1976 Columbia 16.

[asleepatsea]

there is a large section of the floor that is missing. The stringer below is rotting away. I am looking for a way to rebuild it, kind of like a wood putty that will stand the test and elements of time and weather.

 

[briangcc]

You're in denial. That's a total gut and rehab. The more you tear into it I bet you find the transom is doa as well.

Wood putty is not the solution...a grinder, proper PPE, and a lot of sweat equity with BCX ply and resin (cloth) is.

Head to the resto section, there's plenty of boats there that started along similar trains of thought.

 

[asleepatsea]

Thanks for the input ant the suggestion of the resto area. I am planning on removing the seats and deck and seeing exactly what there is. I see and hear of "encapsulating". If everything looks good except that area, then encapsulating sounds like the way to go. Thanks again.
on a side note, the wood putty was not a good reference, but maybe something else that can be used to build up the small portion of degrading stringer?

 

[briangcc]

Nope. Total removal and replacement is required based off how much floor is already missing. I wager that rot goes front to back including transom. Boats rot from the hull up, not the top down.

There isn't a shortcut on this one, sorry to say.

 

[Scott06]

there is a large section of the floor that is missing. The stringer below is rotting away. I am looking for a way to rebuild it, kind of like a wood putty that will stand the test and elements of time and weather.

As mentioned look through the restoration section. Unfortunately what you see is likely the tip of the iceberg. The wood in the stringers and the transom are a significant portion of the structural integrity of the boat. I would drill some holes in several places in the stringers and transom down low to see the extent of the rot. Then I would look through the resto threads and decide if you want to invest the time and money (or pay some one to)

Did you cut the hole or did previous owner?

 

[Thirsty Endgrain]

Peruse a bunch of the resto threads, as suggested. You’ll see what everyone else has gone through, and if it’s worth it for you to go through it too with this boat. Sounds like you plan to remove the floor? Do that and post pics, go from there…