I’ll be learning some fiberglass repair!

Got off my bum today and started stripping down the boat. Pulled all the hardware, took out the interior, removed the floor and... discovered some rot in the stringers, seems to be mainly in the secondary stringers and the cross bracing, also the bottoms of the vertical ribs that hold the upolstery panels are shot looks like I'll be cutting out and replacing a fair amount. I'm hoping to probe further, I really don't want to mess with the main stringers (removing the drive train). If I need to pull the motor and replace the stringers under the mounts, what do I use as a reference to reposition the motor? Just measure off the transom?

I pulled my motor to fix the main stringers on my 84 2001. I did one at a time, and used the aluminum engine bed/frame/weldment to transfer dimensions from one to the other. I don't know if a boat like yours has one of these between the motor mounts and the stringers.

That said, I think that if you did measure off the transom, you'd be fine. You'll have to reallign the motor with the driveshaft at reinstall no matter what.

After thinking about this and reading up on stringer repair I'm planning this:

Pull the motor, tranny, fuel tank.

Remove the secondary stringers and all the cross bracing ourboard of the main stringers. I think that its all there just to hold up the floor. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Cut the top pc of fiberglass off the main stringers and pop,pry,dig, drill the wood out leaving the fiberglass channels in place.

Mix a reinforced (chopped fiberglass)/ filled (Microsperes) epoxy and pour in the new stringers. Reglass the top of the stringers.

Reroute all the wiring, hoses, cables etc inboard of the main stringers. Install aluminum channel bracing for the seats and ski pylon. Foam everything outboard of the main stringers and glass a new floor in outbord of the main stringers. Keep portions of the center section of floor removable for service. New carpet, reinstall the interior and then get back to whats really important and figure out how to reproduce the Correct Craft emblems!

If anyone else has a similar experience please give me your insight. Is there anything obvious that I'm missing here?

Thanks

Gary

65:

IMHO, the stringers main purpose are two fold: engine/drivetrain support and hull support. The engine part is obvious, the hull support not so. What I mean by hull support is that fiberglass in inherently very flexible. Take away the stringers, and the hull will flex and twist AND the bottom of the hull will "oil can".

Now, you idea of chopped glass fill for the stringers will certainly provide a firm engine mounting, it will also be VERY stiff and the ride of the boat will end up being very harsh. In otherwords, the wood stringers allow some flexing of the hull which absorbs some of the shock when slapping the hull over waves. CC composite stringer system is designed in such a way as to mimic the limited flexibility and shock absorbing qualities of wood.

Bottom line: I would suggest that you replace the wood stringers with new Douglas Fir. Go ahead and replace any secondary stringers as well (the oil canning thing again). You might even find that you save a ton of money as the volume of resin required to fill the stringer void will not be insignificant. Good luck.

Now that I've ripped out the interior of the boat, and commited to the repairs, I would like the results to be better than new if possible. So if I'm going to replace the stringers, and a glass filled composite will be too stiff, are there any alternatives that won't rot? What are the stringers comprised of in modern hulls? If I do put wood stringers back, white oak or mahogany would be much more resistant to rot than fir. I'm looking at this from a results vs. labor point of view. This will take relatively more time than money to do these structural repairs, In others words a few hundred additional dollars in materials will be money well spent.

I'm ready to pull the motor/tranny. Whats the easiest way. My local rental shop says a motor hoist equiped with the extended boom that would be required to reach it wouldn't safely pull that kind of weight. I'm thinking of calling a wrecker. ($$$) any better ideas?

Thanks, I'm learning alot!!

Another way, if you can get the boat and trailer in a garage: Support a doubled up 2x? that spans the width of the boat with 4x4 posts. Brace or anchor the 2x? to the garage ceiling. Using a chain fall or come along, hoist the engine/tranny to clear the deck of the boat and then pull the boat out from under the engine/tranny.

I suppose you could use pressure treated lumber for the stringers. However, if you go this route, i would let the lumber completey dry out before fitting/cutting. It will take several days/weeks left in the sun to dry the pressure treated lumber. I would anchor the lumber to something to help keep it straight while it dries.

I found a friendly wrecker owner who stopped by and pulled the motor for 30 bucks, great deal, quick and easy, and very safe.

I've decided to put the fir back in the stringers, I'm going to pretreat is with epoxy and be obsessive about sealing any penetrations.

I have another issue: flotation, the boat has none. What are your thoughts. If I ever swamped the boat, as it stands right now, the thing would sink like a stone. I did some quick measurements at the waterline and the void spaces under the floor between the stringers and If I foamed every cubic inch I don't think the thing would be bouyant. thats not even including what I will leave unfoamed for the drivetrain, stuffing boxes, exhaust, etc. If I foamed around the fuel tank and added flotation up umder the bow The thing will float even full of water.

What would be the best way to go about this?
Is it even needed? Any input would be helpful.

Thanks

Gary