95 Sea Ray 230 Sundancer stringer repair

[gmach]

Hello all,
I would like to share my disappointing story and get some of your thoughts. I bought this boat last year. When I bought it, I noticed the owner had replaced the cockpit seats with some after market back to back louge seats; none of the screws were bedded and none of the old seat holes were plugged. I knew I would have to re-core the mid birth ceiling where the seats sat on. I figured I could takle that easy enough. Well that changed today; the can of worms has been opened and the water from the ceiling leak has turned into stringer rot. I have dug out all of the rotted stringer so far and plan to scarf in new stringer and deck sections with half inch marine grade plywood. I am a little confused by the method Sea Ray used to splice the original stringer. They made a long taper joint in the stringer and used a butt block to connect the two, but the stringer terminates about 16 inches away at a bulkhead. I would like to glue in the new stringer at that termination and scarf in at the other end. Could I scarf in over Sea Ray's joint or should I just use Sea Ray's joint method to make the splice? A scarf would be about a 6 inch joint and a Sea Ray splice joint would be about 48 inches long with the the removal of another bulkhead.

 

[Scott Danforth]

First, welcome aboard

Next, searays are not the boat they once were

Boats are designed with a 15 year design life. Your boat is 31 years old

Plan on a full restoration

All the information you will need is found here. https://forums.iboats.com/threads/how-tos-and-other-great-information.283508/

Specifically this thread which also happens to be a 1995 searay. https://forums.iboats.com/threads/1995-sea-ray-220-signature-deck-and-stringer-restoration.495449/

 

[gmach]

Thank you, by full restoration do you mean replace the whole stringer?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Stringers, transom, flotation foam

 

[gmach]

In my younger days i would certainly agree with that sentiment. I would go gung-ho with a chain saw and demo bar and before you know it; I'd be standing in a pile of lumber scrap thinking what have I done! The years of back breaking work and forever projects have humbled me sir. I have become more pragmatic these days which has saved me a load of time and money. If the rest of the hull is in good shape and the water intrusion (which was owner induced) only affected this small area was fixed I believe this boat could outlive me, if properly maintained.

 

[redneck joe]

Welcome to the forum, and I agree with the approach to boats as we age. I just completed my last one, or so I told myself (and my wife).

If you can tell that is all, great otherwise rot starts low and moves from the transom forward and up to the floor.

 

[MikeSchinlaub]

Drill some test holes in easy access areas to look for more rot first.

 

[gmach]

Well I went around the rest of the boat with a ball peen hammer and tap tested instead. The rest of the stringers, deck, and transom sounded great. I did find out my exhaust manifold is cracked during the inspection though.