hydrastream project

[audiosolstice]

i am buying a 18 foot hydrstream this weekend and the boat is guted out allready except for the delaminated and possibly rotted stringers. the transom is probably rotted also. i have experience with laying glass and the question is what materials do i replace the stringers with? pressure treated lulmber? i am trying to stay as light as possible since it is a race boat. any comments are really appreciated.

[TrendSetter]

run for the hills and find anther boat.. I did this same thing but with a 15' viper last winter.. what a mistake. just get some more real solid plywood soak it with epoxy and its good enough for a boat like that, unless you want to step up to synthtic foam type boards which cost mroe are stronger and lighter and will never rot

[rookie repair m]

The best way to fix that Hydrostream is to cut the stringers down to good wood or remove them all together, make patterns, then make them from 3/4" a/b or b/c exterior grade plywood. cover the stringers with glass on all sides except the bottoms use Nytal powder and polyester resin to install them, than glass them down using up to 8" strips. do one at a time other wise the hull may take a new shape. this is very labor intesive work but it is not that hard mostly time consuming. Replace the transom first if it is needed.

[audiosolstice]

thanks for the help...but with the boat almost being free i am not passing up on it....now the eight inch strips are these the widths or the lenghths of the strips? also just cut the plywood the same size as the original stringers im sure the new stringers do not have to be a solid peice the whole way to the front roight

[audiosolstice]

what is nytal powder? is it an agent you add in the resin?

[Alan Power]

Originally Posted by audiosolstice

what is nytal powder? is it an agent you add in the resin?

Coloidal silica or Cabosil

Also check the core in that boat, if the transom, stringers and floor are goofed I'll bet money the core is shot also. I'm doing the exact same job to the same boat at the moment!

Later, Alan