68 Century FGL

[tim72]

I am in the process of replacing the stringers in my 68 FGL. It is a glaas boat with Mahogany covering boards. My stringers were glased and I have been able to take that off with out issues. One out board stringer is shot but the other three are ok with a little dampness. I plan on dryong then coating with CPES and then reglassing. My question is abou the type of wood. since these are original stringers I believe in 68 they used Douglass fur for 2 X 4's. Replacing the one stringer I found that douglass fir is very hard to come by but was able to get a lenght and size I needed. One board is $68. Just wondering what everybody else is using as wood for there stringer replacements???

 

[ondarvr]

Re: 68 Century FGL

The type of wood you can find locally depends on where you live, fir is a common wood here.

As for the wet stringers, normally drying them isn't really possible, or at least easy.

CPES is nothing more than thinned epoxy, which is of little value in waterproofing wood.

Read some of the other stringer replacement threads and you'll get an idea of what needs to be done.

 

[tim72]

Re: 68 Century FGL

For those of you replacing stringers I would definately use Smiths CPES on your wood before replacement. If you have questions about it you can go to www.woodrestorations.com. I have nothing to gain but will tell you the majority of wood boat restorers use smiths on all aspects of restoration. The spirits do evaporate but the resin stays with the wood. The wood must be thourghly dry before application. at least all end grain should be coated on new and old wood. White oak, Douglass fir and mahogany are the most resistant woods to rot or water.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: 68 Century FGL

The results are from their advertising only, no other studies show a benefit to thinning epoxy to waterproof wood. Waterproofing is more about encapsulation, not penetration and thinned epoxies are less water proof than unthinned epoxies.

Professional wood boat builders don't use thinned epoxies, they use good quality normal viscosity products.

At one time there was huge movement to the thinned epoxy line of thought and many companies put products on the market. These were high cost, high profit products because you thinned an expensive epoxy with cheap thinners and still charged an epoxy price.
It seemed like a good idea to thin the epoxy to get better penetration, the problem was the chemistry doesn?t work that way.

Read this

http://www.seqair.com/skunkworks/Glues/WestSystem/Thinning/Thinning.html

 

[tim72]

Re: 68 Century FGL

Wonder why all these guys are having to redo there rotted stringers? Obviously the epoxy coated resin broke away from the wood causing cracks etc allowing water and air to penetrate. West makes some good products but a glass bottom on a wood boat is a no no. any glass on wood is going to fail sooner or later. Thats why using smiths on the wood before glassing is a great way to help protect it and alow to the glass or epoxy adhere to the wood. Dandenburg uses it, Miklo's and just about 70 percent of wood boat restorers. They all can't be wrong! If the glass failed adhering to the wood the first time why go for failure twice?

 

[Tahorover]

Re: 68 Century FGL

The stringers in my 74 Arabian are Mahogany. I like and use CPES it has it's place.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=470451