Wet Stringers

[trendsetter240]

I cut a square out of my floor today and found the bilge full of water and the center stringer soaking wet. This stringer is not covered in glass only glassed at the bottom to the hull and at the stern to the transom. The wood is clearly soaked but not rotten; a screwdriver will gouge out about 1/16" then hits dry solid wood in the stringer.

Now, the PO said this boat was "restored" 2 seasons ago and then sat unused in a yard for 2 years before I bought it. Whomever did the restore clearly replaced the floor as the wood is solid and "forgot" to leave an access point to the bilge. So I'm thinking this is really it's second year of use since the floor, stringers were replaced.

So now I have cut this small access point, pumped out all the water and plan to permanently install a bilge pump and a hatch to cover the access point.

My question is..with the stringers not being covered in glass and exposed to water am I doomed to have the wood fail? Should I pull the boat out of water now, tear up the (reasonably new) floor and replace the stringers properly?

Or is it reasonable to assume I'd get this summer out of it and save this project for next year?

Thank in advance for any advice.

Cheers~!

 

[Spinnaker]

Re: Wet Stringers

It's a tough call without actually seeing it. Normally I'd say get it dried out completely and at least throw a good coat of resin on the stringers but from the sounds of it you can't access all the stringers. Maybe at least cut a couple 1" limber holes for water to drain to the bilge and make sure those holes are sealed with resin.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Wet Stringers

Use it this season but plan for a rebuild.

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: Wet Stringers

Alright thanks guys. I guess next season I will be making a restore thread

Just seems stupid to me..why would someone go to the trouble of replacing all this flooring, stringers and transom and not glass them in completely? In most/all the restore threads I've read on here that's what people do.

Could it be that this is a grade of plywood that is designed to resist the water? I think it is marine grade as it it quite thick and has many layers.

Either way, I am going to install the new pump today to ensure that any water that gets in there gets moved out.

Cheers

 

[jspano]

Re: Wet Stringers

http://www.nisuscorp.com/portal/page/portal/Nisus/categories/homeowners/products/moldCare

you might want to look at this product.
i'm a certified pest control operator in fla. and have used this product in my house on the studs after a plumbing leak had soak carpets and drywall.

borates are used in many applications now in make pressure treated wood

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/new-pressure-treated-wood-decks.aspx

the nice thing about this product is there is a additive that will let this soak into the wood, if you spray the wood with it on 3 sides 2X it will soak thru it all over a period of time.

i have never used it in a marine application, i do know if you placed a pc of treated wood in water and left it there it would break the treatment down.

READ THE LABEL
(EYE PROTECTION)

IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Wet Stringers

Could it be that this is a grade of plywood that is designed to resist the water? I think it is marine grade as it it quite thick and has many layers.

Marine plywood isn't treated against rot. What makes it marine is simply fewer voids and a better quality glue.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Wet Stringers

Alright thanks guys. I guess next season I will be making a restore thread

Just seems stupid to me..why would someone go to the trouble of replacing all this flooring, stringers and transom and not glass them in completely? In most/all the restore threads I've read on here that's what people do.

Could it be that this is a grade of plywood that is designed to resist the water? I think it is marine grade as it it quite thick and has many layers.

Either way, I am going to install the new pump today to ensure that any water that gets in there gets moved out.

Cheers

Sounds like a slap cowboy job, boatyards will do that sometimes, then glass a deck on it all and no-one is the wiser. It is stupid if the owner did it.