Stringers replacement. Material and cost?

Fishjustin87

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Aug 7, 2018
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Last year I bought a 19 ft Glasply and was mistaken on what year they transitioned to glass stringers so now I am at a crossroads. Cut my losses and scrap it or replace the stringers,floor and transom. If I do all the work then I know I have a solid foundation to repower. I know the hull will last. What I am trying to figure out is a rough estimate for what it's going to cost. I have been doing alot of research and understand it's going to be a chore. Also that it's going to cost me an arm and a leg. I have read to use straight grain douglas fir and tab them with 2 layers of Biaxial 1708. I am not trying to go the most expensive route but do not want to half as anything. The more forums I read about people saying run, the more I want to do it. I like a challenge but I want to lay out a budget to do it in stages. Probably going to take 2 years any insights would be greatly appreciated. Also plan to sheet floor with 3/4 marine ply and then resin it.
 

chevymaher

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Mar 29, 2017
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Cost me about 2500 to do it interior and all. I would say 3500. With a safety net. They tell you run here if it isn't the boat they want to see restored. And that is about it honestly. Once it is restored it isn't no different than any other boat. Craftsmanship going together was the difference originally. Now it is whatever you did.

I got a car I been foolin with for 10 years so far so I used to this non sense. If you want it then it is worth it. If you want something free it wont happen. But fixing one is the best cheapest route to a new boat.

The it isn't worth what you got into it tomfooley. Nothing is when you restore it. That is why so many classic car owners are nasty mouthed crybabies. They are trying to make money doing it. If the is the reason you want to. Your in the wrong hobby.

You do it to have fun. It is like going to the mountains for a vacation. You are not making money. Your spending money hand over fist and got absolutely nothing to show except some pictures when your done.

So it is up to you. Is it worth it to you. Me it was. I am looking at my pictures from last summer with my son. Going out and checking the boat everyday. I can't wait to go float the boat again. I don't know how I lived with no boat before.
 

tpenfield

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Jul 18, 2011
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Agree with the $2k-$3K range. Lots of folks have been down the road you are now on. Not sure if you can get a boat in good shape for less than what it will cost to fix.

So, if you like the boat, then probably worthwhile to fix it.
 

Fishjustin87

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Aug 7, 2018
Messages
113
Thank you gentlemen. That is the exact insight I was looking for. I am comfortable in that price range for that part of the project. What did you guys use for stringer material? I plan to laminate with fiberglass. I have read douglas fir for stringers and marine 3/4 ply for floor
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Jul 23, 2011
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agreed on the $2-3k

for stinger material, 3/4 exterior grade plywood
for transom material 3/4 exterior grade plywood laminated with tite-bond III
for the floor, depends on what you have for stringers and bulkheads. my 26' cuddy has 1/2" balsa core with 1/8" of fiberglass on both sides
my last boat had 1/2" fiberglass with 1/16" glass underneath and 1/8" on top

go to the stickies at the top of the forum and go thru links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a and 4b
 

tpenfield

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Exterior grade plywood will do the trick for stringers, bulkheads and flooring. For a 19 ft boat, you could go with 1/2" all-around, but 3/4" for the stringers would be a bit better.
 

Chris51280

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Jan 24, 2018
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897
you can look at my rebuild list. it was around 2-3k all included for the structure. motor and upholstery is a different story
 

Fishjustin87

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Aug 7, 2018
Messages
113
So Glasply seems to have used some pretty heavy duty stringers I believe by looking at a few other forums of guys that have taken on this project. Can I use Douglas fir #1 lumber for the stringers and the 3/4 Marine ply for the floor and transom? I have read that most people use Douglas fir CVG but I think that would literally kill this project as it looks like Glasply we t extreme in there design. However that is why I like the Glasplys
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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dont use dimensional lumber, use exterior plywood

plywood on edge is about 4x as strong as dimensional lumber
 

Fishjustin87

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Aug 7, 2018
Messages
113
I have yet to tear a hole in the floor to measure the stringers but in other forums I see that Glasply ised pretty heavy dimensional lumber to make their stringers and two floor beams. Anybody familiar with how strong a 3/4 stringer is compared to a say 3in X4in dimensional wood stringer, or a 3x10 floor beam
 

briangcc

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Jul 10, 2012
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The plywood laminated to the size you need will be stronger than dimensional lumber. IF it were me, since I was buying plywood already for the transom, I'd just add another sheet or two onto my supplies list and cut what I needed from there. Easy peasey. No need to make this more difficult than that.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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3/4" plywood, 3-1/2" wide on edge is stronger than a 2x4 on edge

worst case, you laminate two pieces of 3/4" together to 1-1/2" thick like the transom for your stringer.

remember, engineered floor joists of a top flange, a 1/2" web and a bottom flange of plywood is stronger than a 2x10 floor dimensional lumber floor joist.
 
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