Stringer help

hobson · #1 01-07-2007, 10:26 PM

I'm at the point where I have to decide what I'm going to do with the stringers on my 20. I cut the tops off of the stringers and ripped out all of the old foam. My first thought was to pour new foam and reglass over the tops of the stingers. I've talked to quite a few people who said dont bother with the foam just keep the stringers hollow? Then I though about doing four stringers, they would basically be 3/4" or 1" where the sides of the box stingers and now with out connecting across the top. Another problem is I can't decide what to build them out of. I was highly considering using a product called aquaplas you can see it here.(http://www.piedmontplastics.com/prod...?ID=5&TYPE=417). I got a test sample and laminated some cloth to it and adhesion is great. The nice thing about it is it is basically like a plastic so it wont ever rot and I wont have to encapsulate the whole stringer in glass, I could just tab it in with some layers of 1708. Coosa, divinycell, or nidacore are also options. If you use a core like coosa is it a necessity to encapsulate the whole stringer with glass of can you just tab it in and coat the rest with epoxy. Any input, ideas, or help would be great. I have been doing a ton of research and I'm stuck on top of the fence right now. Thanks for all the help. Here is a pic of the stringer if anyone needs any visuals.

Ryank · #2 01-08-2007, 12:02 AM

Call Kevin Horne at American Boatworks in Tarpon FL he has been restoring and repairing boats Ft for 25 years, he is also a wealth of information on repairs and gives pretty good advice.

Bigshrimpin · #3 01-08-2007, 01:53 AM

What'dah go and do that for? The foam looks pretty dry in the pics. If I were you I'd just put everything back the way you found it.

Seriously . . . What I would do (now that you screwed everything up . . . just kidding) is to pour new foam 2 or 4 lb and fill up the cavity. After it dry's . . . Then take a hand saw and cut the overflow off (so that the foam is level with the tops of the stringer sides . . . Then laminate about 6 layers of 1808 over the tops and about 4 to 6 inches down each side. That way you have no voids or air pockets in the stringers.

That's what I would do.

Bryan A. · #4 01-08-2007, 10:04 AM

I second what Big said. It would be the easiest, provide some flotation IF needed, and it is the way it was originally built. I have never been that deep into my 20SF but I believe most custom and semi custom builders still use foam filled stringers today so why reinvent the wheel. AS long as it is sealed properly the foam will last plenty long. (IF you talk to Fellowship we will not be around long enough to use them anyway.

)
Plus the form is already in place.

strick · #5 01-09-2007, 12:25 AM

The quickest, easiest and best way would be to do like Big said. You already have the stringers in place and those are nice sized stringers. You can spend 3-4 months working on stuff under the deck if you are not careful. Dont open up a can of worms if you dont have to. Are you planning on raising the floor?

strick

NoBones · #6 01-09-2007, 01:32 AM

The foam adds structural integrity as well, believe it or not. With out the foam the hull will twist under load.

See ya, Ken

Bigshrimpin · #7 01-09-2007, 02:05 AM

That one stringer isn't going to be cheap to fix (probably $500+ in materials). I'm gonna guess it'll take about 10 cubic feet of foam, 10 yards of 1808 (depending on the width), a case of ice cold beer and 5 gallons of resin to fix. If you pick 4lb density foam . . . you can sand it a little better than 2lb.

If you suspect the other stringer is wet inside drill some holes near the base of the stringer and dry out the foam. Then patch up the holes (if you want too)

hobson · #8 01-09-2007, 02:33 AM

Thanks for all the input thats what I wanted to hear. I already opened up both stringers and removed all the old foam, it was all really wet and filled with water. I will be pouring new foam and glassing over it then raising the stringers with the aquaplas material that way I will have something sturdy to drill into. Thanks again for all the input.

Blue_Heron · #9 01-12-2007, 06:15 PM

Quote:

...it was all really wet and filled with water.

hobson,
Any idea how much that water logged foam weighed? My 20 is a little sluggish, and I wonder if my stringers are water logged and that could be contributing to a bow-heavy condition.
Thanks,
Dave

hobson · #10 01-12-2007, 06:50 PM

Oh man I have no idea. I do know I threw away about 10 trash bag full of foam and sucked up probably a 10 gallon shop vac full of water.