Deck and Stringers

tswiczko

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
838
I'm back to pick your brains. I have an 89 Mach-1 Magnum MV2450 that desperately needed a deck. I've several of the threads before starting and learned that I should probably check the stringers too. After I removed what was once wood, I drilled into the top of what appeared to be a stringer (runs the length of the boat , are 2 3/8" wide and has floatation foam bftween them). But they are hollow and no wood in them( I jumped out of the boat and looked at the hull to make sure I didn't drill through the wrong thing :eek:) is this common to not have wood in the stringers? Or am I in real trouble here?
 
Last edited:

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Deck and Stringers

It depends on the boat model. Some models, especially more modern ones, don't have cored stringers, but rather use folded fiberglass, or glass around foam.

If that's the case, you're lucky... nothing to rot. Check other locations to make sure there's nothing there, and ideally cut a small hole big enough to look into and verify that's the case. You'll have to repair whatever you cut, because the glass is ALL the strength for the stringer, but if they're hollow and look ok on the outside, they're almost certainly good to go.

Erik
 

tswiczko

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
838
Re: Deck and Stringers

Thanks Erik I was thinking I was in real trouble when there was no wood in there
 

J. Mark

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
303
Re: Deck and Stringers

Stringers are often made with either foam inside or hollow. When made hollow, you obviously don't have rot issues! The fiberglass is the primary strength of a stringer regardless of the core. Hollow stringers are formed by building the stringer over a temporary form and then attaching it to the hull afterwards

Wood is an inexpensive and relatively lightweight form for stringers It has the ability to be used for attaching screws and bolts for things like your engine brackets.

I would consider yourself ahead of the game if your stingers are hollow (and supposed to be)

Once you get things cleaned up I would suggest filling any holes in the stringers from screws etc and making sure the glass is in good condition. If you find a weak area, you can prep it and add a layer of glass and resin to repair or reinforce, but that is much easier than cutting out stringers, making new ones and then having to tab and glass them in.

Good luck


Got interrupted while typing, sorry to duplicate what was already answered
 
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