1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

[MTribe08]

Well, as the old saying goes around here..that minor deck repair you were planning on, probably isn't so minor once you start diggin.:redface:

Such was the case with me..I planned on repairing two portions of the deck under the rear jumpseats that were soft. Yea Right. I pulled back the carpet, drilled a bunch of holes and got a sick feeling I was in for alot more than I bargained for. I unscrewed the the fuel tank hatch, and found that the stringers on the sides of the tank were totally rotten. The manufacture left them unprotected on top and the screw holes invited water into the wood from the day the boat left the showroom. That, and I believe somewhere along the lines, the boat may have flooded from the drain plug being left in the boat during storage.

After kicking my dog for a few days, and reading about a thousand threads around here, I decided to tackle the project and try to have a good attitude about it. I really do enjoy working with wood and have some experience restoring a few vintage Mustangs. Obviously not a boat, but I felt I could learn pretty quick with the help that is offered on this site.

First thing I had to do was be honest with myself as to the extent of the rot in the boat. I must have drilled a hundred different holes until I found consistent, solid, dry wood. I pretty much had to rip out the the deck from the back of the ski locker to within a foot or so of the transom..thats were the rot finally stopped. And I will be replacing about 7 feet of stringer, a totally new bulkhead in front of the fuel tank and all the ribs running up the hull.

Keep in mind, I don't have thousands of dollars to throw at this project, so I wasn't going to create more work for myself than I needed to. I have read through many different restores around here, and after seeing some of the amazing work that is done, I was hesitant to document my project. Along the way, I have run into many different people on the board that have been more than helpful behind the scenes in getting my project off the ground. (Bear69Cuda, Hopeshefloats, Mark42, System-F, Skibum, Bond-o, dorelse, and BobsGlasstream just to name a few).

At this point I'm quite a ways into the project, but I was sure to take some pictures along the way in case some of the guys felt my project might be good for those looking for somewhat of a budget restore. Well it was suggested that I start a thread, so here it is..hopefully somebody will benefit from it, like I've done with so many of yours.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Here is a list of the materials I decided to use for my restore and what I have initially started out with.

*GP Poly Laminating Resin 5 gallons($110.00..Sticky Stuff/Glendale,AZ)
*7 yds of CSM 50" wide role ($4.50/yrd..Sticky Stuff)
*7 Tubes of PL Heavy Duty adhesive($2.25/tube Lowes)
*2 4x8 sheets of 19/32 outdoor ply($16/sht)
*2 1x8x10 stringers(should have just used 2x8)($7.50 lowes)
*1 2x8x8 (for ribs/side supports)($6.25 Lowes)
*3m 5200 for sealing up the seams in the deck(Free Fifty Free..a good friend works for 3m)
*Rust-o-leum oil based paint/primer for the deck and ski locker($8.00/32oz)
*Lots of Acetone(7$/qt),
* mixing cups(couple bucks)
* cheap paint brushes($1.00),
* 6" Foam roller($5.00)

***Instead of buying lots of acetone to try and clean up brushes after using it with Resin..just buy the cheap brushes and throw them away after each use...just use the Acetone to wipe down the substrate before laying down new glass.

I'll get some pictures up soon. This is my first restore of this kind, so this is all new to me..but if anybody has questions I'll try and answer them as best I can.


**Updated List
3 more gallons of Poly Resin
6 more yrds of CSM
5 yrds of 6oz cloth
1 gallon of Gel Coat
1 new captains Chair
Snap in Carpet

When its all said and Done, the project should cost me about $600-$700. And about a million man hours. It wouldn't have cost as much if I opted to do things a bit different. I bought a new seat, going to Gel Coat the deck rather than just lay carpet over the glass, opting for Snap in Carpet and decided to paint the bilge and ski locker. I could have done the project for $400-$500 easily. And I could have paid somebody to do it for $3-4,000

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

These are some pics that the previous owner had. The one on the lift is the boathouse/port that it was stored in..the boat above deck is in very well kept condition..I'll be happy when I know below deck is good too.

Here are some pics from the early stages of my denial Probably at stage 1 or 2 at this point.

The first 2 pics are the ears at the stern under the jumpseats that I planned on patch up...lots of exploritory holes. I had a thought that maybe some "git rot" would firm it back up..hahahahah. The bad wood kept going and going.....

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Here is the nice little treat I found when I pulled up the gas tank hatch. You an see how they left the stringers unprotected and just painted the top..if you look closely you can see the screw holes..These things were nothing but dust..all came out in basically dirt and chunks of rotted wood.

They HAD to have know this boat was going to rot in short order with the way it was built. At least with my boat, these stringers couldn't have offered much hull support..heck they were only glassed on the fuel tank side..weren't even attached the hull on the other..just foam pressing up against it.

