stringer question

[fraannk]

I have read many posts on here that say that the material for stringers isn't terribly important. The fiberglass is what gives the stringer it's strength. Well, if that is the case, why does it matter if the stringer is rotten inside the fiberglass?

 

[lucid484]

Re: stringer question

because in the case of my stringers the wood inside rotted and started delaminating it from the inside out due to it holding water now they are brittle to the touch.

if the wood only is rotted and the glass is ok they cut the cap and pour some seacast.

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: stringer question

fraannk,
In my case both were gone. I removed the wood and glass without tools.
Most OEM's did not conpletely wrap the stringers in glass. The glasss on mine was very thin and not very strong.
Good luck
Bob

 

[ondarvr]

Re: stringer question

To have the wood rot away and not effect the strength of the stringer, the glass would need to be applied thick enough to take all the load, normally that's not the case.

Boat builders don't want to build the boat with any more glass than needed and the person doing the work needs to do it correctly, plus in the design they may be relying on the wood to supply a good portion of the support.

 

[petermarcus]

Re: stringer question

Two reasons on my boat:

* They didn't put enough glass on the stringers to be structural, only as a half-hearted attempt to be a water barrier
* My stringers touched wood-to-wood against the transom, which does need to be wood (or seacast). My transom rotted where the rotten stringers were touching.

 

[Itsalonestar]

Re: stringer question

Wood, being an organic material, will eventually rot. The organisms that attack it require the same things we do to survive....some moisture, air, proper temperature range, and food (your wood) Deprive any one of those and the life cycle is broken. Since the first three are almost universally available, the usual attempt is to poison the food supply by treating the wood. Unfortunately that can break down over time, often in a few years, in fact, so really the best way to avoid wood decay is to avoid using wood. (A decade of inspecting and treating wooden structures tends to support this opinion.)

I have read many posts on here that say that the material for stringers isn't terribly important. The fiberglass is what gives the stringer it's strength. Well, if that is the case, why does it matter if the stringer is rotten inside the fiberglass?

 

[westexasrepublic]

Re: stringer question

plus the wood in my stringers are what holds my weight on the deck above.

 

[drewpster]

Re: stringer question

My case was like many others here. My boat was clearly not designed to last the 33 years that it has. But given the lack of attention to the structural glass under the deck it has faired very well. Wet cores are a gamble at best, especially in boats that go in rough seas. We pour allot of investment in to our boats and, more importantly, we depend on them for our safety. Its a gamble I am not willing to take. If I were not willing to go through the effort to make it safe it would not use the boat. I would simply go buy a new one. The bottom line is that if doing all this work were simply about boating alone, we would not do it. For me, and for allot of others, it is about the challenge and the satisfaction of doing it myself.

"Building 30 thousand dollar boats, 30 dollars at a time." Redfury

sums it up for me

enjoy
drewp

 

[oops!]

Re: stringer question

ondarvr is correct.

dont take the chance unless you know that you have thick enough glass on the stringers......if you dont know for sure.....dont do it.

uou could add the wraps of 1708 over the existing stringers. but you have to grind them right down to the glass to get the bond you need any how.....so its either grind itchy fiberglass for 4 hours or just cut them out and grind for 1/2 hour and replace with the three wraps ony how....(you only really need one wrap and a good tab to the hull)

 

[fraannk]

Re: stringer question

I actually don't have a project boat right now. I was just asking because I know I will have to do it one of these days. Thanks for the responses.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: stringer question

ondarvr is correct.

dont take the chance unless you know that you have thick enough glass on the stringers......if you dont know for sure.....dont do it.

uou could add the wraps of 1708 over the existing stringers. but you have to grind them right down to the glass to get the bond you need any how.....so its either grind itchy fiberglass for 4 hours or just cut them out and grind for 1/2 hour and replace with the three wraps ony how....(you only really need one wrap and a good tab to the hull)

" (you only really need one wrap and a good tab to the hull) "

That would be unwise for one layer of 1708 around your stringers and ( how many tabs ? ) ..

Also..adding glass to stringers allready in place may mess up your floor/deck build..

Replacing your stringers IS a VERY particular thing in some cases requireing you to place your floor/deck on top again...

IF you are going to Cut and Replace Stringers.. I would suggest you Look at ALL the measurements criss-cross-and-sideways..up-down-side-side.. every way you can imagine.. Write/draw a schematic before you start cuttin away ( now some Stringers dont need all that granted..but... good info to know ).

YD.