Is the wood structural?

I am arguing with people on another boat forum about stringers. The arguement is whether or not the wood in a 32' B'liners stringers is structural. I say no, am I wrong? I know wood was used because of availability and cost. Would foam, corecell or even waxed cardboard work? Sorry if this is a played out topic but I think I'm right and tired of the arguement but to stubborn to let it go. Thanks in advance.

Bill

ps... I'm not a pro but I am a jack of all trades and master of none. Just love boats.

 

Stringers add strength and depending on their placement may help prevent what I call tin-canning, or flexing of hull floor. Therefore, I consider them structural. If they didn't strengthen the hull, they would then be a wasted additional weight.

 

Right Hoyt!

 

I think the question is whether or not the core material adds to the strength,
and if so how much.

Frank

 

Frank,

That is exactly my point. I know the stringers are an important strength factor. I am argueing the core material. I believe the core , whether wood or synthetic, is there to hold the glass until it sets. I believe that if it was structural, it wouldn't have to be bedded to prevent damaging hard spots.

Bill

 

It can be either way. Glass helps protect the wood and tie it into the hull so it acts as a structural component. But with enough glass you don't need the wood. You can find out by letting the stringers rot. If the deck gets soft and saggy or you have other problems, the stringers were providing structure.

Most of the time the wood and glass work together for the required strength.

It's also based on economy, not necessarily on what's best.

The structure wood adds is also not only in being hard to bend when it's edgewise, if the glass is also adding structure, the wood helps prevent it from collapsing sideways and the whole "beam" buckling.

 

In a Bayliner the wood is structural. It also is where the engine mount fasteners hold to. A foam core would not give enough material thickness for the lagscrews to hold.