Stringers

[284Bullitt]

Everyone talks about "Stringers" - I know every boat is different and stringers are ?????????

I have been trying to get the hull specs for my Amersport 284 twin 305 OMC. I would love to see some sort of diagram of what and where things should or could be. Like there's two vents/with louvers on the top side/midship one on each side/port star board - I don't know what they are for ???????

Now for the "stringers" - where are they - where should they be? I know I can see the ones in the engine bay - where the motor mounts are ! - I assume there's more forward and maybe even some over head in the cabin. But where - without ripping the boat apart - how does one know where to look ?

I am currently stripping (partially) the old bottom paint (ablative) - and so far only found a half moon shaped - quarter sized crack in the gell coat. No other damage or cracks - nothing that looks like "blisters". So I guess for that I should be grateful -

In my area (Upstate NY) this boat - even though its 24 years old - it has spent more time in dry dock than in the water. Stored in the off season - so my hull - inside and out is in great shape - looks clean - strong and undamaged. Another Blessing.

So, does anyone know where I can view or acquire some diagrams or photo's of what the interior hull and stringers should look or where they are located ?

Thanks for your help.

 

[tpenfield]

Just do a Google image search for boat stringers and you will get lots of pictures of the structure of boat hulls.

Boats hulls are more like a grid than a bath tub. Stringers are one of the major parts of the grid.

 

[jbcurt00]

Unless you happen to get luck and find some pix of the AmeraSport factory producing boats, again you'd be lucky if one of those pix just happens to be of the model 284 being built, and you're lucky enough that it's the same (or similar) year to yours, unfortunately, the info and diagrams you're looking for, are going to be extremely hard to come by.

The other chance might be you find pix of someone else tearing into one, which is still an extreme long shot.

Stringers run fore and aft between the hull and the deck (floor) and are part of the structure of boats. Motor mounts are similar, and also probably run fore and aft. They're just usually larger then 'regular' stringers.

There aren't many places you can find access to stringers without removing the deck, the engine bay is one.


Feeling around inside cabinets, storage bins, seat bases and thru the engine bay, might give you more info then only looking will and you might reach areas you couldn't have seen w/ out a scope-cam.

 

[gm280]

Stringers are usually made out of some type wood and run from the back of the boat to the front along the length of the boat. Bulkheads run across the boat or perpendicular to the stringers. Think of them as in your home with floor joists and such. The stringers give the boat some strength and the floor support as well. So there is no set place they will be. Each boat is built differently and therefore no two designs will be the very same. However, stringers can easily be identified by seeing the runs going from front to back and the cross supports are the bulkheads... The two vents you alluded too are there to allow air into the engine and tank compartments and one is the inlet and the other the outlet to rid any gas fumes from building up in the engine compartment. Hope that helps you a little!

 

[putback]

I'm in the same fix as you but with a '85 19 ft i/o starcraft, Common high #s boat. Can;t find a pic or dia. I didn't expect what I found opening it up. Stringers do not go full length one piece on this one. Starting at the stern they they go forward stopping at the front of the fuel tank at a bulk head, about 9 ft, Here another pair set narrower and tapered head toward the bow. They're solid 5/4 X 7" pressure treated wrapped with glass and lamenated to the hull w/glass. I cut some test holes in the glass wrap, no rot, At the stern between and glassed to the stringers is the engine mount system, This is made with plywood & glassed wrapped, totally shot, Bottom line, stringers and deck OK, engine mount needs replacement, Not that big a deal. I'm taking pics as I go & will post If I can ever figure out to upload to this ******* site. If we can get a few different glass hull rebuilds on here people can get a general idea of what to expect and there options,