When I started looking for the best flooring for a poling skiff, I was amazed and overwhelmed. You can go down a rabbit hole quickly when it comes to what boat flooring will best suit your poling skiff. We’ve researched cheap DIY options, expensive custom options, and everything in between. It was hard to shorten all this down into an article instead of writing a book, but we did. Maybe the book comes later? Anyhow, read on to find the best floor for your poling skiff or other boats.
The best boat flooring for a poling skiff is one that fits your style, function, and budget.
In this article, we’ll focus on different flooring materials and weigh the pros and cons of each in terms of application to a poling skiff.
Boat Flooring Materials
- aluminum
- plywood
- rubber
- composite material
- EVA closed cell foam
- vinyl
Best boat flooring for fishing – Aluminum
Aluminum is durable, expensive, light, and loud. Depending on what gauge aluminum you get it is very durable as a boat floor. A heavy gauge treadplate offers traction and durability. A thinner smooth aluminum floor may be a cheaper option, but can become slippery when wet and be prone to denting.
Aluminum is relatively low maintenance but must be kept clean, especially in marine environments where salt can corrode. Aluminum tends to be temperature sensitive as well, very hot in the summer, and prone to icing in the winter.
For a poling skiff, aluminum is not the best choice. The main reason is that the aluminum can be loud, drop something on an aluminum floor and there go the fish you’ve been chasing for hours.
Marine Grade Plywood
Marine grade plywood is durable like aluminum and can withstand the elements. However, it is still rather expensive and heavy. The plywood would definitely insulate against sound but the extra weight needs to be considered. Adding weight to a poling skiff makes it harder to maneuver. Because you’ll be using a push pole, heavy plywood might not be the best option.
Is marine plywood worth the money?
Yes, marine-grade plywood is made for wet environments like boats. It is pliable and flexible to hull shapes. Spend a little more money now or a lot more money later when you have to rip up that regular plywood and carpet.
Rubber mat flooring
Rubber is a good option for a poling skiff floor. It is durable, easy to maintain, cheap, and has anti-fatigue qualities along with sound deadening and slip resistance. Some drawbacks to rubber are the unappealing aesthetics and the ability to retain heat. In short, rubber is ugly and gets hot in the summer. Rubber is the choice for anglers on a budget who want performance over frills and looks. Some super cheap DIY options include horse stall mats and anti-fatigue mats.
Also in the rubber category, I kept seeing SafeFloor pop up. Turns out it is recycled rubber granules in epoxy. The people who have it love its durability and ease of cleaning. Many would choose SafeFloor over material like seadek.
Composite flooring materials
Composite material such as bluewater coosa boards are a good replacement for plywood. Coosa is lighter, has better deterioration resistance, almost no moisture absorption, and retains its shape even when wet. The big drawback to Coosa is the upfront cost, it is much more expensive than plywood and should be considered as a long-term investment. Coosa may cost more but might last longer than marine plywood. For a poling skiff, I would compare this just to plywood.
What is better than carpet in a boat? – Marine Vinyl
There are a ton of options for marine-grade vinyl flooring. Any color texture or pattern can be found in a marine-grade vinyl floor. There are snap-in options and more permanent glued options also. Some boat owners prefer the snap-in option for ease of cleaning. You can pull the vinyl up and clean each piece and also the deck underneath. Vinyl can be also power washed and scrubbed. Marine vinyl flooring is slip-resistant, durable, easy to clean, and moisture resistant. There are also UV-resistant properties in vinyl flooring that reduce fading. For newer applications with a straight floor, a thinner vinyl will suffice. If you are covering older boat deck material then go with a thicker vinyl to smooth out any imperfections.
Is vinyl boat flooring slippery when wet?
Smooth vinyl boat flooring can be slippery when wet, but textured woven vinyl boat flooring solves that problem. The woven textured finish provides traction against slipping, even when wet.
Does vinyl boat flooring get hot?
Yes, vinyl boat flooring will get hot in the sun. If the vinyl flooring is in direct sunlight it will absorb heat and transfer it to your feet!
Carpet
Carpet is a great option for boat owners on a budget. If you do go this route, make sure you get a marine-specific carpet. It is designed to withstand the natural elements and is more durable than traditional carpeting. Some of the advantages of carpet are sound-deadening properties, providing traction even when wet, and a familiar underfoot feel like being at home. The feeling of carpet under bare feet is hard to replicate with any other boat flooring material. Carpet is also cool on the feet because there is space for air circulation between the carpet and feet.
However, carpet does hold moisture, dirt, and odors. In a poling skiff carpeting would be useful as a temporary option that can be removed when the boat goes from pleasure use to pursuing fish.
EVA closed cell foam floor
Eva closed cell foam is getting all the attention nowadays. You see this stuff on everything from boats to paddleboards to kid’s toys and even shoe insoles. Eva foam is a moisture barrier that insulates against heat and noise. There is also low water absorption and vibration resistance. The vibration resistance is nice as riding a small skiff through chop can be brutal on the knees and back. One of the features I really like about this foam is that it can be milled for really cool patterns.
Some complain that the sea dek is hard to clean, especially when stained. Seadek also tears when power washed so scrubbing is the only deep cleaning option. Seadek is a good choice for a poling skiff because of its insulative qualities and moisture resistance. The cushiony material is soft underfoot and has vibration resistance which can reduce fatigue. Seadek is about twice as expensive as a good marine carpet but it is built to last. Many anglers use seadek in areas where they’ll be standing for long periods of time such as poling platforms and casting decks. Choose a thicker piece in these areas for maximum comfort.
Conclusion
The best boat flooring for your poling skiff is going to be the one that fits your budget and your needs. If you’re only fishing from a poling skiff then you can do a tough easy-to-clean flooring option like rubber or marine plywood. However, if you want to take the family out and still be comfortable go with something like seadek that is soft underfoot but still has durability and looks good. So tell us in the comments, which floors have you had experience with? Thanks!