Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

Well the deck is ripped out the soggy foam gone and the rotted wood. I have glassed 2 spots on the hull and all is well. Should I .....

1.Pressure wash the entire deck since the glass has set up for afew days to get all the junk and dirt out and Mek it before I do the stringers?

2.Once I have the new stringers in I would like to add a coat of resin to the entire deck of the boat for added strength since it is a Vintage 1974 Chrysler Tri Hull and like I said I will be using this to get into some shallow areas for duck hunting on rivers and lakes So I figure it cant hurt.

3.Foam replacement... use the expanding stuff or that water resistant stuff everone has mentioned and I cant remember the name of...

Any other suggestions let me know... please.

Thank you in advance....

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

I will move this to the restoration section where it belongs.

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

By stringers do you mean engine stringers?

If replacing engine stringers you are in for some good old fashion itchy fun.

Remember to bed or fillet the new stringers with a trapezoidal, proper radius bedding compound, use biaxial cloth, at least 3 layers and make sure all grease is out of the equation before you start.

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

A coating of resin will NOT add any strength........ add a layer of fiberglass cloth and you will add a little bit.

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

Were you thinking open or closed cell foam? There is a rigid 2 part urethane foam which is water "resistant". None of it is waterproof. It is pourable and will expand. #2 foam is Coast Guard compliant marine foam and is probably what you will want to use.

Captain Chris

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

I would only pressure wash if you have to and have plentyof time to let the hull dry. Acetone woeks well MEK works, but is nasty stuff and hard on the lungs.

Before you put stringers in, you really need to clean thoroughly and grind down the old glass with 40 grit everywhere that you will be putting fresh fiberglass so that it will adhere peoperly. The prep is much harder than the stringer install, but it is cruicial if you want the work to adhere to the hull and last.

Epoxy is more forgiving than polyester of so so prep work, but neither will work well without some grinding.

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

Have you supported the bottom of the boat hull properly as not to build in any "hook" or "rocker" to the hulls shape before doing your fiberglass work?
Also before stirring up any resin learn what resin rich and resin poor means. This isn't like slapping in some fiberglass floor boards in the old rusted out Chevy.

Re: Before I put in the stringers , SHOULD I ??

hello Duck..

When you say.. "2.Once I have the new stringers in I would like to add a coat of resin to the entire deck of the boat for added strength since it is a Vintage 1974 Chrysler Tri Hull"

Did you mean OVER the Gelcoat ?

Bob is right about Resin.. without glass is less then nothing.