Need help! Fixing boat stringers

[Jbrookins]

Ok. So I recently aquired a 85 starcraft bowrider 17' for the most part I think the boat is in good shape and engine runs great. But while replacing the carpet I some floor damage at the back behind the drivers seat. (time to get out the saw). After removing the floor on that side I found damage to the last 3 feet of the stringer (time to get the saw BACK OUT). I cut out the bad section of the stringer, which is 1 x 6 re shaped a new 1 x 6 to fit exactly into where the old one came out and cut another 1 x 6 to sandwich next to it from the back of the boat 2 ft past the cut ( I can only add wood to one side because of the gas tank.

Now with my back story in place here's my questions

I resined and screws the 2 pieces together, how do I attach the new stringer to the transom. Do I use screws( really didn't want to screw into that unless I was really suppose to) I was going to just glass over the whole thing to hold it.
Also how long do I need to let the resin between the 2 pieces sit before sanding the thing and classing it to the boat

 

[Scott Danforth]

You really need to read the stickies at the top of the forum. Specifically link 14 in this one. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...r/295740-how-to-s-and-other-great-information

Your boat sounds like it needs a complete gut job and restoration. You can't patch stringers in the manor you are, and your fuel tank needs to come out.

You need to tab the stringers in with fiberglass

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... To go along with Scott, It's hard to believe the transom ain't rotten, if the stringers, 'n deck are,....

 

[Jbrookins]

There is nothing wrong with the transom I have checked the whole thing. And I have read through numerous posts on HERE saying I can splice my stringer if supported properly and the gas tank is out but it fills the entire void better that stringer and the next so if I add a board to that side I the stringer the tank won't fit back it which is why I made the splice 3 time the length it needed to be

 

[Jbrookins]

I've been a carpenter for years the spice is right (it's probably stringer then the origanal. More then anything else my question is making sure I attach the stinger to the hill properly when encapsulating the stringer

 

[Woodonglass]

What resin are you using? Without grinding away the old glass and having access to BOTH sides of the "Sistered" stringer, there's NO WAY that I know of for you to properly attach the stringer to the hull. Did you Bed the stringer in PB or something else? Did you put PB on the end where it attaches to the transom? You'll need to Tab it to the transom as well as to the bottom of the hull. This should help you...Fabricating Decks, Stringers, and Transoms

 

[Scott Danforth]

There is nothing wrong with the transom I have checked the whole thing. And I have read through numerous posts on HERE saying I can splice my stringer if supported properly and the gas tank is out but it fills the entire void better that stringer and the next so if I add a board to that side I the stringer the tank won't fit back it which is why I made the splice 3 time the length it needed to be

Did you drill core samples? If you did and your transom is solid with rotten stringers and deck - go buy a lottery ticket

 

[Jbrookins]

Yes the transom is solid(i got really lucky there). From what I can tell (let's see if I can explain this right) the stringer is right next to where the engine area is and it looks like someone drilled a hole between the engine area and that cavity under the deck on the other side of the stringer, I'm guessing to let water drain out if any got in there ??? But they never put anything in the hole to deal the exposed wood. So with that stringer there and the box next to it filling with water all the time it rotted

 

[Jbrookins]

If I could figure out how to post pictures here I would lol

 

[Woodonglass]

best way to post pics is to open a free Photobucket account. Then copy and paste the IMG Code from Photobucket into your iBoats thread..
What did you do to ensure the transom was good? Did you drill core Samples?? A properly "Sistered Stringer" only needs 1/4" plywood on both sides of the stringer to make it strong enuf. You should have enuf room for that. But without removing the motor you probably won't be able to glass it properly.

 

[Jbrookins]

I drilled the transom in several places and everthing looked good. I pb the stringers to the transom and the hull.
I spent hours chopping up fiberglass to add to my pb because non of the marinas in my area carry it. Any easier way to do this? I want to finish up all the fillets tomorrow.

 

[Woodonglass]

I tear it with my hands and then cut it with scissors. Yeah it takes time but I can cut a quart of fibers in about 5 minutes. It WILL ruin scissors pretty quick. Buy cheap ones from Harbor Freight. Did you use glass and tab the stringers to the transom and the hull??

 

[Jbrookins]

I haven't tabbed all the stringers yet just bedded them to the hull with pb and tabbed in the engine area with a 12 inch wide piece of glass all the way from front to back of the engine area the added the wood for the Motor mount and what ever those boxes down the sides next to the stringers were (not sure what they are or what there for)but they were there when I started so I put them back filled all the voids again with pb. Then tomorrow morning I'm going to fillet the corners tab those in and then put a layer of glass over it all

 

[Jbrookins]

Probably should have asked before but when tabbing in the stringer how much fiberglass should I use I currently have 5 yards of 1.5 ounce crossstrand mat an the only thing I have tabbed so far is the inside of the stringer behind the bulkhead in the engine area with one layer of mat all the way to the top of the stringer and 8 inches or so down on the hull

 

[Jbrookins]

So after so research I thinking figure out what I'm going to do. Can someone let me know if I'm on the right track! I was going to tab the stringers with 2 layers of 1.5 chopped mat and one layer of 1708 maybe 6" then 8" the 10" the go from 8" outside the stringer up and over it then go down all the way through the engine area and back up over the other stringer a another 8" up on the hull over the other stringer with a layer of 1708

 

[Woodonglass]

Check out Post #6 it's all in there!!!

 

[Jbrookins]

I do appolagize but when you say post #6 I'm not sure where that is

 

[wilkboater]

In the upper right hand corner of each post there is a number. That's what WOG is referring to, your last post is "#17".

 

[Jbrookins]

I've did fiberglass on cars years ago and I don't remember it being this hard. That 1708 is thick.
I was classing in the stringers one layer of csm the 2 layers of 1708 like the post said. All was going ok then it started to set up before I got all the air bubbles out. There are only a couple and There small but I'm not sure what to do with them. And next time should I go with 1 percent hardener not 1.5?

 

[Woodonglass]

How long did it take before it Kicked On you? YOu can go down to 1% without any Ill effects. If you're getting air bubbles you're prolly using to much resin. It doesn't take all that much. Put the resin down first, Lay the glass down on top of the wet resin and then dip your roller in the resin and roll out the fabric. The resin will ooze up from the bottom and wet out the glass. You only have to add a little more when and where needed to make it all go Clear!!! Most people use WAY to much resin and this can/will cause problems. You also always want to roll from the middle out to the edges this will help avoid air pockets and bubbles.