1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

[joebarnes]

I am starting a project that I hope I'm capable finishing. I love reading the post on here and they have helped me with multiple engine problems in the past. I have already taken out a lot of foam that is all very saturated with water and will move on to redoing to the stringers after I finish with that. I would appreciate any help and advice a long the way as this is my first time taking on a project this large. I look forward to the work and more importantly the finished result of a good sound skiff that I will have for many years to come.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Well your Transom is Shot!!!!
Post some pics of the entire boat so we can see what she looks like. Stringers look interesting. Not much there! Not familiar with this style of boat so I'll be interested in watching this one come together.

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild


I'm sorry, the picture with my transom in it before was just a piece of deck that I ripped up. I'm hoping my transom is solid. (Fingers crossed) this is the only picture I took this afternoon. I still have a fair amount of shoveling to do to get the rest of the wet foam out. I'll try to get some better pictures when I'm out there tomorrow. Any advice on removing the foam I can't get to with a shovel? Thanks for your help and interest!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Looks like you're well on your way to a good resto!

A straight claw hammer works well fo getting foam out of tight places, and grinding the hull will get rid of any residue that stricks.

Hope for a sound transom, but be prepared for a rotten one.

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

I think I'm just about done with the foam removal. I hope to have the stringers out by the end of this week. After I've cut them out and I grind down the glass that was holding them in I'm planning on grinding down the transom just so I can see what kind of wood is in there. I don't want to miss anything while I've got it taken down this far. When I go to by my fabric for my glass work I would love to keep cost down and just stick to buying one type of glass. If I need to buy multiple types I will. I just want to hear opinions. I care about strength more than anything. I don't really care about getting a palm beach finish on anything bc the boat is going to be a sand bar hopper and a duck hunting vessel as long as she is in my possession. Is biaxial the strongest glass material? I know woven roven is strong but it requires a lay up of cloth before it. Can I just use biaxial for everything from my stringers to my deck? Thanks for your help!

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

You can, but biax is overkill on the deck, and more expensive. Only a few layers of chopped strand matt are really needed and a finish layer of cloth for appearances.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Check the first link in my signature, it has diagrams and info on how to do what you will be doing.

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Well, it's March again. In between duck hunting and another boat project that my dad got me involved in last summer I haven't had a lot of time to work on my skiff. I'm back at it now grinding away. Here are some pics from today. One question I have before it go to lay my first stringer in cabosil... I've cut a template out of a spare board before I cut my Douglas fir stinger board and I still have a few 1/8 in gaps in between it and my boat. Is that something I can get away with by laying it in a thick spread of cabosil? Here are some pics.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

I'd say that's about as good as it gets for matching the bottom of the stringer to the hull. The bedding material will take care of the rest. You should use 1/4" spacers to lift the stringer off the hull and squeeze the PB under the stringer. This will ensure you don't have any part of the wood touching the hull. Make sure to precoat the wood with resin first.

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

One stringer is glassed and the second is cut and ready to be laid. One issue I have ran into is that the last board I have for my last stringer has a slight bow in it. It's a 16' board and when it's laid on its side with the bow arced up, the middle is lifted up about an inch from the floor of the warehouse. When I cut it to fit the hull it will be 14' in length so the arc will be slightly less. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the arc? Or is it not a big deal? It's a Douglas Fir board. Thanks for your help. I'm tired of grinding!

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Well I have all but my last stinger in, I think I'm just going to get another board... but after that's laid, I'm going to fit my chase tubes and lay my bulk heads. And then it's time for foam. One question I would like to ask is that there is drain plug that was drilled once the boat started to take on water and the foam started to saturate, in an attempt to dry it out. Should I remove the drain plug? The hull is not designed to have water below the deck, it was completely foam filled. If I should remove it, will Cabosil be a sufficient filler? I plan on pouring foam in every cavity of the bulk heads/stringers like it was orginally built. I would appreciate any suggestions on this, Thank you!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Where was the "Drain Hole" If you mean a drain hole into the bilge, I'd leave it. If the hull is breached, either above or below and water did get in, and the boat was stored bow up, as it always should be, then the water might find its way to the drain hole and then out thru the bilge. It can't and won't hurt anything to have it.

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

The drain hole does not go to the bilge. It goes directly to a foam filled cavity. The boat is designed to be a self bailing hull, with out a bilge.

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Here are some pictures.

 

[glnbnz]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Signing on to watch

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

This hole is thru the transom & 'drains' to the outside of the boat, correct:

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Yes

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

Well not exactly. A self bailing hull is usually one where the deck is higher than water level and has scuppers to allow water to drain from the deck. Having said that the pic shows a typical hull transom drain. It's your boat, and, as I always say you can do as you see fit, but...If I was doin it, and I'm not, but if I was, I'd build a bilge and make it drain to the bilge and then out that transom drain. Foam or no foam, for me, it's just the way it should be done. But as everybody knows, I'm just an

 

[joebarnes]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

This boat was designed to be a self bailing hull, that drain was not originally there. Once the stringers started to rot and the foam started to break down and absorb water, the water line rose. The water line was then above the two drain holes (with scuppers) at deck level. The previous owner, in attempt to try to dry the foam and stringers out, drilled this drain plug. If I'm trying to match what the manufacturer originally built, I would fill it in. But I don't know if it is the best thing to do or not. The drain plug isn't in the center of the boat, bc the center stringer is in the middle. I'd love your thoughts.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: 1996 southern skimmer deck/foam/stringer rebuild

If the boat was not designed with it remove it and scuff around it lay up some glass to fill it and cover that filler with the backside having some tape or wax paper backing. Put a few over layers on inside and outside.

On the last stringer I would use it and when you install it put in some bracing from the other two stringers to keep the bow in check while it is glassed in, once its glassed in it is not going to move.