Floors and Stringers

Hey Correct Craft Fan Members,

I am a new owner of a Correct Craft Skier 1974 with a 318 Chrysler Engine. I am also new to boat restoration. I have a few questions, that I'm hoping to get some advice on. Is there a resource to explain what the correct (original) floor is made from for a 74' Skier? I bought the boat without the floor, just stringers were in place. I want to make it original as possible with a few improvements. Looking at several stringer replacements in Correct Craft Fan, it looks like there are a couple of different stringer layouts for the Skier. One with several (increasing in length) pieces of Douglas fir laminated for the outer stringers. Another, layout I've seen is just the outer stringer without the extra pieces (which is mine). Which is original or best? I am also a little confused about the layers of floor. It looks like in some pictures there is a layer of fiberglass covering the foam and, then layers of fiberglass, or a layer of plywood or both. I have also seen some people drilling holes in plywood floors and pouring in expanding foam. A final question, were there access floor panels to service the steering assembly or drive shaft in a 74' Skier?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Thanks for your information! Here are a few pictures that might help explain what I was talking about. How big is the back floor access panel? Does it go all the way back to the transom under the fuel tank? I've seen a few pictures with aluminum strips that seem to run along the main stringers. Is this the basic perimeter of the access panel. How is it typically secured to the floor?









Again, thank you for your help!

The transom does not have an HIN, but up next to the throttle is a Correct Craft placard with the serial #SK:3138. I have been looking at Grant MacLaren's 72' Skier, and the stringer layout is like his. The backrest of the observer seat was attached by a set of hinges to the dash. I'll try and take a couple of pictures of the whole boat this weekend or sooner.

I was working on the boat today and noticed 6 inch gouge in the bottom of the hull that goes all the way through to the floor. In fact it is right under the starboard stringer. I can see day light. I am wondering if that's how water got to the foam. The gouge looks fresh, so who knows. I also noticed the bow lifting ring (threaded shaft) and metal brace/bracket is a bit rusty and the foam under it was wet. How much water can run down the threaded shaft? For the bow flotation, do people cut the cured foam and fiberglass over it to seal the foam in?

Thanks!

That HIN would indicate it’s likely a late ‘71, possibly an early 72. 73 and later had HIN’s on the transom.

I have not studied the structural differences with the open exhaust pockets on the 72’s (as opposed to the foamed in 71) but what I’m seeing (pockets aren’t framed out or gelcoated) sure look like a de-foamed 71 to me. Some pics of my 71:

http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40481&title=my-green-skier