Center Stringer Wood Wet

[atengnr]

Ok, as started on the subject in a previous post, in removing part of the floor to patch hull damage I decided to take a look at the center stringer (as I replaced floor and 2 outer stringers in 97, this was an original and boat has had water problems since new - 1968). Cut into the side of it with a chisel and found the wood very damp perhaps a bit of mild rot near the side surface of the wood. didnt look good.

I drilled a dozen 3/4" holes in the stringer from the deck vertically down to (over a 12 foot span of stringer) within an inch of the bottom of stringer and found that there is little visible rot (actually none visible in the shavings). Wood seems good (based on wood shavings) but wet. Will these strigner dry out with these 12 holes in it? I was thinking of filling full of the penetrating epoxy as well.

Also, assuming Im able to dry it out, how should I fill these holes in the end? 3/4" x 2-3' depth.

Thanks.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Center Stringer Wood Wet

It really can't dry out due to the fact that its glassed in which seals it,
its not sealed well enough but... water wicks in but doesn't drain out especially as there are no drains.

Can you find where the water is getting in?
If you can't find the ingress then maybe a composite stringer will do the trick.
But you'll need to get access to rip the old out and install the new.

I know when I finally got started on mine I had spent more time typing about it than it took to get in there and rip em out. Get on with it.
Its gonna be 95F degs on Saturday (in Africa)