Help!

[Virginboater72]

I have removed the floor in my 16' glasstream. It was almost completely rotted, so I'm not sure what was used for plywood (thickness). I have half inch laying across the stringers, but it is too thick to fit under the lip I left from the old floor. The sides of the boat are covered in foam so I can't attach my fiberglass to that. I don't wan't to go any thinner than half inch, Any suggestions?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

My suggestion is to post pictures of your boat and the problem areas for the best help.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Help!

Being a fiberglass "virginboater" is rough! Terrible experience really:Cry:

The good news is you found iboats! There are great guys than hang out here and they are always willing to lend a hand.

I know they will want some photos of what you are working on so they can give you some quality advice on your situation. Sounds like you have some major work ahead of ya, but you can do it.

Welcome to the iboats drydock:joyous:

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

Thanks guys, I am trying to get pics up now. I have always tried to fix my own stuff, call it pride or whatever!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

Can we see a pic of the stringers and foam?

Have you laid a straight edge on top of the stringers to gauge the distance (vertical) between the stringer top and lip?

Is your boat on a trailer?

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

I have put a straight edge on it, it is level with the lip. I'm not sure if that lip is enough to glass the floor to is all. Am I glassing the floor in for strength or to keep water out?

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

Here are some more pics.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

The plywood needs to go under the lip and butt the hull as much as it can since you're not going to be able to use a filler between the hull and deck.

You're glassing the deck in for strength and waterproofing. The glassing will tie the decking to the hull via the lip.

I suspect the plywood won't go under the lip because the hull sitting on you trailer doesn't have enough support with the trailer only and your hull is bowed from the lack of support. If your floatation foam is wet this will add weight and bow the hull even more, have you core sampled your floatation foam to make sure it's dry from top to bottom?

Bowed and ill supported hulls are a big problem with fiberglass restorations and can cause some terrible problems. Additional support for the hull is a must when building a fiberglass boat back.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

Here are some more pics.

With those little skinny 1/2" stringers you're going to need to support your boat a lot better than just letting it sit on the trailer.

... and I gotta tell ya, those stringers and the patch job done to them don't look too sporty... are they even fiberglassed? I'd remove those stringers and the foam and do a good stringer job while that boat was taken apart, it sure will last longer and be stronger too.

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

Thanks Jigngrub, if it has to go under, I may have to go with thinner plywood. How thin is too thin? The foam is dry, all the way through. It is on a trailer, I don't have stands or anything.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

IMHO 1/2" decking is too thin, but that's the norm on most boats because the decking is supported by the floatation foam... which you don't have enough of to even support 1/2" decking correctly. That stringer space in the center of your boat should be filled full of foam to the top of the stringers to support your decking and hull.

Seriously, you really should consider building a cradle for your hull and doing a better stringer job.

This thread has a lot of good info on building cradles:
http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/boat-hull-cradle-help-584635.html

... and this thread has excellent info about decks and stringers:

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...lly-started-w-pics-384982-25.html#post3586813

Take some time to read and study before venturing further on your project, you'll be glad you did.

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

I haven't glassed the stringers in yet, I just set them in with filler. The boards that came out if the existing stringers were the same size, so I just kept them the same. I guess I might be underestimating the importance of having the boat on stands and not the trailer?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

I guess I might be underestimating the importance of having the boat on stands and not the trailer?

Yes, hull support is very important and has been the cause of at least one member abandoning his project after setting his stringers without supporting the hull correctly.

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/man-vs-boat-season-1-a-513763-36.html

Starting on page #36

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

Hmmmm, I see. Luckily I only replaced the sections (about 32" each) towards the back. I can see the problem it can create when glasssing in the floor. When it has a chance to relax, it can tug on the sides of the boat. Now what the hell do I do? I don't have anything to put the boat on, or the money to redo all the stringers. BOAT= Bust Out Another Thousand.

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

I haven't taken the cap off the boat, will that help keep it from bowing? Also, I only replaced 2 sections of the stringers, the rest is original and solid.

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

Also, I wasn't aware that the deck rested on the foam. I was under the impression that the deck rested on the glassed in tops of the stringers. I thought the foam was just for flotation?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help!

If it were mine, I'd strip the inside and wait until I had the money to do it right... maybe dumpster dive on construction sites for scrap lumber to build a cradle.

Boats are expensive to own, operate, maintain, repair, and restore... and if you can't afford to do it right, you need to wait until you can afford it... or heaven forbid...................................sell the boat.:facepalm:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Help!

First, It's your boat and you can do as you see fit. iBoats is all about safety so we are going to always guide you the the most recommended SAFE methods of repairing your boat. What you do with those suggestions is up to you.

Having said that...
The best way to proceed is..
Buy a 4 1/2" grinder with a backup pad and 36 grit resin coated discs. Get it all @ Harbor Freight for less than $40 bucks.
Buy a tyvek suit with hood, Goggles, respirator from Lowe's Less than $100 bucks.
How do you know the foam is dry? Did you core sample it?
Did you already cut out the rotted stringers and replace with what we see or is that what you found when you removed the deck?
The lip should be removed. The foam on the sides of the hull must be at the very leas partially remove.
All wood going back into the boat MUST be resin coated and have at least one layer of CSM on it.
The pics indicate you may be using Bondo type fiberglass resin. If so, I would highly recommend you look into purchasing a better quality and cheaper type of resin. Fiberglass , Epoxy , Composites, Carbon Fiber - U.S. Composites, Inc. it a great resource for this stuff.
Have you core sampled the Transom?
Is this a V-Hull or a Tri-hull boat?
What kind of trailer is it on? Bunks or rollers?
Pics of the entire boat and trailer from various angles would help
Finally, your last statement is correct Bust out another thousand. IMHO you will need a minimum of $1,000 bucks to restore this boat to a safe and usable state. Maybe less but not much.

 

[Virginboater72]

Re: Help!

This might sound bad, but if I can get 4 or 5 years out of this boat, I will be happy. The motor is sound, and so is the trailer. The repairs that I'm doing don't have to be "perfect", just safe. I'm not looking for a floor that's gonna last forever, I just want it solid and safe.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Help!

I understand. In order to make it sound and safe it's gunna cost some bucks and proper methods have to be used.