1970 gulfstream makeover... Somewhat

[kinaiahi61]

Adding Bulkheads in to your stringer system is perfectly acceptable. Lowering the height of the stringers might be problematic. This can weaken them and their ability to keep the hull from flexing longitudinally. I'm no Marine Engineer but just stating my opinion. It's your boat and you CAN do as you see fit.

Roger that, thanks. I think that the new stringers will be stronger being made of marine ply as opposed to solid wood. They will also be completely glassed and wrapped in 1708 and 1.5 oz mat. The old ones were only bedded and tabbed at a couple of locations. Plus I'm gonna thicken the hull with a layer of mat and 1708. I only plan on shortening them a inch to inch and a half. Is three and a half inches at the front of the boat tall enough. As it is they're 5 inches tall where I would tahe the inch from. The new stringers will also be run all the way to the front, and tapering to 0. Where the old stringers were cut off and could have continued another 3.5'.

 

[kinaiahi61]

I was just thinking. The original floor wasn't much higher than where I want the floor in the cab. I would get a sore neck from crouching in there. Hopefully it'll help. If not maybe the next project will be raising the cab.

 

[Woodonglass]

Well now a 3.5" stringer installed the way you've described on a boat your size should have ample strength to carry the loads you'll be placing on her especially with the added bulkheads. Again, this is coming from an Old Dumb Okie with NO Nautical Engineering Experience whatsoever!!! Just common sense and logic coming into play. Take it for what it's worth which ain't much!!!!

 

[kinaiahi61]

Thanks WOG, I'll take up any okie advice you offer. Should I do one stringer at a time or is allright to cut all of them out, thicken the hull and then lay all the stringers in. The gunnel and transom are all tied in and the cab is glassed on.

 

[Woodonglass]

How well is the underside of the hull supported??

 

[kcassells]

Thanks WOG, I'll take up any okie advice you offer. Should I do one stringer at a time or is allright to cut all of them out, thicken the hull and then lay all the stringers in. The gunnel and transom are all tied in and the cab is glassed on.

Hey Kin,
Nice build. When I ttok apart my SportsCraft 222 under the factory fishboxes they cut the stringers to @ 2" and just threw some glass cloth inbetween the bottom of the fish box and on top of the cut stringer. Boat is a 1983 so it lasted that long so I'll say you will be safe. Alternatively the bulkheads will help and if you need a pinch of "feel good" you could always double up the cut down stringers between the bulkheads.

 

[kinaiahi61]

Hey Kin,
Nice build. When I ttok apart my SportsCraft 222 under the factory fishboxes they cut the stringers to @ 2" and just threw some glass cloth inbetween the bottom of the fish box and on top of the cut stringer. Boat is a 1983 so it lasted that long so I'll say you will be safe. Alternatively the bulkheads will help and if you need a pinch of "feel good" you could always double up the cut down stringers between the bulkheads.

Thanks! I was thinking that I might go with dbl 3/4" for the keel or middle stringer up to the bulkhead for some extra beef. Did about 2 hours of grinding today and man, I forgot how much that sucks!!! I opened the tarp after a break and I thought there was a oven on in there. I was thinking, my core temp must be way up in the tyvek suit on top of the tarped "oven." My wife kept saying, there's smoke coming out. I told her its dust, but she was adamant that there might be fire. Thank God, just dust. I can't believe the amount of gook (bedding putty) that the manufacturer used. But kept them in since 1970 so??? My 3m filters were plugged, I was barely able to breath, and it was HOT!!! I said to myself, "I'm over this for today, but tomorrow is just that, another day." Any advice on the filters. I use the 3m full face mask, with the organic vapor cartridges and the N95. I vacuum the N95 a few times and reuse, then I toss them. Are the red round filters better for grinding? Thanks again for the advice all

 

[kcassells]

Not sure about the dust mask...there are alot out there that may be better or not but in the tornado your making just keep more replacable filters. On another note when the bottom of my boat got so bad and I got so tired of vacuam and wipe. I put a bucket under the drain hole and powerwashed the crap out with soapy water. The solids fall to the bottom of the bucket. Then I mopped everything with bleach and then mopped again with acetone.
Grinder wheels come in alot of different numbers. 220, 180, 80 grit. Pick the one that kills the glass the fastest. Yea they are red lol. BTW some come for making angles too so you can get into tough spots, if you can't get them then get the next largest size and the excess size allows you to bend into round or angled spots.
IE 4.0 grinder whell recommended but a 4.5 fits your grinder and the flex lets you go into other tought spots.

 

[kcassells]

When you took out the keel was it solid lumber?
Mine was and after a lot of thought and info from some OAKIE I know he referenced that trying to go back with multiple plys may not be as important and to go back with a pc. of solid stock. I agree also after alot of research. All other woods....ply!

 

[kinaiahi61]

How well is the underside of the hull supported??

Just on a bunk trailer with two bunks.

 

[kinaiahi61]

When you took out the keel was it solid lumber?
Mine was and after a lot of thought and info from some OAKIE I know he referenced that trying to go back with multiple plys may not be as important and to go back with a pc. of solid stock. I agree also after alot of research. All other woods....ply!

So solid stock is better for the stringers or just the keel? I thought that ply has more sheer strength when stood on end due to all the opposing grains. Sort of like a scaled down glue lam beam. Could you explain further please?

