NEW BOATER!! Repairing stringers

Rickmerrill

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Mar 13, 2014
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686
Yes the glass should definitely be adhered to the wood! That's delamination you got there. I bet the wood is wet.
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 29, 2009
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Hey, Bigreddon Welcome to iBoats!!! Here's my assessment of what's happened to your boat. Since the stringers were not sealed on top water has leached in from the top and over the years caused them to swell and then contract as they partially dried and then swell again which caused them to delaminate from the glass OR it could be they were never prepped properly in the first place and the glass never properly bonded. Regardless, you will need to remove them and grind the old glass all off down to fresh glass so you can reinstall new stringers. Once you do, you'll have a boat that's "Better than New" and will last for Decades!!! We'll all be here to help you with any questions you'll have on how to "Git er Dun!!!!" This link will help get you started...Fabricating Decks, Stringers, and Transoms



 
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Arawak

Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 27, 2010
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486
Here's where I found about not using solid wood...ever...http://boatbuildercentral.com/howto/repair.php

Could not find a reference in there, but pretty sure that what you read refers to the use of dimensional lumber as opposed to plywood. Plywood is typically what you will want to use, unless you have a big budget and want to go foam. Solid lumber is not as strong as laminated wood and is more prone to warping, which could cause delamination.

I'd follow the method laid out on that link, or Woodonglass' tutorial, they are essentially the same.
 

Bigreddon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 21, 2014
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Got the port stringer out in one piece. The glass was so seperated it popped out in one piece. It Will be good for a template. I am leaving the base of the original glass on the hull, as that will make sure it's back into its original position. I will be using solid wood, as the original was, properly glassed over to keep it watertight and strong. Transom end was dry, coxkpit end was too. I cut the stringer about a foot short of the cockpit, and will make a butt joint when installing.
 

Rickmerrill

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Mar 13, 2014
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686
Yep, I think if you go with what the mfg did and do a better job it oughta last longer than before.
 

Bigreddon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 21, 2014
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Yeah it'll probably outlive me if I do it right it's a 78 that makes it 36 years old it'll definitely outlast my boating days!
 

Boat Doctor1

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 29, 2012
Messages
123
Good Job so far!! many years of replacing stringers & transome -use a high grade oak!! Can also use mahonogy!! for strimgers repairs. Grind down & get all glass & wood out!! Glass some mat in the area 1st.! making sure its flat!! Then glass the wood to it!! let cure a few days. Then glass again all over wood! no mat-dry & then use colth & mat as needed-glass all ! Thet will seal wood & make the hull as strong as can be done!!
 

Bigreddon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 21, 2014
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128
What is mat and cloth? And after I get the stringers and wood deck in...I have to glass over the wood too. There was about 1/4" of glass and (epoxy? Resin?) on top of the wood deck, all the way across. Almost a double hull..in that if the bottom of the boat was breached, this glass above/on the deck was more than thick enough to act hullish... Seemed like way more material than just to protect the wood.
 

Bigreddon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 21, 2014
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128
Oh..and I understand I need to keep the stringers above the hull 1/4". Currently, that is how it is, and under the stringer now is just the fiber from the glass...with no resin or anything. Looks like a bunch of spider webs, leaving a huge void between the old stringer and the hull. I will put some pictures tonight . WTF is that all about??
 

Rickmerrill

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
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686
Peanut Butter (PB)! Kind of a homemade glue, if your going to use polyester it's made up of 1 part resin, 1.5parts cabosil and 1/16th part 1/4" chopped strand fibers. So for a quart of resin add 1.5 quarts of cabosil and 2 oz of the fibers. You're going to want to put it between the stringer and hull plus create smooth fillets in the corners because glass doesn't like to lay down on sharp corners. There's a lot more to PB so do some searching on PB and take a look at Wog's Stringers, Decks and Transoms.
 

Bigreddon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
128
Copy that on the PB. Here's where in at now..


 
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Bigreddon

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 21, 2014
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128
See the spiderwebby stuff? That was between the stringers and hull. Also...I got my be mercontrol cables today!!! Woo hoo!!! Shifts and throttle like butt-ah!!
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 29, 2009
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BigRedOn I understand what you Want to do. AND it IS your boat and you ARE free to do with it as you see fit. Having said that, I feel obligated to say that what you are doing is NOT a good method for replacing the stringers and will not allow them to bond to the hull in a adequate way. They ARE a critical structural part of the hull and need to be done correctly. Attempting to place them back in the old channels and bond them to the old glass will not be effective. Others have tried and it has not worked. You should do more research on the methodology of stringer replacement in order to understand the proper way to achieve a successful build. Please understand I'm just trying to ensure you have a safe and sound boat when you're done and all your time, money and effort are put to this end. Again, this is my opinion but it is based on some experience and a lot of knowledge gained from hundreds of restorations on this forum and others. Do with it as you will.;)
 

Rickmerrill

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Messages
686
Oh, I thought we were past that already, didn't catch the "leaving the base of the original glass on the hull, as that will make sure it's back into its original position".
 
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