adding stringers or bulkheads

[mikemerrill50]

Hey guys, I am thinking of adding a couple of bulkheads for added support under the deck. Right now it has 5 stringers. I am doing the stringers without any core (just fiberglass), so I would feel safer with some bulkheads (they would be done the same). Would there be any problems with that idea?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[OhioLowell]

Re: adding stringers or bulkheads

Mike,

Why don't you want cores in your stringers? How do you plan on laying up the glass if you have nothing to lay it around?

I'm really new to all of this so please keep that in mind. From what I've read fiberglass gets its strength in an application like this from being molded around the core material. Kind of like how angle iron gets its strength. Cut off one leg and then the angle iron has little or no strength. I may be wrong here, if I am I'm sure someone will call me on it. But I think I would use somekind of cores in my stringers. As for the bulkheads, can't help you there I have no experience with them.


What kind of boat is this? Do you have any pictures?

Good Luck,
Lowell

 

[mikemerrill50]

Re: adding stringers or bulkheads

haha bulkhead is actually not the word I meant to use.

some boats have no cores in the fiberglass (hat stringer i believe it's called). You can mold the stringers, remove the mold you used, and place them back in the boat. In my case, I have rotten stringers. I fiberglassed up the sides, gutted all the rotten wood out, and fiberglassed over the top. Hollow stringers. The stringers are still strong as anything. I was going to do this along with filling it with foam, but now I am leaving the foam idea. instead, I will just add more floor supports, sort of like a grid.