 

[kinaiahi61]

Not sure about the dust mask...there are alot out there that may be better or not but in the tornado your making just keep more replacable filters. On another note when the bottom of my boat got so bad and I got so tired of vacuam and wipe. I put a bucket under the drain hole and powerwashed the crap out with soapy water. The solids fall to the bottom of the bucket. Then I mopped everything with bleach and then mopped again with acetone.
Grinder wheels come in alot of different numbers. 220, 180, 80 grit. Pick the one that kills the glass the fastest. Yea they are red lol. BTW some come for making angles too so you can get into tough spots, if you can't get them then get the next largest size and the excess size allows you to bend into round or angled spots.
IE 4.0 grinder whell recommended but a 4.5 fits your grinder and the flex lets you go into other tought spots.

Today I used a ZEC 16 grit pad on a 7" grinder. That thing is pretty awesome, it came in from Amazon last night, I was pretty excited to use it. It took a lot of material off. Saved a lot more time than a 4" grinder with a 36 grit flap disk or resin disk. I was also using a metal cutting blade today to cut the bedding glass out. It exploded and a chunk slammed my pointer on the right hand. Note to self, "don't do that again, just use the diamond cutting disk." I also found a grinding cup in my tools for the 7" grinder. I think they use it on concrete. Its solid metal with chunks of metal and diamond I believe on the grinding face. Anyone tried these on fiberglass? Looks like it would tear up some glass. Might try it on the bedding putty since its so thick.

 

[kcassells]

I'm not allowed to post on my thread anymore cause I dropped my camera in the epoxy...lol. but still kicking arse oh wait... it's seems like it's kicking my arse...lol
some old pics;

Wow... seems like my comp is smokin up. Guess its time to buy a new one and a new camera...unless da wife is burning my dinner.

 

[Woodonglass]

Here's some tips. Filters are Cheap..Lungs are NOT!!! Buy More..Replace More Often!!!! STOP and clean the boat NOW! Get all the dust out so your starting with a clean slate then get a box fan an tape a AC filter to the back of it and st it in the boat away from the area you're grinding so it will pull the dust away form you. The filter will clog but you can knock it off to clean it fairly quickly. Two fans work better than one. If the bunks are long then your support should be okay. IF the hull seems spongy then you should add more support under it. If the "Keel" is actually a stringer and NOT just a wood filler piece then I'd make it from plywood. Some keels are just about 2" thick and the cavity is filled with wood and glassed over even with the hull. If yours acts as a stringer and extends up to support the deck then plywood is the way to go.

 

[Rickmerrill]

Hey Kinaiahi,

I used the red (pink 3m 2091) round filters when grinding in a tent. They were a lot less likely to clog up as they have more surface area. The only thing is make sure you're not creating any organic vapors while grinding so I wouldn't use em if there is any sealant or mold growing inside the hull. They are Niosh P100 so safe for hazardous dust. BTW the N95 filter 95% of particles at .3 microns or larger, the P100's filter 99.9%. Here is the one I'm talking about.

 

[kinaiahi61]

Here's some tips. Filters are Cheap..Lungs are NOT!!! Buy More..Replace More Often!!!! STOP and clean the boat NOW! Get all the dust out so your starting with a clean slate then get a box fan an tape a AC filter to the back of it and st it in the boat away from the area you're grinding so it will pull the dust away form you. The filter will clog but you can knock it off to clean it fairly quickly. Two fans work better than one. If the bunks are long then your support should be okay. IF the hull seems spongy then you should add more support under it. If the "Keel" is actually a stringer and NOT just a wood filler piece then I'd make it from plywood. Some keels are just about 2" thick and the cavity is filled with wood and glassed over even with the hull. If yours acts as a stringer and extends up to support the deck then plywood is the way to go.

Thanks WOG!
True on the filters. As far as the hull goes, it flexes in certain areas where I step, but comes right back when I move. That's why I wanted to thicken and strengthen it while I'm at it. I'm 250 lbs too though. But it doesn't seem like the hull is any different on the side of the stringer that I took out. The hull side with the stringer (port) still in flexes as well, no different that the one without. The center stringer is just that, a tall stringer. Thanks for the box fan and filter idea!!! I'll go and try that out a.s.a.p.. Is the ac filter something that can usually be bought at Home Depot, or is it specialty store stuff?

 

[kinaiahi61]

Hey Kinaiahi,

I used the red (pink 3m 2091) round filters when grinding in a tent. They were a lot less likely to clog up as they have more surface area. The only thing is make sure you're not creating any organic vapors while grinding so I wouldn't use em if there is any sealant or mold growing inside the hull. They are Niosh P100 so safe for hazardous dust. BTW the N95 filter 95% of particles at .3 microns or larger, the P100's filter 99.9%. Here is the one I'm talking about.

Thats the ones that I was talking about, with the exact same reasoning of surface area. Gonna buy some of those! Home Depot here I come

 

[Woodonglass]

Standard Air Conditioner Filter

Get the El Cheapo ones at WalMart

 

[Rickmerrill]

Oh, forgot to mention, if you haven't tried them yet they make mylar stick on shields for the face mask. Really saves the screen when the resin starts flinging.

 

[kinaiahi61]

Thanks WOG and RM. Went to HD and they're all out of box fans. Gonna head to walmart and see if they have anything in tomorrow. Had a mylar shield and took it off because all the dust got in between on some spots and got cloudy. Came with the mask, not sure where I would get more? Amazon maybe??? HD did have the pink P100 filters though.