Stringer Curiosity

[RB78]

tburda and I are both restoring 1979 Rinkerbuilt boats, and have both discovered an oddity with the stringers in our respective boats. Both boats apparently have very well made glass stringer forms, which appear to be hollow in each boat. Neither of us have gotten to the point where we've opened the stringers - but has anyone ever heard of older boats having hollow stringers - no wood or other material used inside them?

It just seems odd to me that each boat of the same year would have such hollow stringers.

 

[lucid484]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

actually yes...Chrisr Crafts one of the BEST early makers of fiberglass boats used hollow stringers extensivly.....From what I understand the wood inside the stringer itself isnt structural. It's just there to hold teh form.

sooooo If you have a boat made with hollow stringers....guess what, no rot!!!

now if they are damaged....well then I have no clue how they made them lol

 

[RB78]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

actually yes...Chrisr Crafts one of the BEST early makers of fiberglass boats used hollow stringers extensivly.....From what I understand the wood inside the stringer itself isnt structural. It's just there to hold teh form.

sooooo If you have a boat made with hollow stringers....guess what, no rot!!!

now if they are damaged....well then I have no clue how they made them lol

Mine isn't damaged. Just some screw holes through the top of the stringers and framing. Easily patched on mine. Don't think tburda has any holes in his. Thanks - I think you just saved me several weeks work. Hopefully.

 

[tburda]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

Mine isn't damaged. Just some screw holes through the top of the stringers and framing. Easily patched on mine. Don't think tburda has any holes in his. Thanks - I think you just saved me several weeks work. Hopefully.

Awesome this is great news, from what you mentioned before RB78, you said you had plywood, glass, plywood, and you have screwholes, my previous theory still stands, I'm pretty sure that the PO screwed down new wood ontop of the old floor. My floor was glued in.

Maybe just another indication of why rinker is still making boats today

They saved money on manufacturing by probably reusing molds for the stringers. Thanks for starting this thread; and thanks to lucid484 for the info.

 

[RB78]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

You're quite welcome. Glad to help out a Rinker brother. There aren't very many of those boats found in here ...

Not sure what a PO is, though ...

 

[lucid484]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

Previous Owner

 

[RB78]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

Previous Owner

Thanks again! I never would have thought of that one ...

 

[RB78]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

here's an excellent article on stringers:

http://www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/main-forum/my-thoughts-on-stringer-repair

 

[lucid484]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

WOW that article got me thinking.....my stringers are mush inside and the tops have just started fraying about....with what this guy says......I could just cut the tups off and either pour foam or just glass over the existing stringer (after removing all the wood that is)...this would proboly save me weeks in the rebuild.....

do any of the senior more experienced guys have a thought? oops,yachtdr???

 

[mogfisher]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

My old fiberglass bass tracker has foam filled stringers. Big ones too. I'm currently in the process of cutting the tops off, pulling out the wet foam, refoaming and capping them off again. I was quite pleased to find glass/foam stringers and no wood to deal with. Seems like a much better plan than wood.

 

[RB78]

Re: Stringer Curiosity

I sent Rinker an e-mail asking them to verify the original stringers were hollow. Haven't heard back from them as of yet.