Assessing the condition of stringers

[BigManDan72]

I expect I'm asking a question that has been asked and answered many times but I couldn't find a quick reference, so here goes:

I have a 1985 Wellcraft 18 ft bowrider that I bought late this past boating season and it's the first boat I've owned and I'm concerned about stringer rot. I found a small soft spot in the deck in the engine compartment that I didn't notice when I surveyed the boat for purchase. Deck rot, I'm told, is a good indicator that other stuff is rotted underneath. What is the least intrusive way of assessing the condition of the stringers?

 

[cat3mann@gmail.com]

When you flush your hull and chunks of strighter come floating out, that's your first clue. Soft decks are another. Out it on the trailer and fill it to the floorboards with a hose then unplug it and watch and see what comes out...chunks of rotten wood are as bad as it gets and you are nearly out of time. I'm stripping an old galaxy now. Greatest all around boat I've ever owned but the last time I pulled all my traps I could feel the hull slapin the floorboards. I'm not afraid of a walk on the wild side but I'm not crazy. If EVERTHING else about the boat is great and you have a huge amount of thyme and money to spend find a hull you really like and swap them out. I found a Galaxy Bowrider with a fantail that's nice and wide with a shallow draft...perfect boat for my waters and the last one for me. I've already told my wife that I want a Viking burial on it. Don't even consider replacing the whole floor. Something you'll have to do all of...or not at all.
Poor hull maintenance has been the ruin of many a poor boat...not to mention sailors.

 

[Woodonglass]

Uhmmm, NO do NOT fill the underside of your boat with water!!!! You prolly can't do it in the first place since it more than likely is filled somewhat with flotation foam. 2nd you wouldn't want to add to the problem. If she's and I/O boat then inspect the stringers/Motor mounts in the motor well. If she has a ski locker then inspect that area as well. Other than that there is NO way to SEE below the deck other than cutting an inspection hole to get there but...as stated even then you prolly wont' see much since the hull should be somewhat filled with foam. 30 year old boats with soft decks usually are candidates for full restorations. Stringers, Transoms and Decks. Lots of examples here on the forum. Do some searching and reading an you'll soon see what I mean.

 

[cat3mann@gmail.com]

All lockers and compartments on all the boats I've ever owned drain out below decks and dump into the bilge, usually under the engine. Every time I flushed my boat out more rot and other assorted crud would flush out. Whatever...replacing the entire deck is a nightmare for even the most experienced professional and if you consider the thyme and expense...it would have to be a true labor of love to be sure because you can easily spend way more than the boat will be worth. I'm replacing the core on my fantail now and that's a headache enough.
Good luck.

 

[tpenfield]

If a visual inspection does not show anything obvious, you can drill a small hole in each stringer near the hull to see if they are dry, wet, or rotten.

 

[gm280]

Sad to say, but if you presently have rot issues in the floor, you can probably bank on the stringers AND the transom gone as well. It rarely is only a rotted floor. By the time the floor starts rotting, the stringers are already toast underneath. Because rot in most any boat starts at the lowest area in the boat and creeps up from there. So I would bet everything needs replaced.

Now before you think the worst, lots of folks have successfully replaced those things and ended up with a better then new boat! It isn't hard work, only time and money consuming, with lots of long hours grinding out the old to replace the new. But YOU can do it. JMHO!

 

[sphelps]

Start by cutting out the soft spot on the deck ... If the foam is wet ,which it probably is ,it will need to come out because it will never dry ...
You may get lucky and the problem confined to just a few spots ... Your just gunna have to dig and drill some core samples in the stringers wherever you can ..
Good luck and post some more pics of the bad area's ... That will help us see what your seeing ...The good thing is there is nothing that can't be fixed with a little time and effort ..

 

[BigManDan72]

So, filling the boat with water sounds like a really bad idea, and one I don't think I could bring myself to do anyway. But thanks for all of the other great ideas and advice! I've put the boat in storage for the winter months so I will have to wait till spring before I address things any further.