How to Carpet a John Boat

Carpet adds several advantages to your john boat

Carpeting your john boat is no more difficult than carpeting your utility room, except that you'll be glueing the whole carpet down. The carpet will keep you from slipping when you try to move around. The most difficult part of the operation is buying the carpet. Carpet is sold in 13 foot wide rolls, by the "running foot." This means if your boat is 4 feet wide and 10 feet long, you will need 4 running feet of carpet; if your boat is 4 feet wide and 9 feet long, you'll still need 4 running feet of carpet. Any carpet you have left over might even be used to cushion the seats.

Things You'll Need

• Carpet,
• Paint brush,
• Short nap paint roller,
• 2-part marine epoxy adhesive,
• Marine plywood,
• Heavy duty stapler,
• Wood sealer.

Instructions

1. 

   Measure the overall dimensions of your boat. Since carpet is sold by the running foot, buy a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet or other floor covering based on the width of your boat

2. Cut the marine plywood to fit closely on the floor of your john boat and seal the edges and both sides with a wood sealer. This will form a base for the carpet and provide some soundproofing.

3. Mix the 2-part marine epoxy and apply to the plywood with the paint brush. Set the carpet in place on the side of the plywood to which you applied the marine epoxy. Use a short nap paint roller to smooth the carpet out and force the carpet into the epoxy.

4. Turn the plywood over and wrap the carpet over the edges of the plywood. Staple the edges to the bottom of the plywood. Allow the epoxy to cure completely.

Tips & Warnings

• If you buy carpet remnants that are less than the length of your boat, cut the plywood in half, one piece for the bow, one for the stern. This will allow you to turn the all the edges of the shorter pieces of carpet under the plywood.

References

• Carpeting a John Boat Floor

Resources

• Good Boatkeeping