I have a question about stringers. I finally pulled mine out yesterday. They were completely waterlogged. Someone went in and did a horrible job trying to seal them with fiberglass. Anyways, I have heard people on this board say use Philipean Mahogany. What is the bennefit of using this vs. a redwood or treated wood? How much strength do you need if the stringers are properly sealed with fiberglass. Thanks...Joe
You hit the nail on the head. As long as its sealed with resin, it can not rot. The lighter the better as far as wood. DO NOT drill any holes in floor and it will not rot again. Be careful when pumping Tuff Stuff back in. Expands its ass off. Will blow that new floor right up. Good luck, take your time and do it right one time.
In a perfect world, your stringers should never get wet, but my ? is what if they do?. For whatever reason, why not use the best hardwood and the best wood to resist moisture? When I did my stringers, I was told by Old Rigger that most types of wood are fine as long as they are Kiln Dried. With the theroy that a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link in mind, I decided to go with the best hardwood I could find. I don't have the number on me, but contact Reel Lumber in Riverside, CA. Located on Chicago near 3rd st. They have the most knowlegable people I have ever met in regards to the properties of woods. It was the guys at Reel that told me that Phillipean Mohogany is the best wood for my application. They told me that most of the people who buy their Mohogany are boat builders and people restoring old boats.
After glassin in my stringers, I sprayed rubberized undercoating on them to seal anything I might have missed. Also shot the underside of my floor with it. You can buy that shit at Kragens for a couple bucks a can.
Bow Tie Omega:
They were completely waterlogged. Someone went in and did a horrible job trying to seal them with fiberglass. That's how you tell it's an Omega from a splash.
wink
JK
I feel your pain bro. Went through it last year.
I think strength is an issue as well. Redwood is very rot resitant, but it's strength is not too high, it splits pretty easily.
Try posting your question on havasubarney.com, if anybody knows this stuff it him.
Godd luck.
The best way I know of is to laminate pieces of 3/4" 5 ply plywood in the center and pieces of 1/2" 5 ply on the outside. Stick them all together with a layer of 1/2 ounce mat in between, and lay them into the boat with a catalyzed epoxy of some sort like marine tex. Then sand them and router the edges and cover them in a layer of 1/2 ounce mat with surfacing agent in the resin. Sand that down a little to roughen it up and cover them in 6 ounce (I Think...) bi-axial, also with surfacing agent. You will then have stringers as tough as any K-boat or blown fuel hydro. Then, if you want to make it look pretty, you can sand your whole floor and flow coat it, or just gel-coat it.
Thanks for the info guys. So beached1, the rubberized coating is OK to do. That was another one of my questions. I really do not want to do this again ( stringers). I am really trying to do it right.
make sure the bottom of the boat is straight before you put new ones in
Most Boat builders use Kiln Dried stair step stock..Its the perfect size...A 10' lenght ripped in half lenghtwise should do the trick...Any hardwood will work, Ash works great, and it looks great....
Keep in mind...most hardwoods are very dense...which means very heavy. If you're concerned about your boat's weight, I'd stick with a KD Fir & soak the tar out of it with CPES from rotdoctor.com
I do like the laminated plywood idea though...
Todd
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote