quicksilver 3.8 help required

[timofleeds]

Hi I have a quicksilver 3.8 with ply wood floor and 25hp mariner engine. This floor has come apart whilst on the water a couple of times ( ie the alloy tongue and groove part has seperated) Can anybody explain what I may be doing wrong? I am thinking,

1) Sea too rough with a 18 to 24 inch swell

2) Going too fast

3) not inflated correctly ( what is the correct pressure )

4) overloaded 3 x 15 stone blokes

5) floor not installed correctly ( it has the metal side pieces for the floor )

As you can probably tell I am a novice but this seems like the best place to get the info I need.

Many thanks Tim

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by timofleeds

Hi I have a quicksilver 3.8 with ply wood floor and 25hp mariner engine. This floor has come apart whilst on the water a couple of times ( ie the alloy tongue and groove part has seperated) Can anybody explain what I may be doing wrong? I am thinking,

1) Sea too rough with a 18 to 24 inch swell

2) Going too fast

3) not inflated correctly ( what is the correct pressure )

4) overloaded 3 x 15 stone blokes

5) floor not installed correctly ( it has the metal side pieces for the floor )

As you can probably tell I am a novice but this seems like the best place to get the info I need.

Many thanks Tim

I have sold, built, used and customised more of these boats than I could count and none have ever popped a floor!

Speed will not do it, nor will three normal sized blokes. Pressure is a slim possibility but I think favourite is the installation option.

Photos may be required.

[codprawn]

I would guess the floorboards aren't being pushed pully into the aluminium extrusions - or else they are sitting too high in the boat - not under the tubes.

[S4Simon]

If the boat is in good shape then it would possibly be an underpressure issue. Most users never inflate to correct pressure. I'm guessing 3.5 lbs of pressure for a Quicksilver.

If there's not enough pressure then the craft will flex too much under stress and floorboards will pop out of position.

[geoffs]

Are the side bars locked into place to hold the boards down?

[timofleeds]

Hi, thanks for the replies I think the only thing that may have been incorrect is the pressure in the tubes. I think everything else was done correctly. Should the floor flex from front to back when going along? and if so roughly by how much.

Many thanks Tim

[timofleeds]

To add on from my previous reply, the boat is two years old buy has only been used 6/7 times. Would this setup pull a donut? if so would the transom be the place to fix some sort of connection for the tow rope and what would be best to use to secure the tow rope.

Once again many thanks, Tim

[prairie tuber]

What pressure is your pressure guage reading when you inflate the main sponsons?

What pressure is your pressure guage reading when you inflate the keel?

[m chappelow]

when asssembling are you inflating the keel first or putting too much pressure in it before the main tubes,or are you sure the floor is located into the boat proper before inflating or is there a possibility its the wrong size floor . regarding towing a dounut the transom is going to be the best and you will need something like 2 stainless u bolts one at each end or through eye bolts ,then a bridle rope going to a single rope .

[jyasaki]

Is your floor a 5-piece deal? Three sections in back, locked together with stringers, then 2 sections in front that are not locked to the others? (possibly some variation thereof - 2 sections in back, for example.)

Having a bit of flex between the main and front sections is normal (the operative phrase, which, of course, is up to interpretation, is "a bit". It will flex, but the boat shouldn't fold up on you, either.) There shouldn't be a great deal of flex within the main section of flooring.

If the floor pieces have come apart while running, something is not right. I'd suspect (as others have said) pressure in the tubes, or lack of stringers (the side pieces that lock the main floor pieces into a single unit.)

If it came apart between the front section and the main flooring section, I'd suspect pressure, most likely in the keel.

jky

[timofleeds]

Hi Thanks for all the replies, I have been away for the last few days hence the delay. I do not have a pressure gauge but I think this should be first on my to buy list as most replies suggest under inflation. It is deffinatley the correct floor as I had the boat from new and it does sepperate near the front. I will try again with pressure at the correct level and see how I get on.

Many thanks Tim