Here is what I found when I cut out the first section of Deck..Lovely isn't it!!

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

This is a port side support right under the drivers seat...they just sandwhich 2 pieces of ply wood togther and glassed the sides. I ripped it all out and will be replaced it with totally glassed and protected 2x8's.

FYI, I found that using a Saws-All with an aggressive blade worked wonders for cutting out the deck. I started the project using a circular saw, but was always concerned about cutting to deep and going through the hull...with a Saws-all it was very easy for me to control the depth on the fly and it sliced through the glass/wood like butter.

This is where the bulkhead in front of the fuel tank used to be. They did a great job with the Woven Roving fiberglass work, the shell is extremely strong, so I took out all of the rotted wood and made a new bulkhead that fit like a glove back into the shell. I glassed both sides and then PL it into the shell...I pitty the pour soul that has to take it out next time

Here is a picture right after I installed the new bulkhead..super sturdy and strong now.

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Hey MTribe08,
It looks like someone used peg board on you floor.
At least it will be better then new when you are finished.
Let the journey begin.
Good luck.
Bob

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Hey MTribe08,
It looks like someone used peg board on you floor.
At least it will be better then new when you are finished.
Let the journey begin.
Good luck.
Bob

Umm yea..that was early on in my Denial...I thought, maybe if I drill a bunch of holes and inject some "Git Rot" I'll be good as new again! Yea right.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Couple of overall shots of the area to be repaired. There was foam under each section and I was able to get most of it out still intact...it had no water in it at all, am I ok to put that back in?

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

New Stringers are in. I put a layer of CSM on both sides, then PL it to the Woven Roving shell and bedded them in a Resin/Talc/ Sawdust mix. The result came out very good IMO. As they sit in this picture I guarantee they are stronger and more rigid than when the boat was new. When I get the ribs cut out and fit in, I will glass up and over both sides of the stringers again and bond them to the hull. Mark42 suggested I add more ribs than factory for better deck support, so I'll be doing that as well.

If you notice in this picture I have cut out holes at the base of the stringers so that if water if gets under the deck it will have multiple ways to get under the tank and to the bildge. Thanks for the tip Bond-o! Sorry the pictures here are a bit fuzzy..night shots didn't come out good.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Here is a close up of a bedded stringer..again used Resin/Talc/Sawdust. Man it takes alot of that stuff to get it like peanut butter. At any rate it, it cured hard as a rock and should be good to go.

Thats about where I am now...I'm working on getting all the ribs cut out..that is time consuming, for me at least..trying to get them level and at the correct hight for the deck...cut, check..trim, check.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

That is a really pretty boat and it looks like you made this job much easier than it could have been.

One of the guys that I go out to the lake with has a 1996 18 foot Monterry and a soft spot in his floor. I will say that his boat has been stored inside most of its life, but I still think he is going to end up finding something like you did if he goes looking. Your boat is in SUPER DRY AZ and you still have rot?!?! ... Yes Monty, I know you are reading this...you probably have some rot going on that will need to be taken care of.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

That is a really pretty boat and it looks like you made this job much easier than it could have been.

This is one of the main reasons I decided to tackle the job..we really like the boat and its perfect for the type of boating we do. Leaving the shell of everything was a huge help in getting things back together, and I believe its making my work much stronger in the end.

One of the guys that I go out to the lake with has a 1996 18 foot Monterry and a soft spot in his floor. I will say that his boat has been stored inside most of its life, but I still think he is going to end up finding something like you did if he goes looking. Your boat is in SUPER DRY AZ and you still have rot?!?! ...

Well, my boat isn't a original Arizona boat. I'm the 3rd owner, the last one had it for 10yrs and lived in Atlanta. He stored it a boat house, but I still think rain found its way in. That is one HUGE mistake I made when buying it. I will never buy a boat from anywhere but the west coast again. I realize a boat can rot anywhere, but I just helped a buddy buy a 1991 Monterey that is an original Arizona boat..this thing is SOLID. But his deck isn't designed the same as mine..he just has a deck lid for the sending unit, rather than the entire hatch.

As you know..out here in the summer, you could jump in the lake, get out, and a minute later you are bone dry. Another reason I'm comfortable putting carpet back in the boat..everything will be dry before I get home from the lake... I wouldn't have carpet if I lived in a humid part of the country.

Yes Monty, I know you are reading this...you probably have some rot going on that will need to be taken care of.

If he has the same deck setup as mine, where he can actually unscrew the piece of decking that is covering the fuel tank..start there. That will give you a great look at the condition of the stringers. Might have to unscrew the seat pedastals if he has back to back seating, at least I did.

