wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

[Fossilized]

This is my first boat & first fiberglass project.
This forum has provided hours of reading enjoyment and excellent info - thanks to all.

The floor is out of the boat. transom is clearly rotted. Stringers are a mixed bag - looks like rot started at tops - all are partially rotted.
I plan to replace full transom and all stringers.

Boat has 2 inner 12" high stringers & 2 outer 8" high stringers ~ 17' each interrupted by two bulkheads.

Plan is to use:

local clear pine 1" for longitudinals & 3/4" exterior BC ply for cross pieces, transom & floor.

DB1700 for all glass work

tab stringers with 1 piece of 6" on each side
cover stringers with 1 piece extending 6" on each side over the hull.
transom tabbing to be 1 -4" tab & 1- 8" tab
4 layers on transom for skin overlapping ~6" on hull
floor perimeter tabbed with 1 -8" & 1-12" tab
floor covered with 1 layer of glass

using epoxy
all wood to receive 1 coat, some to get glass + another coat

3/4" ply floor combo of 3/4" & 1/2" for seating & interior panels

I think this will take:

1 roll of DB1700 in 50" width. This is 67 running yards and cost about $300 + shipping
30 gallons of Epoxy costing about $1000

Total cost of wood, resin & glass is about $2,000.

Do you think this is a good plan?
Thanks

 

[betayv]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

hello there any pics, what about the engine and outdrive what condition they are?.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

Plan is to use:

local clear pine 1" for longitudinals & 3/4" exterior BC ply for cross pieces, transom & floor.

I'd recommend something other than pine. If you want to use dimensional lumber, use a resinous wood like douglas fir. Plywood would be the strongest though.

tab stringers with 1 piece of 6" on each side
cover stringers with 1 piece extending 6" on each side over the hull.

Good start. I'd recommend three 17 oz layers to be safe.. narrow tab, then wide tab, then wider covering. Plan on figuring out some way to round the top of the stringers so the glass doesn't bridge up/bubble there.

transom tabbing to be 1 -4" tab & 1- 8" tab
4 layers on transom for skin overlapping ~6" on hull

The 4 layers for the transom is plenty.. no tabs needed. You could actually just use three if they are installed well. 17 oz biax is very strong. Make sure you alternate the direction of the layers so you get coverage in each direction. Alternatively, make the 4 layers out of 2 layers each of 0/90 biax and 2 of 45/45 biax for the same effect.

floor perimeter tabbed with 1 -8" & 1-12" tab
floor covered with 1 layer of glass

That's super heavy and may be overkill, depending. If you're planning on jumping waves, by all means overkill. Plan on covering the floor on both sides, not just the top. You can use a light fabric like 6-8 oz cloth for this, unless your floor is extra thin for some reason.

using epoxy
all wood to receive 1 coat, some to get glass + another coat

Epoxy coating is good, but it will eventually crack without any glass in it (may take years, but..) so I'd recommend some thin glass anywhere sealing is important. You could use something very light and easy to work, like mat, even.

3/4" ply floor combo of 3/4" & 1/2" for seating & interior panels

That's a heavy floor. I did one that way and had no problems with toughness.. the only thing was, it was very heavy, so it took away from the boat's performance. If you're doing a deck to withstand scuba tanks dropping on it, use 3/4". If it's a normal boat, then 1/2" coated with glass will feel the same.

I think this will take:

1 roll of DB1700 in 50" width. This is 67 running yards and cost about $300 + shipping
30 gallons of Epoxy costing about $1000

I haven't checked the length/amount of glass, but those numbers look low.. maybe you're a better shopper than I am, but the last time I bought 50" DB1700 it cost $300 for 20 yards. Where is this stuff coming from?

Epoxy also seems low... my last purchase cost about $50 a gallon shipped..

Do you think this is a good plan?
Thanks

Seems really good so far. Double check your numbers and amounts, but you're on track.

Erik

 

[Fossilized]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

Thanks for comments -

Engine is toast. Salt water ate through the bottom of the intake manifold and ran around the bearings etc. of an already rebuilt engine. Bores were .040 over and journals were cut to .303 under - everything already at the max for maching!

I am conisdering a cheapo rebuilt from Rapido or a similar provider. 350 chevy 260 hp/300+ft-lb torque, alpha1 drive.


I will try to get a pic or two later today.

I will make some adjustments to the glassing plan based on Eric's comments. I think that 3 layers of 1700 on the stringers is a no-go due to the horrific cost of doing so.

I was planning to coat the seat/panel backings with epoxy and no glass. Who recommends no coating and who says coat +glass? A new interior will be installed - done for about $1k by a local upholsterer.

The original floor was 3/4" ply and the original stringers are dimension (feels like pine). I have read conflicting info regarding the relative strength of dimension vs. ply but I believe the ply is superior in sideways strength but not in tension/compression the long way. Comments?

I made a spreadsheet to estimate quantities and costs and will try to upload or link to it later today.

You can buy the roll of DB1700 from Infinity FRP Supply for about $290+shipping.
The epoxy is priced from U.S. Composites for the 30 gallon quantity using the slow hardener.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[Fossilized]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

Pics attached.

 

[Bondo]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

The original floor was 3/4" ply and the original stringers are dimension (feels like pine). I have read conflicting info regarding the relative strength of dimension vs. ply but I believe the ply is superior in sideways strength but not in tension/compression the long way. Comments?

Ayuh,... IMHOpinion,... Dimensional lumber has No place in building boats,...
Plywood is Far Superior...
And,.. I agree, 3/4" plywood is severe Overkill for a deck...
1/2" ply, glassed is much stronger than you think...

 

[Fossilized]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

Bondo - Thanks for your input.

I revisited some threads where you referenced the lack of dimensional stability in solid lumber. Were/are you referring to the expansion & shrinkage due to grain alignment vs grain changes in the layers of the plywood. If so, I understand this point.

Regarding the stiffness/strength of the "web" of an I-beam, do you believe the plywood is stronger & less flexible than solid lumber? The arguement I have seen against this is that the plywood has roughly half its grain running in the up-down orientation which provides much less strength and/or stiffness compared to horizontal grain.

I am puzzled about why, in 1989, Wellcraft used solid lumber for longitudinal stringers when it is typically more expensive than ply and apparently inferior to ply!

Many boat restorers would benefit from a sticky that gives a thorough explanation of the advantages/disadvantages of ply compred to solid lumber. Such presentation was very helpful in my decision to use epoxy vs poly in spite of its cost difference.

 

[Bondo]

Re: wellcraft 215 Eclipse - plan for stringers/trnsm/floor

Ayuh,... I'm a Master Re-engineer, educated by my lifes experinces,... Not any books...
That education has taught me that Plywood is Far superior to dimensional lumber, about Any way ya wanta bend it....

If I'm building something for Looks, that can be seen,... Dimentional lumber can be Beautiful....
If I'm buildin' something for Strength,.... It's built with Plywood.....

edit;... Rereading your thing about webbing,...
7 plies plywood, vs. 5 layer, or 3 layer means Alot...
More thinner layers are stronger than fewer thicker layers...