'73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

[Intune]

Well, here I am... I guess that's a good thing because with your help I'm going to fix this middle-aged lady up.

I noticed that the front pedestal seat was a bit wobbly & the floor kinda soft around it so I took it off & was able to poke a hole in the deck with my finger. I made the hole larger and here is what greeted me. This isn't gonna buff out...

I was going to just mount the seat on a piece of plywood but after reading a bunch of restoration threads I want to do this the RIGHT way!

When I reach under I can feel good, solid stringers fore & aft of the hole. Can I just cut to solid wood & repair or do I have to run new full-length stringers? The rest of the deck feels solid back to the transom.

I am a rookie handyman but I'm willing to learn. I read the sticky on fiberglass but is there a "stringer 101" thread? I take it that little "cap" over the stringers is an important step?

1.5oz2ozclothmatpolyepoxybrushrollercsmrovingbiaxialacetone...

I can do this.


Right? Right?

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

I cut the hole a bit wider 'till I got to dry wood on stringers & deck.

Sorry about the red x's.

 

[Bondo]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

I can do this.


Right? Right?

Ayuh,... I'm Sure you Can,.... With alittle Help....

1st off,... Go down to the Tech, Non-boating forum,...
Pinned to the top are threads explaining picture posting here at iboats....
Your 1st post is sporting the dreaded little red Xs...
Your 2nd attempt has cute little pictures that I really can not see clearly...

Prefered picture size at iboats is 480x640....

You can just edit your original post with the repaired picture codes,+ you should see your pictures, rather than the dreaded little red Xs....

Good Luck,...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

Well you have some work ahead of you...... but you are in the right place

Hmmmmm stringers 101 well sort of ..... here is a thread I like to recommend and it's huge but chocked full of good stuff http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234392

You really should replace entire stringers and your deck..... you are about to get very intimate with the hull.

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

WOW! What a thread! Thanks you so much for that link. It's a goldmine of info & I'm only on pg 5. I didn't know that the stringers were so important. I thought they just made the deck solid underfoot but they actually handle the majority of stress from the engine/transom. I also learned that f'glass fibers are really bad to breathe AFTER I went gonzo on my deck with a circular saw...

I'm gonna need a respirator. Loews/Home Depot O.K.?

Grinder. I keep seeing Harbor Freight mentioned, is that the way to go?

Coveralls, goggles.

I'm going to keep reading/learning but I have a question. I know, shocker.

Does stringer height stay constant? I'm just concerned that I'm gonna pull the deck & find out they go from 3.38 to 4.0 over 6' & then gradate back down to 2.15 for the next 6'. Do you know what I mean? That would strain my abilities, I kid you not. :redface:

I'm going to cut an "inspection" swath outta the aft deck area tomorrow just to make sure of the soundness.

Thanks again for that link and thank you beforehand to all for advice & suggestions. I'm gonna need it!

"Deck" sounds funny on a 16' boat but I'm gonna stick with it. Wheelhouse & salon might be pushing it...

 

[avimgod]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

I'm going to keep reading/learning but I have a question. I know, shocker.

Does stringer height stay constant? I'm just concerned that I'm gonna pull the deck & find out they go from 3.38 to 4.0 over 6' & then gradate back down to 2.15 for the next 6'. Do you know what I mean? That would strain my abilities, I kid you not. :redface:

No worries... on MOST small boats the deck height is constant (that is, the deck to cap distance is constant... You really SHOULD replace the deck and stringers.. as the rotten sections are just the FIRST sections to die.. the rest of the wood can't be far behind...

measure the height of the stringers, or the deck to cap height... at this point you COULD make the deck anyway you want to... I plan to move my fuel tank, add an in-floor cooler and change up my ski locker a bit when I get my deck all done it will look the same, but be completely different (I am also adding more deck support as I am finding out my deck issues are a result of lack of support more than anything else...

Good luck, everyone on these forums is here to help, get help, or learn something new... in no time you will be helping someone figure out what is going on with their floor...

OH and if you can get the stringers out in one piece, or at least big pieces, you can use them as a template to cut the replacement wood.... same goes for the floor...

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

Same height would be AWESOME. And a little wood elf to install it! I'm gonna stop worrying about messing something up, it's broken now & I'm (we're) gonna fix it.

Now I get to page 6 & Oops is talking about getting his plywood now to dry it out. What? Days, weeks?

Then I look up plywood threads & am one confused puppy.

"Don't use pressure treated."
"PT is fine."
"Use A-B only."
"Use marine grade or you'll be sorry."

