stringers....need some help

i just bought a 1985 supra ski boat. Well long story short it needs stringers. They are GONE. so i posted on supraboats.com and have got alot of good information. I need some real good insight on what fiberglass/cloth and whatever goes with it to complete the job. i have never messed with fiberglass but have someone who will be helping me that has messed with it. I saw something about epoxy being better and would like to try to use it.

I have seen stuff from west system and uscomposites but really am lost as to what i need to get.

I am going to try to use douglas fir for the stringers BUT i might have to sub somethin else in to keep the budget lower. The cap is coming off the boat also.

Also someone replaced the floor and outer stringers but did not replace the main stringers. the cap was pulled for this obviously since i saw where the old rivets went. Its really sad they didnt fix it the right way but i hope i can restore it back to better than factory. I just need some insight steps on what to order.

heres the boat
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and heres the rot
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oh yea floor looks great...too bad its going in the trash...
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been looking at both uscomposites and west web sites trying to make sense of this stuff. Is polyester resign good for this job or should epoxy be used?

 

Polyester will do the job, but you'll be back doing it again. Epoxy will do the job better, is slightly more in cost, but you'll probably die before it needs a new set of stringers, if done right.

The factory's methods where not intended to last very long, just long enough to fill the warranty or out last the second mortgage the original buyer had. After ten years these boats start showing signs, which get ignored until things start breaking or falling off. Then they go through a period where attempts at "patching" her up are tried, which just make the eventual repair more extensive. If polyester is used properly, it can last a long time, but you also end up with a heavy boat, because of how much resin and fabric you need.

Enter epoxy. With this wonder goo, you can use nearly half the fabrics and resin with about the same strength or use the same amount (weight) of fabrics and resin and have a product twice as strong for the same weight. Pretty cool . . .


Bateau.com sells Marinepoxy, which is about as cheap as you'll find in retail pricing. They also sell the fabrics you'll need.

The carpet shown in you boat, is the primary reason you sole and stringers died. Carpet (no matter what kind) traps moisture between it and the substrate below. This eventually wicks or leaks below decks and rot soon starts. I can't tell you how many soles I've replaced, just because it had carpet on it. Don't tell the manufactures about this as it's good job security. Use a textured deck coating instead or if you must have carpet, use removal carpet sections and remove them from the boat after each use. They'll stay cleaner and the boat will not suffer from their being there.

As far as what to order, well this is an application specific task, but you can greatly help this situation, by studying up on what's involved. There are hundreds of previous threads on this subject here, so the search tool is the ticket. Once you have a handle on the tasks, you can start figuring out linear footage of stingers, sq. footage of plywood, fabrics and epoxy needs.

The first thing you need to do is strip the boat of everything, so you can remove the deck cap and liner, revealing how bad things really are.

 

I agree with Par. Epoxy is the way to go. Strip her down and replace each defective item with epoxy resin, and the proper fabric and and you will not be disapointed. Douglas Fir is a very good material and accepts epoxy encapsulation well. There are several threads on this site and other resource material (West System) available.

 

i have been trying to study as much as possible and search forums. (trust me i know what is like to be a avid member of a forum and newbs ask the same questions over and over but sometimes i dont have luck finding my answers in the searches) but it is also a ton of information that is confusing. I have stripped some of it down pretty much just gotta get the engine out when i get back home and then i am going to cut the floor to see what the heck they actually did under there. So far it looks as though they removed the foam already. So that is kinda a plus on the factor i dont have to pull it.

 

I think i will go with epoxy, this is something i dont plan on doing again...
One of the previous owners did the carpet along with the chity outer stringer job. P.S. i just bought this boat...didnt even get to take it out bought it knowing it was going to have to be fixed before i used it. But this is interesteing stuff to me. I have always had a desire to mess with fiberglass and such...Im sure my desire will be filled by the end of this....

 

ive decided to use the uscomposites 635 kit. i will use the medium hardener. Still trying to figure out wood options

 

Considering your location in Mississippi, I'd strongly recommend you use a slow hardener. a 635 mix will kick off in just a few minutes in a Mississippi summer.

 

thats what some other guys said, so ill get the slower one instead. Your right about the heat! It is damn hot here, but its the humudity that kills you!

 

great walk thru,
http://www.youtube.com/user/FriscoJarretts

 

i have been looking around and seen several people use southern yellow pine. I found a yard local that stocks No. 1 is that good enough?

 

SYP is fine. Wipe it down with acetone, just before you apply epoxy and avoid pitch, pith and obvious resin saturated areas in the SYP.

 

ok so is a few knots ok ?

 

Small, tight knots are okay, but these generally are associated with surrounding wood that isn't desirable. An easy way to avoid this is to by 2x10's and 2x12's in 16' lengths. This have to be cut from older, taller and more dense trees, which will yield far fewer defects. You can mill them down to the actual sizes you need. You really want straight grain stuff and these longer, wide boards will supply this.

 

ok perfect the yard im getting them from has them in 2x10 in 16ft for around $12 bucks. Ill pick them up along with some marine ply for the floor and should be able to start on this