Stringer Design help, sizing seems small

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by WalleyeSniper, Jul 3, 2021.

  1. WalleyeSniper
    Joined: Jun 2021
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    Location: Lorain, Ohio

    WalleyeSniper Junior Member

    So, I've just got the rear sole up on my 27ft sportcraft. I noticed that 4 out of 6 stringers are merely 2x4's covered and tabbed to the hull floor...

    Should I stick with the same sizing and etc from factory, staying with just 2x4's? Or, should I be looking at giving some more beef to them and using 2×6's or something more?

    The other question is "will it hurt if I add some bulkheads here and there for accessory and storage locker purposes"? Or, will that that just help to give more rigidity to the hull?

    I'm just undecided on what type of sizing I need to put into the stringers. We're sticking with high grade lumber (marine ply laminated together to create our stringers) and would really like some design input from others with more technical know-how than ourselves.

    20210703_195946.jpg
    The basic layout. Engine beds and two outside stringers are 2x4's, with some vertical ply sections here and there on top randomly for sole support.


    20210703_201004.jpg
    Just a better shot of one of the outside 2x4 stringers.
     
  2. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
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    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    If it lasted all these years and didn't fail, then obviously what was there is strong enough. Making it stronger may not be of much value, but won't be a problem either.

    You can add anything you wish to create spaces or compartments.
     
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  3. kapnD
    Joined: Jan 2003
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    Location: hawaii, usa

    kapnD Senior Member

    Any time I see such extensive use of chop, I suspect poor workmanship in the entire build, and assume the worst...
    Drill quite a few exploratory holes in the stringers, especially down low.
    The open ends of the stringer extensions and the untamed chop at the floor junction are just wrong.
    I’d suspect the quality of the lumber used, as well as the quality of the laminate over it.
    I’d have to love that hull really a lot before considering pouring the necessary time and money required for its renovation into it.
     
  4. WalleyeSniper
    Joined: Jun 2021
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    Location: Lorain, Ohio

    WalleyeSniper Junior Member

    Looking at the factory build "techniques", if you can call it that, has me wondering how they even sold these to begin with lol.

    Rear floor stringer water coves left unglassed, stringers left open on the riser sections without curves, 90-degree glassed edges with air gaps galore, chop gun glass literally everywhere, and overall just wildly wrong in many areas.

    Unfortunately for us, this is one of our dream hulls we've wanted to get ahold of for a long time here for use on Lake Erie. Finding freshwater only boats, that the hull is decently intact, has become extremely hard to find lately. They're either fully restored and extremely expensive, or completely trashed and the outer hull is beyond salvageable. So, it makes it worth it for us to go all out on it, finding this decent outer hull for pennies.

    Out here finding a 27' hardtop that would pass a survey, under $15k, doesn't really exist. So, by the end of it, we'll be around $12k in or so and have a rock solid vessel that'll last until we're long gone. That was our thoughts anyways, on top of really wanting this specific hull for other fishing and charter purposes.
     
  5. WalleyeSniper
    Joined: Jun 2021
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    Location: Lorain, Ohio

    WalleyeSniper Junior Member

    Thank you very much for the advice. I'll definitely be sticking at least kinda close to the design, but just building it with A LOT better quality and craftsmanship. The amount of corners cut, skimpy materials, and just plain wrong techniques used from the factory are just mind boggling to me.
     
  6. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    Got a lot of good advice.

    Get a long awl with a sharp point and tapered fine entry. Poke every raw wood location, screw holes, uncovered ends.

    Removal of all rot is essential. I don't see any balsa core from the pictures, but make sure there is no core and the boat is solid glass.

    Personally, I'd be on a get rid of chop mission and I'd flatten it all out and seal it with 12 oz biaixial glass and epoxy, but that is me.

    I'd want to change the engines to outboard; that requires more than a chunk ply transom which I see you are ripping out.
     
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  7. WalleyeSniper
    Joined: Jun 2021
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    Location: Lorain, Ohio

    WalleyeSniper Junior Member

    Oh yeah, definitely going to be redoing stringers, sole/deck, transom, all of it. Basically as close to a full resto without being an "actual" resto job.

    We're getting her up on cradle stands and keeled to keep the shape while it's gutted out.

    Personally, I'd love to convert to outboards! But, I don't think my CFO is going to allow the finances for that (the wife lol). So, more than likely going to putting a crate or reman SBC back in.

    I definitely plan on eliminating all that crappy CSM and random dry chopgun glass everywhere that was never saturated to begin with. It's amazing how some of these things came out of the factory..
     
  8. wet feet
    Joined: Nov 2004
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    Location: East Anglia,England

    wet feet Senior Member

    Take care to hold the shape if you remove any amount of the original,which may mean doing it in stages.
     
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  9. WalleyeSniper
    Joined: Jun 2021
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    Location: Lorain, Ohio

    WalleyeSniper Junior Member

    Absolutely. My plan so far is to cradle the boat with the keel supported every 4' or so, and then have 3 stands on each side... But, I think with that, I still may have to do each stringer one by one just to make sure I don't warp or twist anywhere still.

    I have cradles I built, but they only support two spots on the boats length. So I may just have to build up a couoke more cradles, and THEN I could do a full gut and repair without fear... Maybe? Lol
     
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