? for OldRigger and others--Stringer Delamination

[corlish]

OldRigger and others,
I started working (read as CLEANing) on our "new" '71 Rogers 18' and found some delamination (via the tap test and visually) in the last 1.5-2 ft of stringer closest to the dash. The wood "appears to be dry and in in decent shape. What is the right thing to do here...do I inject with epoxy, splice in a new section of stringer or replace the whole thing? Also, what about the holes on top of the stringers where the seats/floorboards where screwed down. Do I fill those with epoxy/resin...I have seen where some people will through-bolt a piece of angle and use that to fasten seats/floorboards, definitely stronger but is it necessary? Thanks
Corey

[corlish]

Someone once said pictures are worth a 1000 words...
The milky/opaque area is about where the delam starts.
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/Picture_020.JPG
Here's another from the front (sorry it's sideways :( ).
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/Picture_021.JPG

[beached1]

I just spent last winter redoing my stringers, floor and transom in my Omega. If it were me, I would replace both stringers completely. From the pics, it looks like you are 1/2 way there. It's also my opinion that a full one piece stringer glassed in would be stronger than splicing two together. Like that saying "A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link" come to mind. It also looks to me from the one sideways pic that the wood wasn't cut at much of an angle (if cut at all) to match the angle of the hull. If this is the case, I would rip that sh$t out. Use an angle finder to set your angle on your saw and use an old drafting compass to scribe the highs and lows of your hull into the new wood. Then just cut and follow the pencil marks. As for wood Old Rigger once told me in a e-mail that any Kiln dried wood is sufficient. I went with the hardest wood I could find that could stand up moisture the most. I eneded up using Phillipean Mohagany. It's pricey. For two 2"X6" X16' was $150. But worth it. I'll attach before/ after pics but appologize in advance for stretching the screen. I up loaded these b4 resizing them by accident.
http://www.beached1.homestead.com/files/Shit_4_stringer_2.jpg
http://www.beached1.homestead.com/files/Stringers_in.jpg

[corlish]

Beached1,
Your repair looks like it turned out real nice. It looks like you added some wood that was not orignally there also, did you notice a difference in the way the boat rides/handles as a result? Also, what did you lay over the wood?, how many layers?, just mat or cloth or mat and cloth?
--Corey

[beached1]

It rides 100 times better. I have no boat building exp at all. I just built this stringer setup the way I thought it should have been in the first place.
Sorry I didn't snap a shot of the finished glass work. Or if I did, I can't find it. I went with 1 layer of standard mat (Which is the strongest IMO than any of the cloths) and Laminating resin. Then after it dried, I went another layer of 6" boat tape and Lam resin. I cut the tape in about 1' strips and layed them up accross the wood. This made it real easy to roll out any air bubbles with a weenie roller, but also made it very time comsuming. After it was all done it was a great time to flip the hull and true the bottom. You might want to plan for that also since any changes like this to your hull will have an affect on wet side.
With a stiffer hull and a strait bottom, you should pick up more speed, have better tracking, and a smoother ride.

[corlish]

Speaking of flipping the hull...has anyone come up with an "easy" way to do this. I am thinking a few neighbors and some sweat. I will definitely be working on the bottom, the boat has sat on a trailer since ~`95 and I can see with the 'ole Mark-1 eyeball some "peaks and valleys". Along those lines, I am assuming that the boat should be as "flat" (length-wise) as possible...right? :confused:

[squirt]

I've made a jig to make filpping a hull a one man job without sweating. 1st I made a jig to slip over the bow and I secure it to the bow eye, it has a 1" x 12" bar comming off streight out. 2nd a jig for the stern, a 2x6 with a 1"x 12" dia bar going back. I built out of 2x6 a frame like a window frame with a 2x6 with a 1" hole at the top of this frame. jack the boat up and slip the frame over the bar and the back should be ready. For the front I use my engine hoist and lift from the 1" bar welded to the bow jig. when your hull is high enough I use a block and tackle to start turning the boat over while I have a second line to make sure it dosen't flip too fast. It's too bad that I just took a bunch of pic's of this and was going to post but most of the pics on the disc won't come up. If you'd like I can e-mail some to you if you leave your e-mail addy here.
Don
ps now that I have the jigs it takes me about 20 min by myself to flip a hull.

[beached1]

If the hull is empty it's easier than you might think. If you have the room of course. 3 of us shoved the ass end of my hull off the trailer onto my neighbors lawn. Then drove the trailer out from underneath. Then flipped it onto 3 tires (in positions to suspend the hull from the ground of course) covered with old blankets and it's a go. I used some really cool stuff called Fibral for filler. It's not talc based like most of the other fillers. Has fiberglass in it and it water proof. I got it at a auto paint store Smitys in Yucaipa, but I'm sure there are other shops that carry it. Since you would heading there to get filler, chip off some gelcoat if you can from the area you will be working on and bring it with you to the paint shop. This way they can mix you up a pint to match your color while you are there. Might save you the extra trip later.

[diggler]

I had "boat flipping" parties. No one could drink any beer until we put the boat onto the custom stand I built. I took about eight guys, but only because of the awkwardness of the size, not the weight. With the stand on rollers, I could maneuver it about without any help.
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/Bottom_paint_1.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/Boat_with_freshly_built_rack41.JPG

[corlish]

Squirt,
I tried to email you but it got kicked back...pics of your jig would be great. I follow your description but pics always help. By the way, do you do alot of work on hulls and etc? i.e. blueprinting, gelcoating, and etc. thanks in advance
Corey
corlish@rap.midco.net

[1HOTGMCJET]

I sent you a PM and also got my email kicked back - would like to see those pics as well.... Thanks! :)
Email Addy - HOT1GMCJET@aol.com
[ October 02, 2002, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: 1HOTGMCJET ]

[squirt]

Hey guys, Sorry about that e-mail addy it is old. I intended to do a step by step with pic's for the Banderlog board but with this old puter(my daughters) it's not going to happen. I can and will email you guy what I have with so hopfully better discripitions. Leave your e-mails here and I send them off. I did this cause I couldn't always find 5 guys willing to help at the same time and exactly when I need to do the work. Corey I've done 3 hulls now but all for myself as far a bottom blueprinting there was a great article on this board last year and it is probably in the archivesI might have it on file in the garage so I will look.
Don
PS I just saw your e-mail Corey so I will see if I can send the pic's out today

[1HOTGMCJET]

Added my email addy to the above, squirt - looking forward to hearing from you - Thanks! :D
[ October 02, 2002, 07:01 PM: Message edited by: 1HOTGMCJET ]

[squirt]

HOTGMCJET got your addy will send ya it tonight! Good luck with your project.
Don

[corlish]

Thanks Squirt! I entered into the land of no return tonight and ripped a stringer out...the wood was not terribly rotten anywhere but the bottom 1/2"-1" was water soaked for the entire length. So it was just a matter of time I guess :confused: More to follow.