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Can you replace a section of boat Stringer?
Making sure your boat stringers are healthy and strong is an essential part of fibreglass boat maintenance. Although it’s possible to replace small sections of the stringer, it’s often easier to make a full replacement which ensures there is no remaining damage left below the deck.
What is the best material to use for boat stringers?
For your stringers, use two pieces of 3/4″ thick wood, epoxied together, rather then one 2×4. Epoxy has a difficult time with wood thicker then 1″, so glue up thinner pieces.
Can boat stringers be repaired?
Fixing damaged or delaminated stringers is one of the most common repairs associated with fiberglass boats. Remember, stringers are structural support members. As you repair or replace damaged material, use your best workmanship.
Do all fiberglass boats have stringers?
A fiberglass laminate is very flexible, so all fiberglass boats rely on longitudinal stringers and athwartships frames and bulkheads to maintain the hull’s designed shape. While it’s impossible to see into the laminate, the hull support structure is accessible, and provides a clue to overall quality.
How do you remove old stringers from a boat?
The old stringer glass will break or at least crack, making it easier to finish the job. Use plenty of sharpe blades to mimimize the heat buildup. If the wood is wet, use more of an angle on it, cutting it thinner, so it will not drag in the wood, binding and jamming the blade. Bend it over and do the same.
What kind of wood is used for boat stringers?
You want wood that has a straight grain, free from knots or if there are knots, they should be very small and tight. Find some lumber that has a tight grain, with close annual ring spacing. It would also be wise to use a species that has good rot resistance and is easy to glue.
Can you use plywood for boat stringers?
Do not use plywood for stringers. Grain orientation is important with long thin pieces. The grain of the wood should follow the length, which goes without saying, but plywood has a large percentage of its grain running across the outer grain direction.
Can I use cedar for boat stringers?
Fine idea as long as the cedar is sealed in epoxy first all sides three coats and as long as the wood scantlings are based on a similar strength core. If the original wood was white oak, for example, it would be wise to beef up the cedar to a somewhat larger section.
What is the purpose of stringers in a boat?
The primary function of the boat stringers is to provide structural support. Hence, they are often located beneath the boat deckas a part of the hull system to strengthen stability. In some ways, they’re comparable to the floor joists. However, the hull is not the only thing that stringers assist.
Do all fiberglass boats have wood in them?
Most fiberglass boats have wood in them. Sailboats travel more slowly and depend more on hull structure for strength, but even so they often have glass-encapsulated wood stringers, engine beds, and lots of balsa or plywood cored decks.
What causes soft spots on boats?
Hi Jeff, Normally, a soft spot is caused when the foam beneath the fiberglass deck gets compressed. The fiberglass usually pops back into place but the foam remains compressed. Soft spots can be caused several ways. The most common is body weight being bounced up & down in the same spot.
How do you attach stringers to hull?
By shimming the stringer from the hull with foam or rubber pads the filtering and tabbing, to bonding with materials such as construction adhesive, such as liquid nails or Pl adhesive, to epoxy and Cab.
Do stringers attach to the transom?
You can continue the stringers over the transom and make them connect or, if you don’t want to do that, put brackets at the end of the stringers in the corners of the transom and hull. Either way, make sure these corners have a nice radius.
How do I know if my fiberglass boat is rotting?
On inboard and sterndrive boats, where transom flex is not as prevalent, a core sample can be taken from the inside of the transom to check for moisture or rot. Deck and stringer system problems go hand in hand. Soft spots on the deck are a sign of rotted and delaminated core materials.
How long can a fiberglass sailboat last?
Fiberglass Boats Last 10 – 25 Years And Up. On average, fiberglass boats last around 10 to 25 years. But, the life span can vary from 3 years to as high as 50 years, depending mainly on how often the boat is subjected to regular maintenance and where it is used saltwater, brackish waters, or normal water.
How do I know if my boat has dry rot?
Take a look at all the wood you can—including under corners and crevasses—to see if there’s any evidence of dry rot. Look for any discoloration of the wood itself: if parts of the wood look different than the rest of it, then you’re looking at the potential for dry rot.
