What were they thinking.... Carpet in boats

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One thing everyone has failed to mention, getting traction during intimate encounter in a rolly anchorage or dock. Carpet helps. I still hate carpet on a boat.

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We found what seems to be great carpet for a boat. It's 2'x2' squares of trade show carpeting. Each square interlocks with others. It consists of a 1/2" rubber back and a 1/8" "pile" of polyester fibers individually punched into the rubber backing. This means it can be cut easily with a razor knife with no fraying. Being polyester, it seems impervious to stains. Spill a glass of red wine, no problem. Pull up that square, wash with soap and water, let it dry and put it back down. If you look hard you can see the interlocking pieces, but they're not objectional. Very comfortable to walk on and can be removed at any time for cleaning, etc. See at https://www.greatmats.com/products/interlocking-carpet.php. We have the dark gray and have been using it for over 5 years. At under $24/sq yd, it's reasonably priced.
 
"Why would boat builders think this stain, dirt and allergen collection medium would be acceptable to their customers ? "

Maybe because their customers want it, maybe because others like things you don't. I've had both on boats and really don't have a preference. One plus to the carpet is your not mashing all that dirt, grit and sand into the wood floors.

As the old saying goes, whatever floats your boat.
 
The first time I had my two small grandsons (4 and 1) aboard for 4 days, I knew I had made the right decision to have Amtico in the pilothouse, salon and galley! Lemonade poured onto floor, cookies and crackers ground in underfoot... not a problem. Quick wipe up and the floor was good as new :). And did I mention the one-year-old’s habit of dumping his plate on the floor (spaghetti in that case)??
 
I have seen some over 100 ft boat that has carpet almost white. Of course, the owner does replace if frequently.
 
I've had boats with both and frankly prefer the carpet. Warm, quiet, not slippery. I've never had it in the heads or galley, and wouldn't, but for comfort and coziness I'm a carpet guy.
 
When we spec'd our boat for construction, we paid extra for teak and holly everywhere, but kept the carpet (since the credit back was minimal), with the result that the teak and holly is visible only in a few areas (galley, helm and heads). Turns out, we like the carpet.
 
I'd rip mine out in a heat beat and put down EVA if I could figure out what to do with the bull noses on the stairs.
 
Ours has parquet in the galley. The balance was carpet. Our lifestyle and dog didn’t make carpet a practical option. Now all carpeted areas are Lonwood teak and holly. After four years they look as good as new despite the sand , dog, my maintenance habits, etc.
Unbelievably tough stuff.
 
Small area carpets (throw rugs) are great. But nowadays I’m more partial to the vinyl “wood” planks instead of real wood.

However I’m really starting to think about radiant heat under stone flooring. Cold stone/tile is horrible in winter, but toasty warm stone is wonderful. Gotta wear slippers but at least your feet are warm.
 
We have thick sound deadening underlayment fabric with w2w high quality berber throughout... except in heads. In salon, area carpet over the berber covers the hinged and trimmed hatches cut into the berber. At galley there is small throw rug... as there is at salon entry. Main stateroom has long throw rug over the berber.

As sound deadener while engines or gen set are running this flooring can't be beat! And, for bare foot comfort it can't be beat!! We've been aboard and owned boats with wood and lino floors. Soft, sound deadening, warm in winter carpet "Rings Our Bells" :dance::dance:
 

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One thing I dislike about wood floors, especially on new boats is some owners requiring guests to take their shoes off.

Come to think of it, some owners of new carpeting require shoes off too.
 
Horses for courses!
We have parquetry throughout except in the bedrooms, where we have wall to wall carpet. Those area are always clean, so no. dirt problem. Quieter (as has been said) and warmer & softer on the bare feet.
 
I'm fundamentally opposed to carpeting on boats for a number of reasons, two in particular. One, unless done right, and it often is not, it impedes access to deck hatches and bilges/machinery beneath. Two, spills on boats, from red wine to used oil, are a fact of life, carpet makes clean ups a pain.

