Deck and Stringer Work while on trailer

[Gator1996]

I have seen on other sites that sole and stringer replacement should not be done on the trailer. There have been several restorations documented on this site that have done so. It seems that the knowledge base is better here and this site is definitely a ton friendlier. Does anyone have horror stories from doing this work on a trailer and besides buliding a cradle is there something I can do to avoid issues?

Feel free to chime in!!
Thanks

 

[oops!]

Re: Working on trailer

Re: Working on trailer

hi gator....welcome to iboats.

the trailer set up is very important....the boat must be properly supported on a trailer.....bunks are usually not a problem....but forget rollers.....they will deform your boat if you do the replacement there.

the hull should be supported so that the hull is straight and it is on the trailer so the pressure on the hull is even....and its not sitting on the lifting strakes

 

[Gator1996]

Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Thanks for the reply. I do have the boat on a roller trailer and I have alerady cut out most of the rotten sole and removed 95% of the foam. What would you say would be my best course of action at this point? Try to get it off the trailer or is therer some other means of supporting the boat without disturbing it as much?

 

[Gator1996]

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

I have attached some pictures. More info is better right?
These are of the progress I have made, hopefully it is progress and how the boat sits on the trailer.
Thanks in advance.

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

I can't see your pics, here is a link Woodonglass has on how to post them:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=410147

As to the hull twist issue, I'm no expert but there are several good examples of how to make a cradle on these forums. Just search for "hull cradle" and you will see many excellent threads. Hope this helps.

 

[Gator1996]

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Pictures are fixed. Thanks fr the heads up!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Since your top cap is still on, it's not as bad to warp as it would be if the cap was removed. I do a lot of restores and always build a cradle for them "off the trailer", but you need to build the cradle before the interior is removed, since it's shape can easily distort now.

Give it the old eyeball on the lines of the boat, and block it from the solid memeber of the trailer as best you can. Take some measurements if various places to "compare" each side of the boat.

If you want a war story, my first restore was an old tri hull. I done it all on the trailer without supporting it in anyway. The restore went well, but the first trip to the lake was a nightmare. The hull had twisted on me and you couldn't steer the boat to save your a**. Try to picture this. With the boat sitting in the water you could sight the transom with the water line....looked great, but then follow the hull on up and one side was a good 3 inches higher than the other, hence "the twist". Very dishearting. I took it back to the shop and 6 weeks and another $700.00 later it was up for another sea trial. This one went well. Lesson learned.

CW

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Here's a cradle example... there are man other here on the forum.

 

[Gator1996]

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Re: Deck and stringer work while on trailer

Thanks Cadwelder. I will stop working and get it off the trailer.