 

[system-f]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

He does have back to back seating.


That is why I left most of the PMSb open, so it can dry. Even though it is much more humid here my boat will at least dry out. I am pretty sure mine was an original Texas boat stored bow up, but not always inside. Rain did find its way in, but the nearly 40 year old stringers and deck were just now starting to rot. The transom was pretty soft at the bottom due to a leak.


There is a boat down the street from me with no cover stored with the bow very low. I want to take pictures as it has been raining here and I bet that thing is a swimming pool.

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

MTribe08,
You asked the question earlier if you could reuse the foam that came out of your boat. If it is actually dry, I can see no reason you couldn't or shouldn't reuse it. Make sure it is dry and seal it, with some paint just for added protection. Any area that has been broken should be sealed too exposed cells in the foam will absorb water.
Bob

 

[Lou C]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Great job there....looks a lot like mine did....when you get it done do yourself a favor and do NOT put carpet down again...I had the 'glass shop gelcoat mine and I left the carpet on the gunnels but the deck is all gelcoat there is no carpet to hold moisture...I had them add some non-skid so it woudnt' be slippery but you could do the same with a deck paint...

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

He does have back to back seating.


That is why I left most of the PMSb open, so it can dry. Even though it is much more humid here my boat will at least dry out. I am pretty sure mine was an original Texas boat stored bow up, but not always inside. Rain did find its way in, but the nearly 40 year old stringers and deck were just now starting to rot. The transom was pretty soft at the bottom due to a leak.


There is a boat down the street from me with no cover stored with the bow very low. I want to take pictures as it has been raining here and I bet that thing is a swimming pool.

This time around I have taken the steps to make sure water doesn't get trapped on the outside of the tank, and have nowhere to go but in the wood. I have added alot of drainage, something I can't believe the factory didn't do.

I have thought about the "swimming pool" thing. Because my boat was stored on a lift in a boat house, I doubt the plug was pulled. You just never know with boats I'm finding out.

Let me know what you find with your neighbors boat.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

MTribe08,
You asked the question earlier if you could reuse the foam that came out of your boat. If it is actually dry, I can see no reason you couldn't or shouldn't reuse it. Make sure it is dry and seal it, with some paint just for added protection. Any area that has been broken should be sealed too exposed cells in the foam will absorb water.
Bob

Ok thanks. Surprisingly, just about all of the foam was bone dry. The thing I didn't like about the original design, was that the foam butted right up against the stringers, trapping any water that got under there. I will be changing that and allowing a "channel" so to speak for water to find it's way to the drainage holes I made, so I'm hoping the bottoms of the stringers will never sit in water again.

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Great job there....looks a lot like mine did....when you get it done do yourself a favor and do NOT put carpet down again...I had the 'glass shop gelcoat mine and I left the carpet on the gunnels but the deck is all gelcoat there is no carpet to hold moisture...I had them add some non-skid so it woudnt' be slippery but you could do the same with a deck paint...

Thanks, it's been quite a project. I've thought slot about the carpet situation. I know the cons to it, but I tend to believe that hot humid environments amplify the problem. We don't have humidity out here, but it is HOT! Having carpet in the boat will prevent my kids from getting their feet roasted

 

[MTribe08]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

Managed to make some more progress over the last couple days. I have all of the side supports cut and fit and I have 3 left to bed to the hull and I can then get them glassed over. That should be done tomorrow and I can then prepare to start fitting the deck.

I did however get the stringers tabbed to the hull and then encased in glass as well. I started out with a piece of CSM 6" wide (3" up the stringer and 3" up the hull) Then I went over that with a 12" piece. After that started to set, I came back with a full cover that encased the stringer from top to bottom. And just for good measure I put another piece of glass over the top that went down both sides about 4". They should be good and strong now and well protected.

I did all of this while the resin was still curing, so I should have one big chemical bond. One thing I will mention, using a little 6" foam roller was 10 times easier to wet out the glass than using a brush. The brush is good for tight spots and corners, but using the roller really keeps the CSM nice and neat. With a brush, I was dragging the mat all over the place

Fending off Air bubbles while going over the tops of the stringers was a challenge, and I surely didn't get it perfect, but having one of those Fiberglass Rollers helps quite a bit. I took some pictures, but they didn't come out that good..I'll get some better ones tomorrow. But here is one shortly after I finished glassing the stringers. Sorry its sideways.

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: 1995 Monterey 210 Deck/Stringer Restore

MTribe08m
The glass work looks pretty good. Getting the glass to lay over sharp edges is a bear. i used my router and a 1/2" roundover bit and the glass went on perfect, make sure you do both edges and the glass will lay better.
Use a router, belt sander, or grinder to break that sharp edge.
Looks good.
Bob