Rubber mat in between ribs

[richg99]

Re horse stall...you may have the real answer!! Ha Ha. richg99

 

[bobmwsc]

They sell the anti-fatigue mats at harbor freight as well. A 4 pack of the interlocking squares is $10. Each square is 25 x 25 x 1/2" thick. They also have an Anti-Fatigue Roll Mat for $8. It's 24 x 72 x 5/16" thick weighing in at a whopping 1.55 lbs. And they're both even less with the 20-25% off coupons online.

We have interlocking tiles on our 3 season porch. They're assorted colors on one side and either gray or black on the other. They've held up to 6 years of kids playing and spilling on them and they still look great. We got those at Sam's Club - 8 mats w/ edging for about $22.

You may have to go a two layers to achieve the needed thickness with the squares but they weigh next to nothing.

 

[adelmo]

I plan on using Best Step Anti-Fatigue Mat over my sealed plywood deck.

On sale at Menards: https://www.menards.com/main/p-2289280-c-6527.htm

 

[looserivet]

I cut up a truck bed liner for one of my boats. I have a plywood deck though that extends from the last rib to under the front bench seat. I lined the rear section so the battery didn't bang up the aluminum hull, and the front to protect it from the anchor which sits up there.

On my other boat I used some old gym mat, a local school replaced their gym floor which was covered with 1/4" thick urethane rubber mat. The down side is that its bright blue in color but it serves its purpose well and doesn't blow out when on the road.

I've thought about tacking the corners down with 3M 5200 adhesive but so far its never moved and having it easy to remove makes it easier to wash out the boat after a day in the saltwater.

 

[lswoody]

Sounds like a good idea. Would love to do this with my 14'er.

 

[Y_J]

48 Sq Ft EVA Foam Floor Interlocking Mat Show Floor Garage Gym Mat Black New

This is what I just ordered for the floor in my boat.. Here's the link on eBay. 48 sq ft, US $37.99, Free shipping

https://www.ebay.com/itm/351149772920?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[looserivet]

I'd be cautious of that EVA foam mat material. We have both EVA and PVC foam mats at work around every work station, they made the mistake of taking a few of them outside to clean with a hose and they held water like a sponge. Its also available by the roll from most floor covering stores and Home Depot, its sold as carpet runner. Some of what we have are small 'fatigue' type mats, others are cut from bulk rolls. While its not really slippery when wet, it does absorb water like a sponge. When I went to life a 4x8' piece of mat that sat out on the curb for a week it felt like it weighed a hundred pounds or more.

The PVC Foam has a label that states 'NOT for Wet Areas'.

I would suppose that if left in a boat, between rain and just normal use it would no doubt absorb water.

The barn stall or 'Cow' mats that I'm used to seeing are made from recycled tires and are usually 1" thick. Most come in 5x10 or so sizes but they're super heavy.
They sell various sizes at Tractor Supply here, I'd say a full mat is over 80lbs, probably more.

Years ago they used to make a rubber or foam mat that fit the back of a pickup truck, the purpose was to level the floor by filling in all the low areas in the ridged floor. I'd like to see something like that for a boat that leveled the ribs out. It would have to be light, along with water and UV resistant.

 

[Djknyork]

I've seen greenhouse racks put in between ribs on another forum. Hard plastic rack/table tops cut to fit looked to b about 2 inches thick with 1 inch wide by 4 inch long slots for water drainage.

 

[Y_J]

I'd be cautious of that EVA foam mat material. We have both EVA and PVC foam mats at work around every work station, they made the mistake of taking a few of them outside to clean with a hose and they held water like a sponge. Its also available by the roll from most floor covering stores and Home Depot, its sold as carpet runner. Some of what we have are small 'fatigue' type mats, others are cut from bulk rolls. While its not really slippery when wet, it does absorb water like a sponge. When I went to life a 4x8' piece of mat that sat out on the curb for a week it felt like it weighed a hundred pounds or more.

Darn and it said "Waterproof". Well, then if this one does as you say, then I'll put it in the Portable Garage, I'm getting from HF this next month as a flooring then figure a different way of doing the boat floor.

The barn stall or 'Cow' mats that I'm used to seeing are made from recycled tires and are usually 1" thick. Most come in 5x10 or so sizes but they're super heavy.
They sell various sizes at Tractor Supply here, I'd say a full mat is over 80lbs, probably more.

Yep, the TS here has a pallet stack of these sitting outside the door.. Way to heavy for my little ol' 12 ftr. Thanks for the heads up..

 

[looserivet]

I'd be cautious of that EVA foam mat material. We have both EVA and PVC foam mats at work around every work station, they made the mistake of taking a few of them outside to clean with a hose and they held water like a sponge. Its also available by the roll from most floor covering stores and Home Depot, its sold as carpet runner. Some of what we have are small 'fatigue' type mats, others are cut from bulk rolls. While its not really slippery when wet, it does absorb water like a sponge. When I went to life a 4x8' piece of mat that sat out on the curb for a week it felt like it weighed a hundred pounds or more.

Darn and it said "Waterproof". Well, then if this one does as you say, then I'll put it in the Portable Garage, I'm getting from HF this next month as a flooring then figure a different way of doing the boat floor.

Take a piece of it and soak it, see if absorbs water. They have three types at work, one style connects together like a jigsaw puzzle, the others have tapered sealed edges, and the long pieces were cut from a roll like carpet runner. The stuff off the roll is the worst, it soaks up water FAST.
The jigsaw linked pieces are the best but those are more dense, but they still gain weight when wet. The tapered edge molded mats are probably fine till he shiny surface gets a few punctures in it. These are the one's that are near the one door here and when it rains, they soak up enough water from the open door that they bleed water for a week or more afterwards when stepped on.
The roll bought stuff gets so heavy it almost tears apart when you try and move it when wet. The jigsaw pieces are lighter to begin with but they still bleed water after being washed for a while.
I can't saw for sure which is PVC or which is EVA, but there's a definite difference between the two materials. The jigsaw style mats are the odd material, the other two all feel like the same material.

Another thought too, the fact that those mats tend to be black may not be the best choice on a hot summer day, I usually try to paint my boat interiors a flat white or light gray to help keep the surface cool while cutting down as much as I can on reflected heat.