How to remove a floor panel?

[randybartlett]

Specifically...

I am recarpeting my 19' Caravelle Fish'n'Ski. There's a little piece of the floor that is wrapped in carpet. It's located in the front area (imagine you are sitting on a small bench seat upfront and your feet are resting on this bit of carpet).

I want to remove it but haven't figured out how to.

I can reach under part of it and can feel the point of a wood screw that may or may not be involved. If it's holding it down, then they must have put a small slit in the carpet to install the screw - do they do that?

If that's not it, what's the other possibilities?

I guess it could be glued in. I can try lifting the rear-facing edge.

Lastly, there could be screws entering from underneath. If that's the case, I'm not sure I could reach them.

As my first drastic step, I'll cut the carpet off of it to inspect further.

As a last resort, I could destroy the wood and replace it.

Thoughts?

 

[Sandy]

If you are recarpeting any way, just cut or rip the old stuff off and backing/sole fasteners will most likely be revealed from above ( not a religious reference .)

 

[LouC]

Be careful ripping up carpet, sometimes it is glued down and somtimes they used staples on the edges that can cut your hands, wear heavy work gloves. I ripped up all the carpet in my 88 Four Winns when I put in a new floor this summer and the two worst jobs were ripping out the floatation foam and the carpet! Putting in the new foam was almost fun by comparison.

 

[randybartlett]

There were 5 screws, passing through the carpet. I had never seen them since they were buried into the carpet fibers. There didn't seem to be any slits, nor was the panel glued down.

I had to rip up the carpet to find the screws.

The good news is that all the carpet came out of the boat tonight. It seems to have been held in place with a pretty thin layer of glue. It pulled up pretty easily. I'll scrape off some residual and it will be ready for the new carpet.

Thanks. Randy