1975 Skiier Stringer Replacement

Good morning. My name is Scott and I am 49 years old and would you believe this is the FIRST time I have ever posted anything anywhere!! No facebook, twitter, ect...... I know, I am behind the times but I seem to get by. Old school like my boat I guess!!

Let me explain my situation. I have not read any posts on this website related to my subject and decided to just post this and read later. I was replacing the wood beneath the seats and was making great progress until I ran into what seems to be a common problem with boats this old. The smaller stringers that run the length of the boat are rotten in some places and perfect in others. The stringers that support the engine are in great shape. The small stringers are approximately 1" X 4" or 5". All of the stringers behind the engine bordering the bilge area are rotten and I have taken them out. The other stringers are rotten in some places and beautiful in others.

Should I patch the areas that are rotten or just go ahead and replace them all so I will never have to do it again?(I have owned the boat for 21yrs) Should I keep the boat original and use epoxy treated wood or go with a synthetic material? I ran across a great idea on YOutube from a Shipshape TV episode where he used a product called Preforms(www.Preforms.com) which are prefabricated stringers that will never rot and are easy to install. Also, where do I buy replacement foam to fill in the voids I am fixing to cut out?

I guess I am asking for any help anyone can give me. Trying to get the boat ready by May for my son to start skiing. You can view my boat and details about it on this website under 1975 Correct Craft Skiier in Alabama. Email me anytime at sdbranum@knology.net but this email is fixing to change any day so I will have to update my profile. Thanks

Scott
Huntsville, AL

imbibe? thats a new one, now i can trick the wife again

I am a real dummy when it comes to finding pictures on my computer and posting them but if you can give me the first few steps, I will go from there. You can see the boat under the "diaries" section under the 1975 year and Skiier model for alabama. Thanks.

Scott,
I found your diary and took a look. Great looking boat! Have you checked the engine/prop shaft/strut alignment?

The pictures we'd now like to see are some of the stringers. The boat being a 75 means it is due for a job no matter how it was taken care of through the years.

What a trip. I have an uncle named Scott who lives in Huntsville, AL on top of Montesano Mtn and has the same @knology.net suffix on his email...

You cant use pressure treated wood. Fiberglass does not bond to it because of the chemicals used. They are glassed to the hull but not always wrapped over the top. There are a few checks to determine the condition of the main stringers. The easiest is to check the lag bolts holding the engine mounts. If you can back them out a quarter turn and then tighten them back down you are good. If they will not hold torque they are done. Half of mine spun in place when I tried to tighten them back down.

I am glad to know about the possibility that pressure treated wood will not adhere to epoxy resin. I had a piece already cut out for the seat area so I may have to use another type. Thanks.

As far as the main beams go, I have banged on them with a hammer and looked them over real good and I just don't know if I want to go through all that work including removing the engine just in case. I could remove the fiberglass that is on them and see and then reglass both of them all the way down but I don't think I can remove them in this lifetime. I only use the boat about 20 hours/summer and only average 12 hours/summer since I bought it back in 1990.

I just finished removing one side of the secondaries and boy was I glad I did. It had a ton of rot in them that I did not see(like you say could happen in the primaries). I used a sharp pickax and just cut them out and removed all the foam. Now I am going back outside to attempt the other side.

srbranum wrote: Why would I need to check the engine/prop shaft/strut alignment?

Besides it being a suggested yearly maintenance item, it's a good way to keep a eye on stringer failure. If it's out, it can damage your trans.

Have you ever done it or had someone do it for you in the 21 years?.

Tried to resize a picture and not having much luck downloading it in the proper format. I will keep trying. Please excuse my ignorance.

I am going to humbly hang my head in the corner over here. If you are already under the floor, replace all the stingers. In Nov 2008 I failed to heed this advice. I do indeed feel that our Mustang will have many years left in the primary stringers, however looking back, and knowing what I know now, no question, you replace them while you are in there. It doesn't even take much more time, and no more material besides the wood. I am at peace with the decision I made, but would never do it again. Never.
Buck up and do it right the first time, Pete ain't lying.

See my last post to Mike. You and he have good wisdom my son and should go far(did I hear that in a Chinease movie......?)

Now whether your child typing this will do what you prophesy has yet to be determined but I am listening........

srbranum wrote: taking the engine out at this point makes me want to throw up. I just got through replacing all the wiring and I have no idea what it takes to take the engine out. Looks like you unbolt the four mounts, cut the wires, disconnect the fuel lines and separate it from the shaft. It's sitting in my workshop. If I were to do it, I would almost cut a hole in the ceiling, tie an engine hoist to the beams and lift it up a few inches

No name,
I'd rather pull a engine from a boat than a car/truck. Really it's not that bad of a job. If you'd rather not go cutting a hole in the ceiling and beaming across several ceiling joists to handle the load, you may want to look for a engine hoist. I went shopping just recently to get the 1927 engine out of the back end of my Suburban. Went on line to all the normal places like Northern and Harbor but the shipping was close to the purchase price!! Then went to good old ebay and did a "purchase now" for about $180 for a folding 2 ton and the shipping was free! He had a decent stock of them so you may want to take a look.

If you decide to go and put something in your ceiling, I'd go and put two lifting points in now. This way you'll be able to lift the complete boat if wanted. I do it with two 2 ton "come-a-longs".

The two on the right are for spanning the joists spreading the load.

Mike,
I did it again!! I forgot Scott signed his first post! Sorry Scott.

Scott,

Listen to these guys. They know what they're talking about. I'll tell you there were a lot of places on my stringers that "SEEMED" solid. Once I cut them out I found out the wood was dry rot and kind of in one piece, but it isn't what I would consider solid.

I took my boat to a local boat repair shop to pull the engine and put it on a crate. He charged me $100. I'll do the same thing to put it back in.

As far as wood is concerned, I've been using Doug Fir lumber and plywood. My Supra is a little different layout than the Correct Crafts, but You can get some good ideas on how to put the wood in on mine. Each of my stringers were about $20. I'll spend ~$40 on the cross bracing. The plywood was ~$130. The compostie materials will last forever, but they're cost is pretty high. That's why I decided to just go wood.

By the way, one of the reasons I try and take so good care of this boat is that I had a guy last year offer me $10,000 for it while skiing one day. The previous high offer I had before that was $8700(It cost $5500 brand new in 1975) but its not for sale for twice the offer. I want to keep it as original as possible and its a joy to ride. Sounds like two Harley Davidson's on the water!!! Nothing like it first thing in the morning.

scott