 

[osborn159]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

dude, slow down and take a breath, your in the right spot for answers and help.
buy a decent respirator, i bought mine a hd for $24
harbor freight is a great place for inexpensive tools and consumables, sand discs, chip brushes, goggles
coveralls and 1-2 tyvek suits use these for when grinding f/g
your stringers may not be uniform in height, mine is 8" at the widest and 4" at the rear, if they taper before you demo make a pattern of both sides with cardboard.
you can use exterior grade plywood, i use bc grade and coat with poly resin and csm, top bottom and sides, if you do this it will last 2x as long.
good luck, and try to have fun with this.
D

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

I'm O.K. The black & tans are working nicely. The plywd curing caught my eye. Thanks for the info, I'll shop a bit tomorrow.

 

[osborn159]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

oh yeah, you will want to keep the fridge stocked, its medicine for boat rehabbers.
another thing if you can when you start grinding do as much as possible in one session, it will lessen the amount of itching time,
i wound up grinding mine out over last summer, about 7 trips into dustville, mine had been hack repaired at least one time before i got her, poured resin in around stringers, no cloth mat or strength, just a couple gallons of resin poured, i wish i had before pictures of her.

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

Update: Got the stringers out & ground the excess old stringer glass to the hull. Oops is my hero. That stuff is fine & nasty and not in a good way...

1. When I bed the stringers in PL adhesive I am going to have a bit of a channel on each side. Fill these with peanut butter?

2. The old stringers began to rot on the top 1/3 which was not glassed in. Instead, there was a "cap" of csm. I could see where the top edge of the side glass was separating & allowing moisture in. Should I go 3"-4" out, come over the p'butter & go up & over the other side 3"-4" with a single piece OR go up to 9/10ths of the stringer top on each side individually & cap with a 3"-4" over the top & down?

Will this "new" U.S. Composites glass work or is it too light?
Industry Style 7725 2x2 Modified Twill Weave
Thickness: 0.0096 8.5oz
Highly conformable fiberglass cloth... Extremely soft weave allows lay-up into the tightest parts. Can be used in many high performance composite parts where good drapability is needed.

Is this glass also thick enough for my deck? I am using epoxy.

3. Paint all wood with resin & let cure before glassing. Then put a wet coat, glass, resin & work in. Right?

4. Does anyone know of a local Nashville glass/resin place? My shipping charges from U.S. Composites are much more than the local sales tax would be.

5. I can feel the hull flex bigtime with the stringers gone. Is my 240lb butt gonna punch a foot or knee through it?

This old newb thanks you.

 

[osborn159]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

1.try to use wood the same dimension as b4, if you are you will want to fillet the transition from hull to stringer with PB,
2.i will be glassing gunnel to gunnel with 1708 to avoid as many points for water intrusion, over stringers and all, if you dont like that idea, at least wrap the stringer with your cloth its full length
im not the one to advise on cloth weights and such
3.yes
4. not in my area there are a few iboaters in tenn that could help you if they find you here. i know one has a pretty good supplier from what ive read.
5. i hope not, while mine was gutted i used a peice of 3/8 plywood to m ove around and sit on to keep from punching thru. and i'd bet my hull is lighter in construction than yours.

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

I was going to get glass, epox & supplies today but then I read some threads about people tabbing in stringers with layers of 17oz biax & 24oz roving & I'm second guessing myself. Am I going too light with:

Stringers-3 layers of 10oz cloth "stepped" in smaller pieces to distribute stress.

Deck- 1 layer of 10oz cloth on bottom, 2 top layers. Tab into sides w/2-3 layers of 8.7oz tape stepped.

Paint or gell with non-skid, avoid carpet or get snap-ins.

Is this plan light, medium or asking for trouble?

Thanks, Phil.

 

[osborn159]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

your plan sounds workable to me, your doing well keep at it, D

if you dont get a response to your lay up ??? you may want to post it as a stand alone thread. i dont have layup knowledge to help.

 

[Intune]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

Well, I've done some more work on the boat. Had a surprise that was not too surprising. Rotten transom...

It was a bear to get it out in one piece but I did. Got the two 3/4" pieces glued together. Tried to put the Suburban on it to apply pressure. Glad nobody had a video, it was utube material. :redface: Glue all over the tire, driveway. Tried it twice before I figured out to put the old transom in front of it to give the tire a level launch and not push the top piece out. Worked great! Now I need to do the final shaping, the old transom has some strange angles to match. Will take more pics soon.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

1.5oz2ozclothmatpolyepoxybrushrollercsmrovingbiaxialacetone...

LOL -- it's the "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" of fiberglass repair.

 

[tdrudd87]

Re: '73 Skeeter Metro deck rot

Sounds like it would have been funny to watch. Keep up the good work!

I am planning on 2 layers of 1708 on the stringers, and one layer each side of my 1/2 ply deck. Just a reference, sounds like we are on the same track layup wise.

Terry