Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

[Homerr]

Got most of the seating and bulheads out.<br />The very bottom of the stringers (approx. 3" up) are rotted. <br /><br />The rest of the flooring and hull look like factory fresh.<br /><br />QUESTION:<br /><br />Can I just cut the glass where it is attatched next to the hull and simply pull the glass off?<br /><br />The flooring looks great, but unfortunately the stringers are attatched underneath it. Looks like I'm going to have to pull the floor out first.<br /><br />Also, the back part of the stringers in the engine bay look good. <br />Would it be wise to just replace the entire stringer from stem to stern?<br />I would really hate to try and patch a piece in there.<br /><br />And always, the factory DIDN'T coat the stringers at all. They are bare wood all the way through! I plan to follow advise from this forum and coat the p*ss out of the new ones with epoxy resin.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />H.

 

[Saperry]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

In for penny, in for a pound...<br />I am doing the same thing to my boat now. <br />My advice, start from scratch and do it right, not how the time punchers at the factory did it. then you will know it is right and it will last.<br /><br />Best O luck<br />Sean

 

[crab bait]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

doesn't really matter much.. if they'd a coat 'em ,, it woulda been with polyester resin anyway,,, an still woulda rotted, anyway... it's always best to replace in it's entirity... if you can.. the rest of your questions ,, i can't say for sure..

 

[DJ]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

Homerr,,<br /><br />Save what you can and coat them thoroughly with epoxy. My favorite is West System.

 

[Homerr]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

Thanks all for your input.<br /><br />I'm tackling the starboard side tomorrow.<br />Have to take out stove and fridge, then it's on to the deck.<br /><br />If I can get the deck off without much trouble, I'm gonna replace the whole dang smash...<br /><br />H.

 

[evin300]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

use a chainsaw to cut them out, do a search of this forum using the word chainsaw, good luck

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

i would replace the whole stringer, rather than patching it. stringers should always be one piece for structural integrity rather than say trying to butt 2 pieces together. your right using epoxy rather than poly which is junk & won't hold up. also, if u plan on replacing all the stringers i wouldn't remove them all at the same time. if u do u run the risk of the hull sagging. i would do a couple than move on. remember the stringers/floor is what holds everything together. if u remove everything at once their is nothing there to support the hull. it may take longer to do it this way, but better safe than sorry. unless u know exactly where your cutting, i wouldn't use a chain saw. some guys do & that's ok, but i used a jig saw to do my floor. good luck!

 

[Homerr]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

A chain saw would be the last thing I would want to use! WOW. A person would have to be real careful there.<br /><br />I have a 36" Stihl saw for cutting the monster trees. If it ever got away from me, goodbye hull!<br /><br />A good 'ol jigsaw and a dremel should do nicely I would think. It looks like I can jus cut along the floor next to the hull. Once that's cut, I should be able to peel the glass right off.<br /><br />Part of my stringers are exposed from the last owner. He cut part of the floor out already to expose the stringers. I think this is where he gave up when he saw the rot. <br /><br />His loss, my gain. The damage really isn't that bad. Once the boat is gutted, It should be a piece of cake, (well, a messy piece anyways)<br /><br />I've actually done this work before of new boats.<br />Except at that time, I didn't have to tear apart, and I had chopper guns and all the material at my disposal. Too bad they werern't still in business, or I'd just haul the boat over there and make it new again.<br /><br />H.

 

[DJ]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

Homerr,<br /><br />Do the search for "chainsaw" on this forum. It sounds like an effective tool to me. Evin. made me a believer.

 

[Homerr]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

Actually, I used my Dremel.<br />Works like a charm! It takes a little time, but you can make a sugreon precision cut.<br /><br />A cuttoff blade and the shop vac for the dust made a very neat and tidy removal.<br /><br />H.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

Ok, I had the same bottom 3" rotten in 2 of the 4 stringers. The original stringer were compleatly wraped in heavy roven but there was a couple spot along the bottom where the roven seprated and allow water in and traped it. They were just 3/4" pine boards. The best tool I have found to cut fg is a high speed carbide wheel about 1.5" wide mounted on a high speed 1/4 die grinder. I cut about 4" of glass off one side of each stringer for the lenght of the rot about 10' or so. Then I chisled out the rot back to good wood and dried everything out. I custom cut strips of luan to fit the void. Then coated those strips with epoxy and made of a big batch of epoxy puddy by adding wood flour, chopped glass and silca. I filled that void with the puddy then put all those luan strips and glassed it all over with 2 layers of 17/08. It is a patch job but I will bet it will stand the test of time. The pine boards were actually 3/4x6 stapled with these wafle type staples to make the 12 to 14' height. With the heavyness of the galss covering my stringers I did not want to loose that meat by cutting them compleatly out. Plus this save a lot in materials.<br /><br />

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[Homerr]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

There's really no 'meat' per say on mine.<br />The stringers look like fir and weren't even coated prior to install.<br /><br />I finally hit good wood about 5 ft. from the back of the boat. I'm this far in, so it's all getting replaced.<br /><br />I like the way the cross bracing is in between your stringers. Mine doesn't have that. I wonder if I should do that to mine? Looks nice and strong.<br /><br />Do you have water passages betwen each of those cross braces?<br /><br />H.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Re: Stringer replacement. Replace the entire stringer or patch?

You bet I got drain holes in all of them. I add those for more strenght. I filled it with foam also. Every foam filled boat I took abart the water always finds its way to the bottom. Hope not the have a water inbetween the stringer problem. Shes sealed up tight.