1975 Skiier Stringer Replacement

Scott,
Through the silicone out!! Everyones correct that the stuff isn't the greatest. You haven't been around long enough to know there are several things I'm very opinionated about. One of them is silicone!!! Have you ever noticed it doesn't stick very well at times? It won't even stick to itself. As mentioned, go with 5200 or 4200 which has slightly less adhesive qualities.

BTW, a couple others are tubers and of course keepin it original!!   

Ok, go ahead and let me have it ..........what's a tuber?

WakeSlayer wrote: Do NOT use silicon. If in fact the wood is in really good shape, I think it is ok to get after the rest of the project. I do NOT think this is the right way to do it, but you guys that are in the beginning phases of your stringer jobs simply are not going to have boats this year if you do not get going quickly. I would prefer you replaced it. Use 3m 5200 Marine Sealant, and glass around the back side of it like it was. You were probably taking water in there if it just came free after removing the flange. Not replacing the wood at this time is just my opinion and I expect to be flamed a bit for it. But you do want a boat to use pretty soon.

Good grief I just spent 50 minutes staring at my old stringer sitting on top of the new stringer and cannot figure out how to cut the angle side of the new board to match the contour of the boat hull. You would think its just a matter of copying the old board but its not that easy. Any suggestions?

+1 on the power planar!!!

My stringers came out intact. I cut the long side, stood them on the tops, and duplicated them to their respective originals with the power planar. I bet it did not take 20 minutes each.

Scott,
Sorry my description is hard to understand. Sometimes putting a process into words isn't easy!

If your old stringers did come out and still fit fairly good to the hull, then you can rely on them more just as Mike did.

A band saw is idea for cutting the curvature but I understand we all don't have one. Next best toll I would choose would be the hand power circular saw - "Skil saw". No it won't go around corners but will rough cut in sections. Just be careful!! Your jig saw for ripping 2" isn't going to hack it!! Do look into a power hand planer. I believe Harbor tool has a basic inexpensive one.

Jig saw work fine for us. Just make sure you have some good blades. Watch any tight radiuses as sometimes the blade will have the tendency to bend and cut a different pattern on the bottom.

If your old stringer is usable as a pattern I would use it as opposed to a dimensioned drawing (although we dimensioned the old before it was removed not knowing how it would come out). We did as Mike did, traced the old, cut, then clamped the two pieces together, and cut the bottom angle with a power planner to match the original. My son used the power planner and I followed with a hand planner to clean it up.
For the drain holes on the bottom of stringer we did not cut as tall as a hole as others, only about an inch, and we located them at the low spot when on the trailer and about at the water pick ups in the rear. On the top of the stringer we cut only as required for the engine mounts of the engine we are putting back in. I looks like CC cut the originals to accommodate a verity of engines. The notches for the floor battens is really your call. We are at 12" on center which worked well with the flooring material layout, seat base, and is tight enough so 1/2" material can be used. The secondary stringers follow the primary.

FrankT

       

I remember a local hardware rental place wanted $75 per day to rent a chainsaw I needed for a weekend. I went and bought a little one for $160 and it lasted me 10 years before it gave up the ghost.

Thickened epoxy fixes everything stop worrying

I am not sure, but I think you will need to set your primaries 1/2 toward the gunnels. I am guessing that if you set them 1/2 inch toward the centerline of the boat, you may have trouble with the engine mounts. ICBW. I'm not entirley familiar with the engine mounts/width on your style of boat.

BKH

Scott,
The common 1x's you'll find at Lowes most likely be a pine which is fine. There will however be a couple grades. Look at the prices. My concern with the common #1&2 would be moisture content, cupping, twisting, bowing and of course the knots.

79TiqueRebuild wrote: The Lowes I shop at had Douglas fir in 1xs it was back by the hardwoods. I had to dig through them to get good ones though. Monty

Monty,
Are you sure it was Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)? Was it labeled as such or just "Fir"? The SPF (spruce, pine, fir) "white woods" is very broad with 48-55 species of evergreen conifers. A common "fir" in the SPF group would be a "Balsam" Fir. Mo. is a pretty long distance from the Pacific Northwest!!!!

8122pbrainard wrote: 79TiqueRebuild wrote: The Lowes I shop at had Douglas fir in 1xs it was back by the hardwoods. I had to dig through them to get good ones though. Monty Monty, Are you sure it was Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)? Was it labeled as such or just "Fir"? The SPF (spruce, pine, fir) "white woods" is very broad with 48-55 species of evergreen conifers. A common "fir" in the SPF group would be a "Balsam" Fir. Mo. is a pretty long distance from the Pacific Northwest!!!!

Pete,

I think The University of Alabama(National Champs and my alma mater, thank you) offered a doctoral program in wood and tree science.....did you graduate in that program?

Seriously dude, just tell me what to buy at Lowe's and I am there with check in hand. Headed to Memphis.

Thanks,

scott

Monty,
I beleive you but am surprised. Outside the northwest, 2x Doug it hard to find these days let alone 1x. 1x is odd because Doug is typical for structural.

Scott,
I did answer you question on what to get. It's up a couple posts from the Pseudotsuga menziesii. Any of the 1x labled pine and then look at the quality which will affect the cost. FWIW, I did have some schooling in woods. Not forestry but it did give me a pretty good understanding of the woods out there. BTW, I did have to cheat and look up the scientific name for the Doug Fir!!

Here is my progress to date.. Here are two shots of my stringers. The secondary ones are not in place but just set up for the picture:





I decided to use two floor supports from underneath my house to support the floor while I work on it. Works perfect. You can buy them at Lowe's:



Ya'll got any comments for me?

Pete,

Yes, a brand new one for this project. Will do. I plan on covering the entire primary stringers with glass and that should do the trick.

I will remove the old gelcoat. I was going to buy some color pigment to mix in for the bilge covering. I remember purchasing some pigment from my resin supplier before when I built that hunting boat so I will get with him.

If I do everything I plan to do, I see me buying a bunch more epoxy. Bought a six gallon kit to start and had some already but I bet I buy at least another six gallons.

I used another antique block planer my grandfather willed to me to make the top of the new stringer perfectly level with its companion still in the boat. I will post a picture of these old tools I am using tomorrow.
It just makes the project more personal to me.


scott