How do I check stringers?

[BiXLL]

I am going to look at a 1987 Wellcraft St Tropez that in the pictures looks to be in absolutely amazing condition. In researching this boat I found that there were problems with a lot of these boats with bad stringers. Problem was thought to be caused from bad bilge seals.

My question is, how do I check to see if the stringers are wet/waterlogged? I mean the are wood wrapped in fiberglass and I can nopt for the life of me figure out how to tell if they are bad. I saw in one article a guy mentioned using a moisture meter. Would something like this read the moisture of the wood through the fiberglass? Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[SkaterRace]

A moisture meter would help you some but not a ton. It would tell you if it is wet but I don't think they are very accurate for telling if stringers are bad. Look for any signs of places where water could have gotten into it as well as look over the hull to see how it looks in general. Inside and out, you are really just looking for pooling water, damaged fiberglass, any holes from things drilled into anything and ask if they have been sealed and if they have what was used. I would also look around for possible delamination.

 

[BiXLL]

No Title

As I said the boat looks very clean, here are a couple of pics I have

 

[jbcurt00]

Core samples are the only reliable testing method for wood wrapped in fiberglass.

 

[BiXLL]

If you were selling a boat for under $20,000. would you permit a test as invasive as a core sample? I am looking for a realistic cost effective in comparison to boat expense/value. I am sure a core sample is both to costly and asking too much from the owner in this situation.

 

[jbcurt00]

Pay for a marine survey

 

[BiXLL]

So your saying there is no way for a individual to learn how to check for bad stringers themselves? How do the surveyers learn how to do it? I am appearently agravating jbcurtoo, that is not my intent. I have learned how to do many different things that I knew nothing about from all the different forums available on the web, thats all I was trying to do here. Its not about not wanting to pay the money to have it done, its about learning how to do something else myself.

 

[spoilsofwar]

There is the "tapping" method I have heard about being used, which I imagine takes years of experience to be able to use with any degree of accuracy... Basically knocking on the encapsulated wood surfaces and listening for the change in tones. Of course I can't do this, cause I'm not a surveyor. The moisture meter method works, but I believe they are not able to test thru fiberglass, so again, a hole would have to be drilled at least through the matting. I could be wrong about that. Also, you'd need to know what an acceptable moisture content is to begin with, and what isn't.

If you want to know how a surveyor does it, I suppose you could hire one on the stipulation that you be able to watch him do his thing and learn. Then you'd know what to do on your next boat hunt. I know for sure you aren't going to learn the craft from some guys on the internet who aren't surveyors (and while we probably have some as members, I doubt they're able to impart significant experience on you via this forum).

So basically, I guess the only way to know for sure is to, as Sarah Palin once said, "drill baby, drill!"

And yes, I realize that virtually no seller is going to let you do that unless he is 100% confident that 1. You don't find anything detrimental, and 2. You mean to buy.

 

[jbcurt00]

Not agrivated

On my phone so short replies

 

[four winns 214]

On my 1984 Sea Ray, I wanted to have a rotting bulkhead replaced between the fuel tank and engine space. A local expert who does much boat work did extensive knock testing to assure the stringers in the area were still sound. He also removed a fastener from an engine mount on each side and checked them for signs of moisture. I was present when the testing was done. It seemed to be a valid test. He's been in business for many years.

 

[jbcurt00]

And that guy isnt on the internet asking how to test stringers.

Experience experience experience

Thats why I suggested a surveyor

Go thru the resto topics, hundreds (thousands) of 'Sounded solid'
Seemed solid
Looked solid
Knock tested solid

Transoms and stringers that werent. That means many were false positives during the knock test. Or had inexperienced testers that 'thought' they knew how to do the test and what a good stringer sounds like when knocked.

A small, minuscule number cored solid. Off hand I can't remember 5 that did.

 

[BiXLL]

so if I am understanding correctly, even having a surveyor is a crap shoot? I guess I am going to have tov go with gut feeling once I get to see this boat in person. Thanks for your responses.

 

[jbcurt00]

My comments were about NON-surveyor testing by inexperienced buyers. Most of the false positives werent on 10K+ boats

But marine surveyors are still human. Home inspectors pre-mortgages also sometimes make mistakes.

 

[ondarvr]

Check the motor mount bolts and other stuff screwed into the stringers, pull some out and inspect the wood around them.

 

[BiXLL]

And that guy isnt on the internet asking how to test stringers.

Really??? Why would you put me down for asking a question? Would never expect something like this from a forum moderator. I always found forums a place to ask, learn, discuss. I am sorry for what ever I did to get under your skin.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Really??? Why would you put me down for asking a question? Would never expect something like this from a forum moderator. I always found forums a place to ask, learn, discuss. I am sorry for what ever I did to get under your skin.

I don't think anyone is putting you down or means to put you down. On the contrary, good for you to be trying to figure this out BEFORE you buy a boat!

I think the point is that, short of years and years of experience, you (as a novice boat buyer) are not going to be able to discriminate between good and bad fiberglass-encased stringers by knocking. You really need to see inside the fiberglass to check the condition of the wood. The only way to do that is to drill some holes, or use existing holes, to gain access to the wood core. That's why a surveyor is so helpful. Even with a surveyor, there is no guarantee they won't miss something. There are lots of topics in the Restoration forum from guys who knew their way around boats and who nevertheless inadvertently bought a boat with rot issues. It's a risk, and the best you can do is minimize that risk. Drilling holes or having an experienced eye look over the boat can reduce the risk, but not remove it.

Good luck and I hope you find the boat in as good a condition as it sounds.

 

[jbcurt00]

Absolutely ^^^
I was not putting you down.

As noted, experience experience experience