1991 Sport Nautique Open Bow Stringer

I am not an expert using fiberglass either. Including the work I did on my boat, I have done the fiberglass on one boat and nothing else. Epoxy made it easy. I bought the 1 gallon kit of CPES from Rot Doctor and I still have some left over after giving every piece of wood that went into it at least 2 good coats. For Epoxy I used US Composites and got about three orders. I think the first was like 5 gallons and then I had to get like 3 more gallons. It has been a few years since I made my first purchase so I don't remember exactly, but I would say 8 gallons would be the minimum you would need.

Tower was a long shot it's another problem to be solved, I am  really looking for the biggest shade I can find to shade in the super hot Hong Kong sun. It would be good to find something that would fill up the holes where the tower was taken off. bigger issues to solve right now;

Ian,

That looks like a good plan to help you get the right spacing. I would recommend trying to get a basic shape on the bottom so that one of the bottom edges is close to the right line, I used a circular saw for this. Then lay it in next to the spacers you have made and use a compass to measure from the top of the stringer down to the line that is the level of the stringer (assuming you have already subtracted for the plywood that goes on top). Check this at each spacer. Now use the compass to scribe the cut line on in the inside and outside of the stringer. This will give you a line to follow the curvature of the hull. Don't forget that the fiberglass does have some thickness so that if the stringers are right up against the engine frame, it could be difficult to drop it in. It is not a lot of thickness, but I have seen other threads where this has been an issue.

This project is really testing my ingenuity and tenacity. I dream of a garage with a bench and vice .   Main objective now is not to think myself into a standstill, and keep moving forward. Floor in with the engine frame in the right place will be a massive landmark. Wiring is coming along slowly. Engine is now waiting for the last parts to arrive hopefully just as the floor is finished. Thanks for the encouragement!

No helping hands  so far I'm afraid but I am lining up some for the glassing part. 

Yep, Marty will hook you right up.

Looking good.👍

Hi Ian, you're making some great progress and your workmanship looks really good. 

On our generation of Sport, the battery is located in the rear, under the center of the rear seat. I am on my phone and can’t post pictures, but the two blocks of wood between the rudder and shaft penetration are the blocks that hold it up off the bottom of the bilge. I am not sure my arrangement is factory. When I get some time I will try to find a picture of my battery.

ultrarunner wrote: Hmmmm, battery located in the area of the gas tank would not seem ideal, or factory. Things that would keep me up at night!

Same location for the mid/late 80s Martiniques.

ultrarunner wrote: Wow! Some engineer needs a spanking for that brain-child of an idea! I’ve see batts fail. It’s not pretty..

ultrarunner wrote: I had a lead acid catch fire a bunch of years ago. Wasn't in a boat. Nicads can be nasty also. The AGM's might be a better option next to fuel.

I always wondered if it was supposed to have a battery box. It is good to know that my boat is not the only one without one.