subfloor

['75 Miller]

Is the subfloor in a full stringered semi-v jet boat a structural element or merely a flat surface to walk on? Will my hull lose much strength or rididity by leaving the subfloor out after I've finished my glass repair? I'm thinking I'd rather glass in some 1/2 round pine strips (left in pic) for reinforcement and ditch the subfloor. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

[SmokinLowriderSS]

IMO, yes, it is a major stiffener, as is any foam trapped between it and the hull (unless there is a bunch of space there) The main thing it will reduce is hull TWIST flex. The stringewrs will deal with folding forces but will allow the hull to twist like a twizzler a lot more than you think.

[Tn_River_Ratt]

Put the floor back in and fill with foam. It will stiffen and help with deadning sound also. My $.02

[bakerjet]

lots of full stringer boats do not have floors, just my .02 cents

[Cas]

those don't look like full stringers but more like full length floor supports. What size lumber is that? They only appear to be maybe a 2x4 "stringers"?

['75 Miller]

My "stringers" appear to be 2x6's cut down to 5". That pic was taken standing on a 6 foot ladder and yeah they do look more like 2x4's. They're 12 1/2 feet long from the transom to about 10" past the bulkhead @ the top of the pic. I ASSumed they were full-length because with the hull angling up and in towards the tip of the bow I didn't think they could be any longer.

[Cas]

I'm thinking that those are floor supports and the hull needs the floor to be reglassed in to give it the strength it needs. What's nice about what you have is you could put a pretty good sized storage locker down the center.

['75 Miller]

So they're not stringers? Can someone who's boat sports full stringers please post a picture? The plywood floor that I removed didn't sit atop the stringers, but rather sat between them.

[YumaBiesemeyer]

Ok, here's a vote for not structural. I have seen many boats without them that are very light weight and they have many hard hours on them. They all do have full length stringers.

[Cas]

I'm thinking you should talk to someone with a Miller to compare apples to apples. My 19' Tahiti had very similar "stringers" as yours but the floor was mounted to the top. My current boat has full 2x6 stringers with a floor on top but I've seen the same boat without the floor and the 2x6's.
Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll do a lot of info gathering first.

['75 Miller]

Cas, why do you keep referring to them as "stringers"? Are they stringers or not?

[Cas]

In essence, that's what it is. A stringer in construction is a long horizontal timber used as a support or connector and that's exactly what those long pieces are doing. The difference is that in a boat, the stringers need to be of a size that can handle the pounding force of the water. Wrapping the timber in fiberglass strengthens the piece quite a bit so long as there is a real good bond. Stringers of a smaller size will need additional reinforcing and that's where the glassed in floor comes in.
I've seen a couple of boats with broken stringers one of which snapped with a piece of it sticking through the bottom of the boat.
BTW, I've almost typed floor joists a couple of times :D

[boater012]

Does the engine mount to them?????? If the answer is yes then they are in fact stringers!!!! My hallet has no floor and is very stiff. I'd say the boat would be fine without them unless you are planning to jump the wake from some 50 footers in its lifetime!!!!