Help New Stringer

[JGREGORY]

Help, lets try this again w/o explorer throwing me out. I found out I need a new center line stringer and at the bow I need at least 14". I was wondering if:<br /><br />1. do they make 2"x16"x12'<br /><br />2. Can I use plywood as a substitute.<br /><br />3. or can I fill it with a denser foam instead to make up for the loss.<br /><br />Any help appreciated.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Help New Stringer

I'd say you have two good options...<br /><br />#2 plywood as a sub... Plywood will work great because it's more dimentionaly stable than a single piece of lumber like a 2"X12"... Take three piecse of 1/2" marine plywood and epoxy them together stagering the joints... Very strong and true...<br /><br />#3 foam... Foam is also a good option but you must remove all the old wood first and you will still have to do quite a bit of fiberglass work... Might also be able to use foam in the sheet form.. I know a few suppliers who sells 2lbs density 4'X8' sheets in two inch thickness...

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Help New Stringer

Snapperbait, what i was thinking was using 4# density foam that cures hard and filling the entire void after laying a piece of pvc pipe down for water to run through. Also why the extra fiber glassing? Wouldn't this just be covered by the floor and glassed in? I was going to glass in the bilge area except for a hole where the pvc pipe was going to be.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Help New Stringer

i guess i'm to 'old school' .. i'm all about wood.. <br /><br />foam for stringers..?? am i missin' somethin'..??<br /><br />plywoods great.. like how SNAPPER says..<br /><br />but i'd go one farther like its done by boatbilders.. epoxy & tack a 1x2 strip of philpinne moghogny down the lenght of the outter edges.. a total of 4 strips total..( top & bottom of both sides ).. as so to make an I-beam...

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Help New Stringer

I recommend the Snapperbait Authorized Technique of Center Stringer Construction. If you want to foam the rest of the void, go for it, but I feel that you would be best off having that nice strong center spine. Yeah there are boats with nothing but straight foam, but they were designed that way. You should try to stick with how it was originally built, and improve upon THAT, that way you are keeping the boat close to the parameters it was designed in. Good luck....And post pics (why doesn't anyone want to post pics anymore.... )

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Help New Stringer

Thanks everyone, I think you are right after looking at the boat last night i will put in plywood. I like the I-beam idea I may try to work that into the project as well. the original stringer was glassed in place so what I was gping to do was epoxy it down then glass it in. Jason as for pictures I don't have a internet connection at home yet horrible phone lines can never stay connected so I use my office connection. Working on the problem though. As soon as I'm connected I will post pics.