Question On Changing Stringer Location

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Hi, New here!! Bought an 86' Hurricane Fundeck deck boat, and discovered the inner stringers were non existent(rotten and mush), and that the ski locker was crap too. Long story kind of short, I yanked the deck, pulled the locker, removed the foam, and started grinding out the old stringers only to realize they were oddly positioned, and/or installed terribly, IMO (I'm a novice, so I could be wrong.
In a lot of the forums and vids I've read and watched, the stringers were installed where the hull "creases/curves", the point of the hull, not sure what you call it. The stringers in currently grinding out are not installed there, but rather roughly 6" inside, towards the center of the boat. I also noticed, as I was grinding, that there were tons of voids between the old stringers and old glass, as well as the hull. The channel is all kinds of crooked and has resin bumps/build up, where it almost looks like the old stringers were either butt-ed together, or broken, strangely.

My question; Instead of continuing to grind this spot, can I just install the new stringers where the boat "crease"/Bend is, since I'm not putting a ski locker back in.

 

[zool]

You can do whatever u choose, because it your boat, but, changing the structural dynamics of a boat can bite you. The farther out the spacing of only 2 stringers are placed, the less structural integrity you have towards the bow. Most PPL here would probably add small stringers to the "crease" in addition to the keel stringers. we tend to over build here .....You could end up with alot of stress cracks or worse....or it could be fine.....

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Thanks for your response zool! That makes sense. Another reason I asked is because is because if I grind any further, there are some places in almost certain I'll end up grinding through the hull. I'll upload some more pics after work today of a few concern areas. Lastly, there were only a couple bulkheads, if you can call them that. They were glasses .5"x1" strips of wood, apparently laid across the top of the stringers before the foam was poured. Could I build bulkheads between the new stringers instead, and still be structurally sound? Thanks again for you responses! These are "before" pics.

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Also, there is like a 1/4" lip I guess you can call it from the previous channel, I would feel a lot better leaving them as kind of a guide for the new stringers. Bad idea?

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Also, there is like a 1/4" lip I guess you can call it from the previous channel, I would feel a lot better leaving them as kind of a guide for the new stringers. Bad idea?

I left a "lip" when I did mine. I left it high enough so I could use c-clamps to clamp the new ones in place while I PB's them in, I also did this for my motor mounts.

 

[zool]

Thanks for your response zool! That makes sense. Another reason I asked is because is because if I grind any further, there are some places in almost certain I'll end up grinding through the hull. I'll upload some more pics after work today of a few concern areas. Lastly, there were only a couple bulkheads, if you can call them that. They were glasses .5"x1" strips of wood, apparently laid across the top of the stringers before the foam was poured. Could I build bulkheads between the new stringers instead, and still be structurally sound? Thanks again for you responses! These are "before" pics.

Those strips of wood were most likely there to keep the stringers upright so the expanding foam did not distort them, you can use bulkheads sure, but i would add weep holes so water can flow to the stern and drain or pump out. Also, sometimes strips or squares of wood were used on center most stringers to keep a pitch of the deck higher in the center, so water doesnt pool in the center of the deck, but rather drain to the sides and out scuppers or drain to bilge.

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Awesome!! Thank you guys!!! I'll keep you all posted on progress. Fingers crossed, I haven't found another thread with a Fundeck rebuild so maybe this will help someone.

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Last question for a while. Originally the boat had stringers that were approx 3/4" wide by 12" high. There WAS a ski locker that had borders that were 3/4" by approx 4"-6" (not 100% sure as it was rotted out) that sat on top of the stringers. The deck had 4 - 2x4's glassed to the bottom that sat on a ledge glassed into the side of the boat. I've NEVER seen this on ANY other boat. I've watched 113 videos, and gone through another 100 threads and haven't seen anything like it. Lol

The question:
Can I cut my new stringers to a height so they go directly from the hull to the floor? They would be 3/4" by approx 20".
I'm assuming I would have to glass the crap out of them for strength. Lol

 

[Lectro88]

20" will be a hellava stringer and take a Lot of glass to cover.
Of coarse you can custom build 20".
They will already be strong when you epoxy or resin them together before you ever add ANY glass.
This stuff is way stronger than we give credit.
I find that over and over again,. But I still Overbuild.

