Stringer and Bulkhead Questions

[76SeaRay]

I got my engine bay stringers bedded and started tabbing them but ran out of resin. So, while waiting for more, I decided to start on the forward stringers. The outboard stringer on the port side fell out while I was removing the foam floatation because it was rotted and the out board stringers aren't bedded so it doesn't show in the picture below.

I am wondering if there is any problem with doing stringers on one side and then doing them on the other side? I have to use a ladder to get into the boat (right side of picture) so thinking it is easier to do one side at a time to have a solid flat spot for the ladder. The boat is on its trailer and had been there for a very long time when I got it so is pretty much stable on the rollers and bunks.

I am also thinking about adding another bulkhead somewhere towards the middle between the engine bay bulkhead and the v berth. Any problem with just adding bulkheads (other than needing more holes to fill with foam floatation)?

 

[todhunter]

I think you should be fine. My boat has 5 stringers...I replaced the two long ones first, then went back and replaced the other 3 after the new long ones were in place. The upside to doing it this way (for me) was that the hull was still somewhat supported by the original stringers (which weren't totally rotten) while I was replacing the first 2. The only downside I saw to doing it this way was having to set up to grind 2 separate times...that was a bummer.

I think other folks have added bulkheads that weren't originally there and been fine. A little added weight, but shouldn't be too much I don't think.

 

[76SeaRay]

Only my inner stringers are attached to the hull with bedding. The outside ones just float on top of foam floatation with no bedding to the hull. I see I forgot to attach the pic so here it is. It's strange in that there is a line of bedding material for the outside stringers that looks like it wasn't poured in the right spot so the stringers never sat on it.

 

[todhunter]

Yeah...I would plan on just bedding all the stringers.