20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

[klos]

I'm replacing the stringers in a 20' Baja, I think the original stringers were made of balsa wood, its so rotted its hard to tell. I was going to replace with Douglas fir plywood but I'm afraid it might make the boat to heavy. Any ideas are much appreciated.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

fir it is. unless you have very deep pockets .

 

[klos]

Re: 20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

Do you think the added weight would make the boat ride different?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: 20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

I don't remember seeing balsa being used by Baja for stringers, they may look like they were made from balsa, but that's just because they are rotten, The difference in weight wouldn't be that much, your cooler will have more of an effect.

 

[klos]

Re: 20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

Thats what I wanted to hear, I've already bought the fir.
The old wood is very rotten, it all just crumbled when i removed it. I'm very supprised the boat didn't fold up when I ran it a few years ago. The stringers from the dash forward were not even bedded down or glassed into the hull, they were just sitting didn't. I didnt know that Baja had such crappy construction.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: 20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

I always thought they were well made. What year and model is yours?

 

[klos]

Re: 20' Baja, Balsa vs Douglas fir

I always thought they were well made. What year and model is yours?

Mine is a 1987 Force 200. I thought they were made well too until I opened everything up. But mabe in 87 everyone was building boats this way. I found many spots on the sringers and the entire under side of the floor that had no glass, just bare wood. This thing was probably rotten by the end of its first season.
Don't get me wrong I still love the boat and enjoy working on it, But it supprises me that a well known name like Baja would be built this way