I feel strongly enough about this to have memorialized it in an editorial a little over a year ago...

https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/a-boat-buyers-top-ten-guide-to-a-pre-offer-evaluation-part-i/

Rugs on the other hand are great, they are easily replaced.

A few years ago a colleague ran a wire through a boat to test a defective wire run, his intention being to replace the non-working wire with one simply laid across the sole, simply as a test. When he applied power, the wire quickly overheated and parted thanks to a short in the circuit (he did not install a fuse for the test), but before the circuit was broken it left scorch marks in about 25 feet of carpeting, which had to be replaced.
 
Steve DAntonio said:
I'm fundamentally opposed to carpeting on boats for a number of reasons, two in particular. One, unless done right, and it often is not, it impedes access to deck hatches and bilges/machinery beneath. Two, spills on boats, from red wine to used oil, are a fact of life, carpet makes clean ups a pain.

I feel strongly enough about this to have memorialized it in an editorial a little over a year ago...

https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/a-boat-buyers-top-ten-guide-to-a-pre-offer-evaluation-part-i/

Rugs on the other hand are great, they are easily replaced.

A few years ago a colleague ran a wire through a boat to test a defective wire run, his intention being to replace the non-working wire with one simply laid across the sole, simply as a test. When he applied power, the wire quickly overheated and parted thanks to a short in the circuit (he did not install a fuse for the test), but before the circuit was broken it left scorch marks in about 25 feet of carpeting, which had to be replaced.
Click to expand...

You mention in your link, regarding carpet in an engine room - that; "... if soaked with fuel, oil or even coolant it will burn."

What composition of coolant burns?
 
Thick area rug cut to fit for noise control...and comfort on the feet
 
Sears has made a lot of money selling those oriental rugs and runners.
 
It would have been more expensive if he had the wire on a wood floor.
 
syjos said:
One thing I dislike about wood floors, especially on new boats is some owners requiring guests to take their shoes off.

Come to think of it, some owners of new carpeting require shoes off too.
Click to expand...

LOL You have never been to an Asian home?
 
One of the POs put down expensive Berber with underlay GLUED DOWN TO THE SOLE!

IMG_1125.JPG

I cursed and cursed that PO when I removed it all

IMG_1150.JPG

Worth it in the end.

Saloon Floor refinish 4.jpg
 
Art said:
You mention in your link, regarding carpet in an engine room - that; "... if soaked with fuel, oil or even coolant it will burn."

What composition of coolant burns?
Click to expand...

Ethylene glycol, and if I hadn't seen it happen with my own eyes I too would question it. I was in an engine room with techs working on an engine. They started it and were adding coolant as it was running, some spilled, ran down the top of the water cooled heat exchanger (so it was relatively cool) and onto the dry exhaust outlet, which was wrapped in fiberglass fabric commonly used for this purpose, it acted like a wick, at which point it caught fire. I was dumbstruck, but it left a lasting impression.
 
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Ethylene glycol coolant definitely can burn. It's not particularly easy to ignite (usually requires the coolant being very hot first, such as Steve's exhaust example). But it is possible.
 
I love the look of teak & holly, but find it slippery when underway in seas.

Carpet helps quiet things down more, and gives much better traction under foot while underway.

Now part of this is because we are a shoes off boat, so walking around in socks or bare feet.

Any where we have had teak &holly we have also had area rugs to improve traction

As for tracking in water, that’s easily solved by door mats with rubber waterproof backing. And when they get beat up, just toss and replace.
 
OldDan1943 said:
LOL You have never been to an Asian home?
Click to expand...


Asians are polite people. They provide slippers for guests to wear in the house.

The people who insist on guests taking shoes off in their boat or home do not provide slippers. They expect guests to soil their feet or socks walking shoeless.
 
Carpet ........................................................... Not Carpet
 

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Not carpet... looks nice, but I wouldn't be able to walk on it comfortably.

Carpet... looks nice, and looks like much better cushioning.

-Chris
 
syjos said:
Asians are polite people. They provide slippers for guests to wear in the house.
Click to expand...

The Asian residence I have visited, no slippers, tile floors and they are cold too.
 
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