No stringers in my hull ???

[b.gagnon]

1999 20' Cobia CC
I was just looking through a small access hole in the anchor locker and noticed that there are no traditional stringers (that I can see) in the hull....
It has large fiberglass v's going from the keel up the sides. There is not even a board at the keel. It is HUGE under there, one big open area....I could easily smuggle 4-6 people!
I took a few "BAD" pictures (best I could do)....
I just relized that the pictures are upside down...(Sorry) for some reason it keeps getting inverted when I upload...

 

[Chad Flaugher]

I didn't have any in mine either... All the structure was fiberglass. I have a tri-hull, so I thought that was why. Very interesting, I can't wait to see what the "experts" have to say!

 

[b.gagnon]

No Title

In the distance where the light is you can see the bracing....
Im taking the picture between the two fish boxes looking back.

 

[fhhuber]

There are a few makers that are not putting wood in the hulls. I'm not sure about those in particular but there were several boats at the local boat show this year with zero wood.

My current bass boat hull has wood for supporting the floor but none in the hull structure or transom.

 

[Chris1956]

Your hull has stringers and frames. They may be made of fiberglass, and tend to blend in. You probably have 4 stringers and 3-4 frames.

 

[b.gagnon]

There is nothing running the length of the boat that I can see....Just vertical sections bonded to the hull sides every 3-4'
I need to add a hatch and start using it as storage! I could fit a small cabin in there. There is a bulkhead near the stern that I can't see through.

 

[Chris1956]

The supports from the bottom of the deck to the hull are the stringers and frames. If these supports run gunwale to gunwale, they are called frames.

 

[b.gagnon]

I guess I have frames then!
I can't believe they did not give access to this area for storage. The frames only stick out 4-5" otherwise there is nothing else there!
I wish the camera would take a better picture of it...when I look in with a flashlight I can see everything clear as day. I think I am going to look for some good quality waterproof deck hatches and put 1-2 in...

 

[mr 88]

I wouldn't worry about it. Its a 1999 Cobia,the engineers [ probably ] knew what they were doing. Do not see any Cobia owners on here reporting that the boat hull is trashed out.

 

[jbcurt00]

Sealed deck likely provides buoyancy to meet USCG level upright floating after swamping requirements.

Hatches for storage would negate that, hull swamps and sinks......

 

[b.gagnon]

I was thinking that also but the anchor locker that I'm looking through is not even close to sealed.....Any hatch that I would add would have a gasket.

 

[Texasmark]

Go to Forrest Wood's Ranger Boats site. They used to show you their non-wood stringer/transom setup in their factory tour video.

 

[jbcurt00]

Does the anchor locker extend down below the deck into all that open space in your pix

 

[b.gagnon]

yes...

 

[charger118]

I have a 1967 chrysler charger tri-hull.Replacing deck,wood rotted and foam water logged.

 

[charger118]

[No message]

 

[GA_Boater]

I have a 1967 chrysler charger tri-hull.Replacing deck,wood rotted and foam water logged.

Nice hijack. Start a thread of your own if you want to show off your rebuild.

Closed.