water behind a stringer

WakeSlayer wrote: I have some delamination on the main stringers, The wood is damp underneath, but no glaring signs of rot. I have been up an down both stringers with a hammer and they sound solid. They are, however, somewhat discolored in spots. The parts that have been exposed for a couple days look noticeably better than when initially opened up.

Mike,
Don't take the chance. They are wet, discolored and the spores/fungus are just waiting to be sealed up creating the perfect environment to start up.

Mike,
All I'm really saying is I wouldn't take the chance. Yes, the CPES would seal them (must be compleatly dry plus a coat of regular epoxy) but in order to do that, they must be removed from the boat. By the time you do that, you may as well put in new wood. Removal is needed to get all the edges. A example that comes to mind using the CPES in only one area is to reinforce engine mount lag bolts. I've seen the results of pouring CPES down the holes. Works for a couple years only to find the surrounding wood where the epoxy didn't saturate the wood nothing but rot. Remember water can be sealed into the wood too. Fiberglassing the bottom of a wood boat is also a good example. Works for awhile too but accelerates rot from the inside out.

You would be saving the time to cut and fit the wood only. Yes, there are some man hours there! If you do save the old, borrow or buy a decent moisture meter. You want a max. of 8%.

Sistering or scabbing on wood is not my idea of boat repair.

No question I appreciate all the knowledge and advice. I had just expected far worse before I opened up.
I am not sure which direction I will go here. I have a few factors weighting what I will do. I still have some work to do before I make that decision.

another good tool for glassing operations is a portable hand planer, I use it alot when doing a transom job and it works great for skimming the wood down to the gel, if you need a good flat surface it will also cut through glass.
on certain stringer jobs i will skin the top layer of glass and remove the wood or whats left of it, then simply slip my new wood in making sure that there is resin to hold it, then re-glass over the existing and also building on the old glass with new. trying to keep the "factory seal". On the drains its a good idea to use 4" or 5" pieces of PVC pipe for drains. if you use corner holes they have a tendency to clog

WakeSlayer wrote: I will have a fan on the boat for a few days while gone.

Will there be anybody around to look in on the fan? A friend of mine burned his house down when the fan he was drying his camper with tipped over.

Riley wrote: Is there any reason to use pvc or flexable hose conduit for the wiring harness and cables if you're not going to refoam?

Bruce,
No reason to use the PVC without the foam.

my son will be monitoring the fan. He is going to turn up the heat and turn on a halogen while he works out, then turn off. I will also be calling and reminding him. For that exact reason.
Hmm. I thought it was a good idea to just run the stuff thru a tube like before. Perhaps I won't. Thought i was all smart for using pvc. My previous one was shot. full of gunk and partly shredded. It would make it a bit easier I guess.

I like that idea, Eric.   Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but are you referring front to back? or from the outer chambers to the bilge. Ot both?   I would like to see a pic of the drain any of you guys have done. Pete, I know you have talked about this, too.

I have been working on the secondary stringers, longitudinal boards, bulkhead, and pylon support. Got them all cut out and epoxied last weekend. Dry fit everything last night, and all seems to fit good. I will be cleaning up the inside, sanding the points of the hull where the new glass will tab to this week, and hopefully installing the new secondaries, etc this weekend.
I have elected to leave the primaries, as they are solid with only minimum damage at the motor mount holes. I have filled these in while hot with epoxy and will re-drill for my new motor mounts in different places anyway. They will be bolted in from the top down, and form the inside out.
I am really happy with the project so far, and it is going better than I expected. Having never worked with epoxy before, I must say I love West System's stuff. Pretty much makes it bulletproof. The metering pumps are a must have. I only made one hot batch, and that was the first one where I made a bit too much. Holy crap does that get hot all of a sudden.
I would still like to see a pic or two of how the drain holes are run through the stringers if anyone has them handy.

Mike

Cool. Thank you. Just wanted to get a visual.
I noticed you left the foam in the bow. I kind of wish I had done that too. In the end it was all dry anyway.
I am also going to use little glassed on blocks just like that for under my longitudinal boards as I am not refoaming and am putting a ply floor in. I cut them longer than the originals and beveled them to follow the hull.

thanks again Pete.

Mike,
I don't know if you have caught this before but it has been mentioned. With large quantities of epoxy, pour the mixed batch into a roller pan. It spreads it out dissipating the heat and will increase the pot life. Use one of the plastic pans and the next day when curred, the epoxy will "pop" off the pan. Also, mix smaller batches. With the pumps, it's so easy to just make more.

I finished laying up my stringers last night. Was not that bad of a job. Some parts sucked, but went mostly smooth.

Next up: drain holes in stringers, move steering cable block, make battery box, fair out bilge and paint.

I have a new steering cable that I got from CC last spring. Prior to starting this project, I had installed it and my rudder did not have equal throw and return as what I believe to be the original cable. The support tube was set all the way aft and I could not get the cable far enough out to make an even swing. The way I figure it, the support tube needs to go about 1.5 inches further to the rear to compensate for this. I spoke to CC about this and they also suggested moving the block back. Seems stupid but I cannot figure another way to do this. If I move it back about 2.5 inches, this will give me the room to move the support tube either direction to adjust my rudder for even turning ability both directions. Now is the time to move it since I do not yet have a floor made.

I ordered mine from Bruce at the former MWCC.
I have a receipt somewhere. As I recall the cable was pretty brutal. Then, after fishing it through, it became obvious that I had to order a support tube, as well.
I do not get why you would need a new clamp block.

The support tube is part of the old cable, it does not come off.