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

I left a "lip" when I did mine. I left it high enough so I could use c-clamps to clamp the new ones in place while I PB's them in, I also did this for my motor mounts.

Here is a picture from my project showing what I mean.

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Here is a picture from my project showing what I mean.

Thanks Capri. Now see, that's what I meant by the boat "crease". When you ground out your old stringers, they was a 1/4" or so channel for you to put the new ones into. If I keep grinding mine, it'll just be a flat section of hull, because there is no boat "crease" at that location.

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

20" will be a hellava stringer and take a Lot of glass to cover.
Of coarse you can custom build 20".
They will already be strong when you epoxy or resin them together before you ever add ANY glass.
This stuff is way stronger than we give credit.
I find that over and over again,. But I still Overbuild.

IF, and that's a huge IF, I decide to custom build them, should I consider going with 1" only as opposed to the 1/2" or 3/4" that was originally there?

 

[Lectro88]

IF, and that's a huge IF, I decide to custom build them, should I consider going with 1" only as opposed to the 1/2" or 3/4" that was originally there?

1/2 or 3/4 will work all day long.
1" Is just adding more mass and weight in my humble opinion.
To give a little more evidence on this idea. try this and you can see for yourself.
Take a 1"x 4" or 1"x 6" any length, turn it to its edge and try to bow it. Now that should be a 3/4" finished board. Now just how stout do they seem,. Ok imagine that glued to your hull. Waves are seldom 8 feet across right? maybe 2-3 feet across, not height, the amount it would contact the hull. And the rest of the boat is already supported in the water.
My point is 4"- 6" is plenty to support any small boat with proper spacing. Anything more is just a bonus or added weight. take your pick.
Then if you add floatation foam that stiffens things up even more.
If you build close to original or a little better you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[WhydoIDoThis2Myself]

Thanks a ton guys. Y'all are awesome! Keep ya posted!

 

[kcassells]

You will want to use ply for it's structural strength.

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Thanks Capri. Now see, that's what I meant by the boat "crease". When you ground out your old stringers, they was a 1/4" or so channel for you to put the new ones into. If I keep grinding mine, it'll just be a flat section of hull, because there is no boat "crease" at that location.

I just ground down to "clean" glass. The area the stringers were in had a slight angle to them and any adjustments I needed to make with the height of the stringers I took it from the wood. The crease as you mention I ran into under the console and altered the stringers to keep them at the height I needed for the floor. If you do accidentally go through the hull it can be easily repaired.

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

1/2 or 3/4 will work all day long.
1" Is just adding more mass and weight in my humble opinion.
To give a little more evidence on this idea. try this and you can see for yourself.
Take a 1"x 4" or 1"x 6" any length, turn it to its edge and try to bow it. Now that should be a 3/4" finished board. Now just how stout do they seem,. Ok imagine that glued to your hull. Waves are seldom 8 feet across right? maybe 2-3 feet across, not height, the amount it would contact the hull. And the rest of the boat is already supported in the water.
My point is 4"- 6" is plenty to support any small boat with proper spacing. Anything more is just a bonus or added weight. take your pick.
Then if you add floatation foam that stiffens things up even more.
If you build close to original or a little better you shouldn't have any problems.

I originally had 3/4" pine boards for stringers and they lasted 30 years. I replaced them with 3/4" plywood and they are so much stronger than the originals plus last my lifetime because they are sealed correctly.

 

[alexanderpalacios11@gmail]

What was your progress on this? About to start the Same thing. 1987 Fundeck. 19 foot.

 

[76SeaRay]

I am using 3/4 inch marine grade plywood for all stringers and bulkheads. The top 2 1/2 inches in height I added a piece of 3/4 inch plywood along the stringer to make them 1 1/2 inches thick where the floor decking is attached to the stringers. Gives you more width for screwing the deck down.

 

[alexanderpalacios11@gmail]

Level of difficulty for someone without a lot of fiberglass or boat repair experience?