Stringer Repair 1985 2001 Ski Nautique

As far as I understand you need to take the boat off the trailer and make some wooden mounting blocks for it, there are plenty of folks on here who have posted photos, I'll eventually be looking to do the same..

TRBenj wrote: The trailer plus some strategically placed braces (Ive put them under the chine at the rear and again under the windshield) should shore it up properly.

This is the question I'm driving at: What did you use as a brace?

It turns out that I had to finish my building before I took the floor out (as it wasn't quite waterproof with no shingles or sides) ~ imagine that. It's still not "done" but today's the first day of spring, so I figured I needed to at least get going.


The carpet, engine, tranny, exhaust piping,etc., are all out.

I can not figure out the gas tank (I got it empty, but the hoses are immovable ~ essentially frozen. I was thinking I might just "cut" them off. Does anyone have a better solution?

Cutting the floor did not go as expected

I tried a circular saw, but that didn't work.

I also bought a 4.5 inch grinder, but I got the wrong kind of disks, so I couldn't even try it to see if it would be any better. If you recommend grinder, what disk would be best?

On the starboard side, the floor is mostly separated from the hull. I was really tempted to just pry it back from there (but I didn't want to break through the outer hull......).

Still now idea how to post pictures on this forum....

Best,
J

Hey ~~~ that's why I couldn't do it ~ I was hitting the "Quick Reply" at the bottom.

This first picture shows the extent of floor separation (I put screw drivers in the crack so you could see how far it went).... It is basically separated from the air intake box to about 2 feet in front of the gas tank on the starboard side. You can also see the white line cut from the circular saw ~~~~~



The Port Side Secondary Stringer (below) has known issues.




No idea why pulling this tank is so hard. I'm cutting it tomorrow (I did get a fillup when I emptied the tank ~ so I'm still in the black). It also looks like there is a leak somewhere (see the dark stains running down the left side?)




Leveled and braced ~~~~~ For some reason, I'm really proud of this accomplishment.



As to the circular saw and the floor: It may have been a blade issue. I had a plywood blade ~~~~ little bitty teeth. It was brand new however, so I figured it would work on the fiberglass. I set the blade to cut about an eighth of an inch, but it was not happy, and made a lot of sparks. After a lot of forcing, it finally did draw a tiny line down the side, but that was about it. Once the line was drawn, it did not come free like I figured it would. I know this has to be a "user error" ~~~ any suggestions?

Best,
J

8122pbrainard wrote: I would caution you on the use of a level. It only works if the boat is level. I like to use a straight edge across known points like the old floor and then measure to the stringers.

What the hell does this mean?


You are going to make a huge dusty mess inside if you cut and grind everything out now. Do everything except the stringers outside, on the trailer. Maybe someone who has done a SN2001 hull can further comment.

PS. Looks like Gary has been cutting off the [/ at the end of his quotes, probably just getting a little wild with the delete button while slimming down the quoted content.

iplan wrote: As to the circular saw and the floor: ~~~ any suggestions?

I haven't done this myself, but I remember others used a sawzall for ripping the floor. You can just let it hug the hull side as you travel down the length.

Gas tank is out ~~~ finally.


BTW, when I was reading the initial stringer replacement threads, I was amazed by how many times people were washing the transom out..... well now I know. It's a filthy mess down there!

Removing the rudder assembly has me a bit unnerved. Besides taking lots of pictures and video does anyone have any suggestions?

I used the diamond blade on a grinder... Joe recommended it in his rebuild thread.   I felt that it worked pretty well, but scared myself once I got to about the drivers seat.   I didn't cut the bottom of the hull, but sure could have.   make sure and give a good couple of inches to the hull side, then curve sharply to the keel line as you pass the pylon mount.   YOu'll have a better feel for where the side is once you get some of the foam out. Foam removal worked really well using a hand driven sheet rock saw, and a trenching shovel.   I did my floor cutting in the garage, but I used visqueen as a "booth" around the boat. I was happy with the way that worked, but will probably grind the bilge outside since it is starting to be less rainy.

I think this is what Pete is saying. If you were to use an actual level in this situation to make sure your stringers were the correct height, you would end up with poor results. If you assume the old floor was a good level reference, then this method would work.

There should be a lip of fiberglass where the floor was glassed to the side even it the floor fell off. That will have to ground off it pretty solid.

There isn't anything level or straight in a boat, the more you look and measure the more you realize this. The straight edge is about the only way your going to get everything back close to where it was.


As for the foam removal, figure it's going to be 3 or 4 times the size of the space it came out of, many many trash cans full of foam and junk. I had good luck with a pic and a shovel geting fairly large pieces.

C-Bass wrote: I think this is what Pete is saying. If you were to use an actual level in this situation to make sure your stringers were the correct height, you would end up with poor results. If you assume the old floor was a good level reference, then this method would work.

Craig,
That's for the picture and explanation. It's exactly what I was trying to say. Now, maybe HW will understand!

Well, from the silence I figured I was doing something wrong, so I kept up with foam removal. My concern is the starboard side, where there is no floor lip as it was separated from the hull, before I started the project.

I initially took measurements, but was also thinking of marking the line with a grease pencil. Before I do it, is there a reason this might be considered a 'bad' idea?

Best,
J

8122pbrainard wrote: C-Bass wrote: I think this is what Pete is saying. If you were to use an actual level in this situation to make sure your stringers were the correct height, you would end up with poor results. If you assume the old floor was a good level reference, then this method would work. Craig, That's for the picture and explanation. It's exactly what I was trying to say. Now, maybe HW will understand!

Im with HW- I still dont get it.

The remnants of the old floor are an "ok" way of judging level after the boat is gutted, but side to side, the gunnels are probably closer. Prior to gutting the boat (which is what is being discussed above), measuring level from the old stringers would be even better. The floor height/location is more of a resultant dimension than a driving one, especially all the way out at the edges. Ive seen original floors off by 1/2 - 1" (variation side to side) at this location.

Ok Craig your picture makes perfect sense but that is clearly not what the OP did. He layed a level across his old stringers and adjusted the boat until it was even.

So if that's really what Pete meant by your picture, I still dot know why he'd even be making up such a scenario.

I am still a big fan of grinding out all the floor, and half the stringers. Bring in the boat, level it with an 8ft level across the gunwales. Replace the two stringers by transferring across from the two I left, take back outside finish grinding out the last two stringers, return, relevel, repeat.

Stringer location is important, floor location as mentioned above isnt so important, in fact it should be pitched a little towards the bilge so measuring accross the two sides as a way to locate the stringers is a bit sketchy