16Ft. Stryker Bass Boat

[Hardheaded]

Hello, Newbie here. I just bought a 16ft. bass boat that I new had a soft spot in the floor. But I had been researching on fixing problems like this and thought I could handle this. I have already seperated the deck from the hull and come to find out someone has already been in there. A lot of the foam has been removed but they had re-drilled for new rivets in the side and put a ton of holes in the side of the boat. My question is what is the best way to repair this problem while I have the boat split. I am also wondering when I repair the floor and (I think they are stringers) braces under the floor should I put fiberglass back over them or just epoxy them? Also I had to cut around the top half in the back to get it to seperate because when they put it back together before they put some sort of epoxy in the transom that I can't get apart. So I have got to figure out how to put that back together. I will post pics to show more detail of what I am describing.


Now on to the next thing. When I get ready for paint I have read something about roll on style paint. And I wanted to see if anybody could give me any information on this and how it looks....

I really do appreciate all the help I can get...

[Cadwelder]

Welcome to the Dry Dock, Hardheaded,

First off when you say rivets (thinking tinny) you're talking about under the rubrail right? Holding the cap on?

On the stringers, you need to core sample them, rotted deck (floor) usually means rotted stringers too. Glassing over rotten wood won't help anything. Gonna sit back and wait for the pictures on this one...

CW

[Hardheaded]

Yes I was meaning the rivets for the rub rail and the ones that hold the top cap on.... Sorry should have posted that one. As far as the deck and stringers I am going to replace all of it. I have drawn out the floor lay out on the boat and measured everything on it. I am just not sure on the fiberglassing the stringer and floor after I replace it.... I am hoping to get all the pics loaded by tomorrow night if I can figure it out how to...

[Woodonglass]

First, Welcome to iBoats!
Second, best way to post pics is to get a FREE Photobucket account, upload your pics to an album, hover over the pic once it's uploaded and when the pop up window appears click on the bottom IMG Code window and it will say "Copied" Return to iBoats and Hold down the Ctrl Key and click the "V" key and the pic will be in your post.
Third, the First link in my signature below has drawings and info on how to fabricate and install your stringers, deck and transom.
and Finally the Last link in my signature has the info you need about Painting your boat.

[Hardheaded]

Thanks so much for the info. I am still trying to get my pics uploaded. Now I have a new thought I was wanting to get some info on. I am thinking about keeping the boat a open deck design instead of putting the top back on.... I was wanting to get some input on this to see if it is even posiible and what would be involved. The reason I am thinking about it is it would give more room to move about while fishing. This is only going to be fishing boat. My concern is the side wanting to flex and not having enough rigidity in the boat if you hit a small wake or if it's rough out. I will get pics up tonight but any help and advice is greatly appreciated.. But I am really leaning towards this open design...

[GT1000000]

Welcome HH,

whatever you decide you want your boat to be, it is all possible...

Hoppin aboard for the ride to see how it turns out...

Best of luck and have Fun!
GT1M

[Hardheaded]

Thanks for the info on posting pics!

[Hardheaded]

Does anybody know what size the strigers would be. From what I measured they measure at 3/4 by 4 1/2??? Does this sound right. Also the middle stringer looks to be stacked 2 high...

Now to my next problem how can I get the transom area to seperate. Whenever the last person put it in they used some kind of epoxy I can't get to let go.

And now I am hearing I need to put the expanding foam back in when I get done with the srtingers... Any suggestions?

[Hardheaded]

Ok I finished removing the foam tonight and the fiberglass looks like it has absorbed water from were the foam was saturated. Will this hurt me or will it dry out.

Also I noticed that when I removed the foam and I would step on each side of the center stringer it would move side to side. This has me concerned. Do to this should I put the foam back in or just build braces and fiberglass them in????

[GT1000000]

Hi HH,

Just my .02¢...

But it seems like you are in for a penny, in for a pound...

My inner fortune teller predicts a complete gut and restoration is in your future...

That much rot should be completely eradicated and replaced with fresh new wood and fiberglass throughout...

Best Regards,
GT1M

PS- if you want a fairly good idea of what's in store...check out my ongoing resto thread in my signature below...

[Cadwelder]

Like GT said, you've got rotten stringers if they are moving around, foam won't fix rotten wood and bad glass. You need to fix it right before the foam it put back in.

CW

[Hardheaded]

Sorry guys computer crashed. But yes I am replacing stringers completely and all the glass..

My question is do I have to put the foam between the stringers back in or can I do like a triangular brace to stiffen up the center stringer. Which would also stiffen up my Floor when I lay it back down???

When I say moving, what I mean is when in the boat and you step down on either side of the center stringer it shifts to wich ever side I put my weight on. Which it did not do before I removed the foam...

[Cadwelder]

Sorry guys computer crashed. But yes I am replacing stringers completely and all the glass..

My question is do I have to put the foam between the stringers back in or can I do like a triangular brace to stiffen up the center stringer. Which would also stiffen up my Floor when I lay it back down???

When I say moving, what I mean is when in the boat and you step down on either side of the center stringer it shifts to wich ever side I put my weight on. Which it did not do before I removed the foam...

When you replace the stingers and get them glassed in properly, you'll find they don't move at all....just like when the foam was there. You don't really need any extra bracing that the factory didn't put in.

When you glass your stringers like Woody's drawings with two layer of 1708 she'll be hard as a rock all by themselves..

CW

[Hardheaded]

Ok thanks for the info. Still working on getting everything sorted out and ready to go back in.