replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

[serch305]

here is a pictures of the project. <br />I i hope ni can get help i have a boat is a galaxie 1981 i bought it with all the deck roten i did open the deck and i found that the playwood it was desenegrated when i open the deck i found all wet and roten stringers i thing is their name they are two 2'' by 6'' studs of wood.<br />if they are weaked the boat will brake in alf or the hull will crack at the engine ares?<br />the engine is a gm it looks like 350 is very big , any advices on this? I did cut the pece of stringers (the most roten and i just attached the new piece of stringerand cover it with fiberglass and put the new deck and cover all over with fiberglass and resing a lot and i geting ready nto put the carpet but the other day it pop up in my mine the those stringers they are in two pieces they might cause to brake the hull at the time the boat jump over a wave or some thin like that? <br /><br /> http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?selected=946286

 

[Boomyal]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Are you saying that you have already put the new floor in and fiberglassed it over?

 

[Das Boot]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Hi serch;<br /><br />I had a look at your photos and i think i know what you are up against.<br /><br />It looks like you have repaired at least one cross stringer and the floor.<br /><br />The problem is a lot of boat manufacturers just used any old "soft-wood" for cross stringers and for engine bed stringers, then covered them with a good lay-up of fibreglass cloth and mat.......... after a few years the wood gets wet and rots. leaving you with the fibreglass shell only and a lot of spongy wood inside.<br /><br />The only real fix is to remove all of the wood, even remove the engine and its bed stringers if they are bad and start over again.<br /><br />Before going too far i would drill a series of 1/4 holes in various places just to see how extensive the rot is...........<br /><br />Of course another fix is to just do another fibreglass lay-up over what you have, aside from the engine bed stringers (which the mounts bolt to) the other stringers were just something to form the fibreglass around and for the most part do no impart a lot of structural strength even when new.<br /><br />Given the age of your boat, i'd go for just beefing up the existing situation and enjoy !!<br /><br />I don't think your boat is going to "break-up"<br /><br />Good Luck

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Thank you very much Dave i check the stringers in the engine area and they are good but humed i replce all the stringers both but just from the red (in one of the pictures) line all the way to the front, and the cross member. i will see if i can take pics of the motor mounts so you can see they are separetly from the stringer<br /><br />Serch

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

one more question the stringers are there to support strengt to the hull or to laid the floor deck over?

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

without structural integrity of a wooden frame,<br />fibreglass with crack/break.

 

[quantumleap]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Originally posted by serch305:<br /> one more question the stringers are there to support strengt to the hull or to laid the floor deck over?

both.

 

[crab bait]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

dude,, what do you what hear..?? everything will be ok..<br /><br />if you left rot in the hull an with a 350 motor.. i don't think so...

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

crab bait do you mean is that will not work?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

I hate to say it, but you really need the structural integrity of those stringers running the length of the boat. On an inboard engine mounted configuration such as yours, those stringers, which include the engine beds, transfer the force of propulsion throughout the boat. If the stringers were not joined properly when scabbed together, there can be a flex issue which can weaken the fiberglass and cause failure. I say "can" because there are plenty of totally rotted boats out there that have gotten along just fine, but you can image taking a hard landing after catching air off of a large swell and having a hull breach when the hull cracks. In my opinion, laying in new complete stringers and structure is the safest, most reliable way. In a boat that is built with wood, the wood is most definatley part of the structure, the glass is there to hold everything together and hopefully seal everything. In a composite boat that is wood free, the layup is very different, the structural elements are layed up much thicker and with heavier material. In your case, going back and starting from a bare hull would give the most optimal result. Lesson learned I guess. Then again, you could just finish the project and go with it, always wondering in the back of your mind. Good luck....

 

[steve n carol]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

serh, I had one of these boats, same color too! same canvas and color! same rotted floor too! My problems were caused from this same fuel tank leaking at the weld tab, where it attaches to the frame/stringers. This leaking gasoline worked on the flotation foam in the hull beneath the floor. Caused it to turn into a sponge long before I bought it. I removed the rotted wood, scabbed onto what was good with some strips of laminated joist material I found on the jobsite. 2" thick 5" high and 12' long. w/ galvinized screws. then glass and resein. filled the hull w/2 part closed cell foam. after I fixed the gas tank. then threw some 1/2" ply and carpet on top. Rode this thing HARD in the swells. I MEAN HARD! Did fine. the foam really helped it out too, as it was ridged. What alerted me to the original problem was a spun engine coupler. the engine couldn't hold an alignment. check out "the shanky beast". have fun. what area are you in?...sl

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

hi ateven and carol i am in Fresno what i did to this boat i did replaced the stringers but not all the way just what ever it was rotwhat i did not is atached to the allready existing stringer piece with a some kind of metall plate and bolt them together i just cover them all with fiber glass and resin.<br />On the pics the atached stringer (the new piece) start right were the cut floor start right next to the engine is is about 9" away from engine.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

If you can get to the joints, you could always still scab it together with wood and then glass over the scabbed joint with more resin and cloth, it would surely be strong enough after all that. It really isn't that the stringer is in pieces that is bad, it is just that the stringer sections were not physically joined with more material before glassing. It is not too late to scab and glass without tearing the entire mess out. It doesn't have to be pretty, it just needs to work. Good luck....

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Thank you Jason that i think will be the best way to go i just wondering what scab is i know is attach it together but in wich way?

 

[steve n carol]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

serch, I thought that was the centeral valley. I looked at the pictures too. It looks like you are experienced with carpentry tools, as the floor cutout and floor repair looks good. I have a hard time believing that you don't know what 'scab' is. Scab or scabbing is, in your case, to attach an additional piece against the already in place pieces. Attached where there is an existing joint. Thus reinforcing the joint, or 'butt' joint, (where 2 pieces meet at the butt, or ends). I didn't see a drain hole in the crosspiece or bulkhead. Water has to escape!! and go into the bilge under the engine. Also doesn't your fuel line pass under the bulkhead?<br />serg..work on your typing too, at least proofreakk your posting....and keep posting!...sl

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Thanks steve i have problems with my writing because english is my secomd lenguage i am mexican i am sorry thanks <br />scab is what i thought now i am sure what exacly is

 

[serch305]

Re: replacing a part of the stringers what to do? help!

Ho! by the way is the sentral valley