Replacing stringers and floor?

[willd]

I have a circa 1960 14' runabout, that I am turning into a open fishing boat. The original manufacturer used 2" foam and glassed over for support and a floor. I have removed the seats which were used as side support and the water laden foam in the floor, I now have a bare glass hull, my plan is to put a 2x6 center stringer and several knees attached to stringer for bottom and side support,then finish by attaching 1/2 plywood floor to this. I intend to glass or epoxy all of this together as a replacement for original system. If someone has any thoughts on this, I would appreciate any input. This is the first time I have done such a project. Thank you.

[tunnels]

Originally Posted by willd

I have a circa 1960 14' runabout, that I am turning into a open fishing boat. The original manufacturer used 2" foam and glassed over for support and a floor. I have removed the seats which were used as side support and the water laden foam in the floor, I now have a bare glass hull, my plan is to put a 2x6 center stringer and several knees attached to stringer for bottom and side support,then finish by attaching 1/2 plywood floor to this. I intend to glass or epoxy all of this together as a replacement for original system. If someone has any thoughts on this, I would appreciate any input. This is the first time I have done such a project. Thank you.

The floor panel make sure its completely resin coated after you cut and ground to shape and size Specially the under side That will get damp and stay damp for ever if it not sealled . Resin coat everything and keep the water out . Dont use any foam in the bottom again as it will just saok water like before and get heavy again . You could use Vinylester resin instead of epoxy !! See whats availible in your area and the cost !!

[PAR]

Vinylester rivals the price of epoxy with less then optimum bonding and tensile strength issues on wood. Epoxy is the better choice, if slightly more costly. Leave sufficient weep holes in the athwart hull shell stiffeners so moisture can drain aft, to a sump and a transom drain.

[tunnels]

the exspence of epoxy can be conciderable also once you start using epoxy you should carry on with it for ever more and a day because of bonding over the top of epoxy .
Me Vinylester would be my choice of the two The bond is not as good to the wood but at the end of the day when the wood gets wet and starts to rot again its the glass that gives it the strength .
I am all for glass foam stringers and Foam glass floors dont use any wood at all under floor or any where else .
My old runabout semi cabin was built 1975 and as sound as the day it was made .
It has no wood anywhere in the construction now , i replaced the whole transom that was soaking wet with a complete new glass and foam transom , I also replaced the Tired old omc 75 hp with a Vee 4 115 Yamaha and it fly's like it was never intended to do . Simple because its sold glass i had no hesitation doing the switch of stepped transom and getting rid of the only wood in the boat to be able to almost double the hp !!

[PAR]

A 'glass and foam or solid 'glass laminate is much more expensive then using wood as the core. I know your experience in with the polys Tunnels, but there's a reason wood is still the preferred core material when a price point counts.

If using epoxy (properly) then the wood isn't going to get wet (unlike the polys). The use of epoxy insures he's not going to have this problem again, but with the polys this isn't the case.