Floor and stringer repair and replacement

[CrazyFinn]

So question is can you guys help explain how I replace wood that is covered in fiberglass cause it all looks like one piece to me so I can't tell how its in there.

Like I mentioned earlier, read through a bunch of the other threads here showing how various members have re-built their boats. I'm a relative newbie to the whole thing, but with the help of the information on these forums I have fully re-built my smaller boat in the past year, and am just getting ready to start on the next one. Links to both of my boat threads are in my sig below...

For me, I had to rip everything out of the boat, right to the bare outer fiberglass skin - and then essentially build a whole new boat inside that. It was a lot of work, a lot of very itchy fiberglass dust, several sheets of plywood, a few 5 gallon pails of poly resin, many yards of fiberglass cloth - but I now have a boat that is better than new. I KNOW there is no rot in it, as I removed all of the original wood.

It was a huge amount of work, and part way through, I have to admit, I questioned my sanity. But yes, it was worth it.

 

[Ironaffliction]

I am questioning myself already it is becoming bigger than I expected. I was just ripping out the carpet cause it was moldy and found more problems and more problems. I started this mess so now I have to finish what I started. It will be a pita but I will enjoy the satisfaction when I'm done and the smile on my fathers face. I have been reading up this so I can learn what I am doing and doing fiberglass work as well

 

[oldrem]

If you're like me, you'll read through everything 700 times, watch many videos on youtube, re-read several more times, question yourself 1000 times, then finally jump in and get-er-done

 

[Ironaffliction]

Picture of the boat

 

[kcassells]

Nice boat, giterdone!

 

[oldrem]

Should be a fun project

 

[kcon]

It's a sweet looking boat, I'd love to restore one like it (If I didn't already have a project on my hands). Just beware, it's a much bigger task than you might realize, if you gotta replace deck,stringers,transom - be prepared to spend ~20+ hours grinding, grinding, and grinding some more. You need specific and not relatively cheap materials to do the job properly. Certainly don't want to dissuade you, go for it!

 

[Ironaffliction]

Thank you guys for the support and warnings lol

 

[chevymaher]

be prepared to spend ~20+ hours grinding, grinding, and grinding some more.

I need some of the speed you got. It took me months and 2 grinders to do mine. 10 hours a day 7 days a week.

 

[kcassells]

Crazyfinn said...."It was a huge amount of work, and part way through, I have to admit, I questioned my sanity. But yes, it was worth it."
Concur says I! But so damn worth it!

 

[kcon]

I need some of the speed you got. It took me months and 2 grinders to do mine. 10 hours a day 7 days a week.

I've only grinded below deck so far lol, just enough to re-do stringers, transom, deck. Still gotta do the inner hull above deck. The grinding NEVER ENDS

 

[Ironaffliction]

When you guys talk about the transom are you guys referring to where the motor is mounted as well? I have read where guys remove the motor to redo underneath it. Could I remove the floor around the engine and be able to see if anything has to be replaced unemder or around the engine? Also if I do have to replace all the stringers can I replace 1 at a time because I read not to remove all the stringers cause it can flex the boat and break it.

 

[chevymaher]

No Title

This is the transom.

 

[CrazyFinn]

When you guys talk about the transom are you guys referring to where the motor is mounted as well? I have read where guys remove the motor to redo underneath it. Could I remove the floor around the engine and be able to see if anything has to be replaced unemder or around the engine? Also if I do have to replace all the stringers can I replace 1 at a time because I read not to remove all the stringers cause it can flex the boat and break it.

Safe to assume the engine has to come out. Almost everybody on these forums who has initially hoped their engine could stay in the boat has ended up taking it out.

Pull the engine, make sure the boat is properly supported from underneath on the trailer - make up some extra supports from lumber and block them under the boat if needed. Then you can carve everything out from inside the hull, including the transom (from the inside). Be careful to keep the outer skin intact. Once all of the rotten wood is out, you now get to build a brand new boat inside the original hull.

 

[Ironaffliction]

Starting on the floor beneath the captains chair. Can I keep the foam that's in there or should it be replaced?

 

[chevymaher]

If the stringers and transom need replaced everything needs to come out. Down to bare hull.

 

[Dennischaves]

Yea thats going to be a complete gut and rebuild job
Take lots of pictures and mesurements and gut the boat

 

[Ironaffliction]

Is there an easy way to get the foam out instead of piece by piece? Foam looks like its really thick. I thought stringers run left to right? But where I am tearing out looks like there is one that runs front to back

 

[Ironaffliction]

Some more pics

 

[Ironaffliction]

I am gonna have to remove everything huh? Like the console where the driver sits? That has all the electrical and gauges and stuff so that stuff I don't wanna take out or remove I hate electrical. Can I somehow unbolt it and kinda just move it enough to lay the new plywood down then bolt it back down. After I replace everything below it of course. Sorry for all the noob questions for once I want answers before I gut something completely then ask