feet instead of a hard surface.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps50bae9b3.jpg Rod locker lid all prepped and ready to go. This one took the longest and after this one I bought some Goof Off, BIG HELP!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps05f0cc10.jpg Storage box after carpet removed, with backing and glue still stuck on it. I didn't find a single lid that they skimped on the glue.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps517b9063.jpg Took a scraper to get the big stuff off. My hand is bandaged because I took a big chunk out of it with a spanner wrench on an angle grinder because some idoit used regular nuts and bolt to install the half deck extension. Rusted beyond being able to use wrenches or vice grips to remove the extension.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps41bf1524.jpg Same lid about ten minutes later. I found that spraying Goof Off on a 12"x 12" area was about right to disolve the glue and give you time to use a drill and a wire bruch to remove the old glue.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps8aa61ff4.jpg Front deck scraped and prepped ready for the new carpet
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps3135cec2.jpg Same for the back deck.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps12291728.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps9ae15da3.jpg Finally some progress!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps188803e7.jpgWhile I was at it I cleaned up the seats. Magic Eraser is everything the name implies!!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...psf8ae4a2a.jpg Guest rod locker is in two pieces, one is part of the whole back deck floor piece and the other goes to the bottom and up the side all the way to the trim. This took longer than any other area of the boat.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps87fc57a2.jpgGlued and waiting for it to cure before trimming corners. Used an outdoor carpet glue on the decks and floor, 3M 90 for all the lids. *NOTE* let the 3M breath for about two minutes before applying the carpet, but make sure you have the lid EXACTLY where you want it before making contact. There is a reason it is called "contact cement"

I need to upload the finished photos, possibly tomorrow. I figured out if you lay a level broadside along the lids, that will give you a perfect amount of overlap to tuck into the underside of the lids and behind the existing carpet. That was a huge time saver cutting out all the lids! Cutting corners is explained in the Bass Boat Restoration section and it works perfect! I actually allowed a little more overlay for the corners, but you don't want too much.
More tomorrow night, this boy is tired and I have to get up and fish tomorrow!

hey can you message me the pictures in looking to try this with my boat. cant see these pictures

Looks good Chris!! :thumb up2: :thumb up2: Been trying to figure out how to squeeze a shop like that in my back yard ... reckon the neighbors would mind?? :laugh: Don't know that the little woman would appreciate me taking out a couple of her shade trees. :doh:

Looks fantastic Chris :thumb up2:...getting her ready just in time to catch some of those Texas Hawgs that are moving up into the shallow water to spawn. The guys recent trip to Falcon was a bust. Very few fish caught and the wind blew 'em off the lake on 2 occasions and the wind was so strong on the first Monday down there ya couldn't even go out. Only two 8 pounders caught and the rest weren't even worth setting the hook on. Down for 2 weeks but left early after only 8 days. :thumbsdown1: Next trip in May we're headed to Lake Fork.

@ Jason, sne dme your email address and I'll send you all the pics.
@ Reggie, a shop like that would be sweet, but wouldn't fit in our neighborhood. SkeeterRJ let me use his shop for a week when it came to glueing the carpet down.
@ Larry, like all lakes, once the word gets out and it gets pounded for a couple of years, it gets tough. I haven't been to Falcon in three years.

Now for the finished pics. Carpet is close to the original color indoors, but out in the sun it is quite a bit lighter in color, but looks better than the original.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ps96c629db.jpg Pay attention to the carpet, not the shop or the 21' skeeter parked next to my boat. Ok, the shop is pretty impressive!!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...psb9a045c6.jpg My boat came with a third pedestal seat that I never used. Carpeted over the plate in the floor and filled in the hole in the extension and covered it up. The original 6" aluminum plate would flat light you up in the summer time if you sat down to tie on another bait.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...pseffc5002.jpg Back deck, I did cut out the hole for the pedestal seat on the front and back deck later.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...psd4878922.jpg My "new" 2000 201!! I am going to redo the storage between the seats later, need to find the cup holders first.

I bought the 8' X 30' roll of carpet. I knew that would be plenty, but wanted to give myself room for the "oops" factor. No "oops" moments occurred, but we re-carpeted the Skeeter's sideboards and still had enough left over to do probably most of the lids again except the rod lockers. Anyone attempting this shouldn't set a time line to be done, and realize that trimming out is gioong to take three times the amount of time you think, but don't get in a hurry and take the time to do it right. It will turn out great and can be something to be proud of, several people have asked me where I got it done. No one wants to believe I did it myself, with help from SkeeterRJ. And yes, I am glad it is over and looks better than I thought it would when I started it! :nanner:

Now that sir is one fine job. :thumb up2: Your effort has paid off big time, looks like a new boat.

Man, that looks like a new one!

Cheers,

George

I can only think of one word that comes to mind immediately,WOW! I can tell there was a lot of 'Sweat Equity' that went into the job. This also cures " I want a new boat blues ", you kinda' stand back and say this looks as good or better than a new one. :thumb up2:

Good job :thumb up2:! Looks like a professional did it, ever think about a 2'nd career, just say'n. It's amazing what a piece of new carpet will do for a boat. Like I said before, mine needs a face lift, but I gotta build me one of them big sheds first :rolleyes:, or I could just drop it off with you the next time I head to Sweetwater. :wink::laugh::laugh:

Did you re use the chrome molding? Or go a different route?

Went right back with the original trim amazingly it all lined up perfect.

Looks great! Did you drill out the rivets on the trim? Did you put a pad on the front deck?