stringer/floor replacement help!!

[tigers131]

Hello everyone!

First time poster and boat owner. I have a 15ft '92 procraft bass boat with a 90hp mercury powering it. I have just recently noticed soft spots in the floor and from reading all the posts I decided to start ripping some of the floor out and see what the damage is. Pulled most of the floor up and low and behold I have badly rooted floors and I believe stringers! I have decided since i already had 70% of the floor torn out that I am going to do this the correct way and no short cuts. It seems that I am going to have to remove the top cap to replace this stuff, don't see any way around it. I removed about 200lbs of foam and cannot get to the rest of it because of the rod box and storage compartments. I removed the rub rail and can lift the top up a little, so it is loose but I think the floor under the casting deck is holding it, am I going to have to cut the flors out in the rod box and storage boxes? Also, can I leave the motor attached to the boat while I do these repairs? I was thinking that maybe I could jack the whole front of the boat up and that would give me some space? Here are some pics of what I have found, the transom area looks solid, its just the front of the boat, from the bench seat forward thats bad it seems. I am going to need all the help/info I can get and I have all the tools/equipment I am going to need(my brother builds houses, so I cleaned out his garage of tools Any advice would be appreciated.
I could not upload images too big, how do I insert a direct link for my album in photobucket? thx

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Someone has got to have some info?

 

[83mulligan]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Hey tigers, welcome to iboats. Hang in there, the experts on this site will get to you. In the mean time, I'll offer some advice from my limited experience with this. First off, get some pics posted on here. You can link them back to photobucket. They are worth thousands of words. I'm not sure how bass boats come apart, but someone here should know. I wouldn't worry about the motor until you have assessed the damage. If the deck is rotten and with all that foam, you'll need to assess the stringers and transom by doing some core sampling. Thumping around doesn't tell the whole story, i've learned.

Photobucket will have an img code that you copy and paste in your thread for each picture.

Good luck with your project. There is lots of help here on iboats.

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Thanks for the reply 83mull. I hope this will work as for as posting the link for the pics.
http://s577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/tigers131/

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Anyone out have any advice? Looking for some help asap.
Thanks

 

[83mulligan]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

I looked at the pics tigers and it looks to me like that whole bow floor should come out if you think it holds wet foam. For the stringers, take careful dimensions and try and cut them out in one piece so you can use them as a template. I'm going to use a die grinder to cut mine out. Lots of guys on here use a grinder with a cutting disc. Make sure you have the proper safety equip. (respirator, goggles, protective clothing) before you start cutting glass. Also, figure out how to link those images directly so they show up in your thread in a 480x640 size i think is best.

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Well, I made a little progress today. In order to replaced the floor, the cap has to come off. I took my engine hoist and slowly jacked the front of the cap off the hull. I almost have it broke loose from where they glassed the top of the floor to the casting deck. Soon as the front is broke loose, I will move to the rear portion and break that loose then it should come off. I am still wondering if i can keep the motor on the boat? I would like to keep it on the boat while I remove the cap then if there is transom work to be done I will then remove it. Mull, I tried to upload the pics, but it wont let me, so I just linked my photobucket album, I will try and figure out how to post them individually.

 

[Bondo]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

I am still wondering if i can keep the motor on the boat?

Ayuh,... Anything is Possible,.. Although leaving the motor on is kinda foolharty...
It'll be in your way,+ will be holding the back of the cap down...

The kind of rebuilding you're doing usually starts with Stripping off Everything that'll come off....

 

[ondarvr]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Since you have an engine hoist removing the engine will be the easiest thing you'll need to do in the next several weeks, so just get it out of the way to start with. Plus if the rest of the wood is bad the transom won?t be far behind.

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Well, I have some updated pics of my rebuild. I have completely removed all of the fllor and the foam! I was not expecting to find termites, and i found alot of them. This week I am going to tackle the transom first. I am not sure how thick the transom is since it is so rotted, I think its was 1inch thick, I measured between the inner and outer skin and came up with that, any way I can go a little thicker? Before I do anything, I need to make sure the hull stays square, is there any measurement I can take and check often to make sure the hull does not move while I am replacing transom and the stringers, I saw in another post about making a stringline from bow to each corners of the stern? If so, how do you go about doing that? I have not decided on what type of wood to use for both stringers and transom, so any suggestions are appreciated.
http://s577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/tigers131/

 

[oops!]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

ok my friend......just hang on for a wee bit.......

you are doing great so far.....the demolition is coming along nicely.....

