Center stringer? Do I need it?

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

Since I cut the back portion of the cap off to do the transom what's the best way to glass it back together? I cut it like a puzzle so it wouldn't be a straight line and hopefully carry some of the load when I put it back together.

My side panels on the cap are wood cored. I was thinking on removing some of the wood from the installed cap and the back part I cut, lam a piece of 1/2" on the backs and glass it up. Then kinda groove out the cut line and fill it up with PB and glass over that.

Suggestion?

Jeff

sounds like a good plan

 

[GaJeff]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

I was thinking about the stringers re other day and was reading about foam cored ones. The foam gives no structural benefits at all and someone said once the wood stringers were encapsulated the wood really doesn't matter, it's the glass that gives you the structure. So I was thinking if it doesn't matter much about the wood and the glass is perfectly fine then why replace the wood and reglass? As long as the rot is isolated from the transom or deck wood why would it matter? Foam is by no means strong and neither is rotten wood. It's just there for the "mold" to give the glass shape.

I've already replaced mine with new wood and I couldn't just let rotten wood stay but this has crossed my mind as to what's the difference.

Jeff

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

In order for the Glass to carry the load it would need to be approx. 1/4" thick. To get this thickness you would need to lay a minimum of 4 layers of CSM and 1708. This would double the costs of your stringer layup so it would be a bit cost prohibitive. You could do it but again the costs would be high and it would take considerably more time and effort.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

I've already replaced mine with new wood and I couldn't just let rotten wood stay but this has crossed my mind as to what's the difference.

Jeff

All too frequently the quality of the original work is so poor that even the glass needs to be replaced, so most people take everything out. Wood is cheap and easy to work with, so it was the most used product for years, and if used correctly it works well, but.....

 

[GaJeff]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

I figured it needed more layups to be structural. I know a lot of new boats are using foam cores. I'm just not comfortable glassing something that isn't structural to begin with. I'm just not that experienced yet.

My original glass looked like it was oozing off the wood right before it kicked so I'm familiar with bad factory work. My keyhole was even all out of shape. I know these factories have to use a jig to get the hole right. Maybe my builder thought he had done it enough times that he didn't need the jig:noidea:

 

[GaJeff]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

Im installing the engine and using the line up shaft the engine needs to have some left to right adjustment. The only adjustment I see is the front engine mount. Ive had this problem before with the side to side and ended up having to PUSH the engine to one side and bolting it down. I thought for sure that after the transom was done it would have corrected itself.

I see that when you put the gimbal on the transom plate mount holes are slotted. I cant see how that would give me side to side though.

Any advice please,
Jeff

 

[GaJeff]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

So now that I have mounted my tank under the floor, I've kind of hit a crossroads with my hose routing and my fuel filter locations. If I leave the location its in now the sender will be in the rear but the fuel fill hoses will be facing the front which isnt a big deal I will have to route the hoses towards the front and cut notches in the stringers for the hoses to pass through.

Or, I can flip it around and have them facing the rear but the sender will be in the front is that OK?

Next, the fuel/water separator, can it be mounted in the bilge? Not directly in the bilge but about level with the oil pan? I wanted to mount the filter in front of the engine directly behind the full tank box. Which would put it in the bilge lower than the pump. I had planned on the space in front of the engine to be an open free area where I was going to put either a deck drain to the bilge or a storage space for oil or gear. If I were to use it as a storage space the fuel filter would be at home in there.

Jeff

 

[zool]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

I would face the fuel feed facing the fill inlet with the path of least resistance, the sending unit is just wires, location is irrelevant.

 

[GaJeff]

Re: Center stringer? Do I need it?

So it shouldn't matter where the sender is located? Im just worried about when I have low fuel it will be off from the tilt of being underway. Then again I guess that would be alright since I will still have fuel when my gauge says empty. My only concern is my pickup will be a little forward of center. Would this cause me to suck air at low fuel situations? I would like to drill a hole and put the pickup in the rear but im sure I would need to weld in a threaded bung for that.

Jeff