Rotten stringers and decks.

[strombolichef]

found wellcraft 248 sport fisherman 1987 with 1999 suzuki 225 with trailer for low price except when I looked under deck the stringers are gone, wood completely mia.

Also looked at Wellcraft 230 coastal same era with cracked stringer rotted also.

Looked at Renken seamaster cc all wood under main deck rotten.

Is it a fact that all boats this age will have rotten decks or stringers. Seem like bargains, but tough to spend money for boat that has this issue. Does this issue really effect safety of boat or are they made with enough glass that the rotten wood in stringers has no effect.


All of the owners said that nobody including them never noticed before.

Opinions.

Thanks.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Rotten stringers and decks.

Interesting, this is about the 4th or 5th time I've heard about the Wellcraft boats having rotten stringers and/or floor problems.
I'm going to have keep that in mind in any future boat searches myself.
Good luck on your search tho'.
BP

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotten stringers and decks.

if the boats have rotten stringers and decks......they are unsafe.....period.

if its a 12 or 14 footer you might get a little while out of them (besides falling thru the deck) as a floating platform......but no serious motors....(somthing that will make them plane).

it can also be said, that if the strings and the deck are shot....(most likely) so is the transom........you could loose the motor or the back half of the boat....and sink!

it the mfgr's used foam in the boats....(all did under 20') the foam is soaked as well and the boat is 3 times as heavy as is should be.

it is very possible that the po's did not know that the strings/transom/foam was shot.......but a rotten deck..........you bet they knew it.

as for all of the boats of this vintage being this way......no.

a garage kept boat could be as good as a new one......ive seen 20 year old garage boats that were also well cared for in better shape than one that was 5 years old and kept outside uncovered.

 

[oops!]

Re: Rotten stringers and decks.

Interesting, this is about the 4th or 5th time I've heard about the Wellcraft boats having rotten stringers and/or floor problems.
I'm going to have keep that in mind in any future boat searches myself.
Good luck on your search tho'.
BP

bp..... youve been around here enough that i doubt youll ever get stung with a rotted hull.....you just know enough about what to look for.

so.......no worries mate !

 

[dingbat]

Re: Rotten stringers and decks.

There is a reason why they are known as Wellcra$s in a lot of circles.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Rotten stringers and decks.

I personally might spend a couple hundred bucks on any of the boats you mentioned. Not more than $500. Trailer included. Rotten stringers, decks, etc are unsafe and definitely need to be replaced

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Rotten stringers and decks.

Some manufactures went with all fiberglass stringers, no wood in the floor, but in the transom.

Some totally enclosed the wood stringers in fiberglass.

Thats why when people post the boat don't plane, or it pulls to the right, or left, or they can't get rpms up, i post back look for water trapped in the hull, and or foam soaked, and another 1000 pounds of water is alot in the bow.