BUT......lets get you educated a wee bit before you carry on......the reason being.....you can save your self tons of time by knowing where and when to stop.

i highly suggest you read the compleated projects forum......and please read them.....not just look at the pics......there is fantastic info there by people that have been there done that.

the hull extension thread is a world of info on all aspeccts of what you are doing including bracing and stablizing the hull for re-fit.

it will take you quire a few hours of reading.....but all your questions will be answered.

cheers
oops

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Hello again folks!

Well, I have been doing alot of reading and trying to decide on option/route I want to take with this. Option 1: use nida bond transom compund and pour it in, make stringers out of 16mm nida core laminated panels. Option 2: Use marine grade plywood for trans and stringers. I want to do this once and once only, so i like the idea of composites and not worry about anything getting rotten. Any suggestions/opinions anyone, really need help deciding?
Thanks

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Anyone have good success with nida bond products? Thinking about using the compound to pour my transom and either use the laminated panel to make my stringers/knee braces or clean the rotten wood from the stringer casing and pour the transom compound in there. Only problem is getting the stringers the correct height. Wonfer if i could just build the height with glass? Then what would i use for knee braces if i went the pouring way? As for the bulkheads, i dont think i can pour those in, the casings have holes in them, so any ideas on that? Tyring to come up with ways to stay away from wood if i can.
thanks

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Well scratch the composite material route, changed my mind and i am going back with wood. I really need some input on ways to check if the hull is deformed/warped/hooked etc. To me, it looks like the edges of the boat are sagging down. I layed a level across the stringers and there is about an 1/2" gap between the level and the little 6ft 1x that runs from the transom to the center of the boat. The level is even sitting on top of the sole lip that i left, i shuld be sitting level with it shouldnt it? or will the sides be pulled up once the floor is glued down? I really need some advice what to look/measure for to see if the hull is deformed. Here is a few pics to show what i am talking about





and a couple of pics of the boat sitting on the trailer, is it me or does it look like the sides are sagging down?





yeah, i know, i need to clean the botton of that thing, I bet there are alot of stress cracks form the inside structure being rotten. Hope the pics give an idea of what i am talking about and hope to hear from someone.
thanks

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

487 views and 13 replies? Is there anyone out there that can help me with this issue before i move on?

Thanks

 

[92excel]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Take measurements or a string line from the tip of the bow to each corner of the transom.. Are they equal?

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Thanks for the reply excel! Just be clear as to what you are saying, measure from the red dots to the point of the bow or from the blue dots to the point of the bow, or does it matter?



I have actually measure from the point of the bow to the blue dots and there is a 1/2" difference if i recall, ill measure it again when i get home.

Thanks again for the info.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

Not much info to go on, we don't know what it looked like before you started, it may be the correct shape right now, or it may have sagged.


Put a support under each corner of the transom and another one near the bow and see if it changes. also measure the deck and see if the hull is the same width.

 

[Paul Bell]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

You are definately not afraid to jump into this project! I applaud your ambition. Your hull could be shaped that way to control the spray when cruising. It would be important to make sure things are even on each side of the hull before you start adding material that will hold everything together. On my bowrider on a bunk trailer I was concerned initially of flexing of the hull when pulling out the structural skeleton. I would suggest if you havent yet to insure your boat is evenly suported on the trailer. If there is flex in the hull you can pull into place to be even port to starboard. I checked and rechecked mine to make sure the windshield walkthrough portion allowed the window to close to the correct position and just by relaxing the front winch cable was able to correct some flexing before lateral support stringers were cut and glassed into place.
The demolition is the worst part in my opinion and now you can have fun refining the way things were built and make it stronger than the manufacturer did. You can track my adventure with this link below.http://picasaweb.google.com/pacerdude/EntireDeckReplacement89Celebrity224se#
I had no clue what I was doing initially.
All the information is on this site. Read Read Read
Doing an excellent job!

 

[tigers131]

Re: stringer/floor replacement help!!

WoW! Nice job on that boat. I hope my project turns out well. I spent the last couple of days checking to see if the boat has flexed or if it hasnt, really can not tell. I took a tape measure and measured from the point of the bow to each coner of the transom and both were exactly the same length, but does that really tell me anything? Going to run to lowes tomm and pick up some 2x4's to support the hull a little more and see what happens. Also, i took some steel wool and cleaned a few places on the bottom of the hull and found stress cracks, probably from the structure being rotten im sure, but whats the best way to fix that? I keep finding things as i go along, but i will not give up on this boat until its fixed and back on the water, so i will be posting on this forums for a while asking questions/help etc.

Thanks