85 2001 LVL Stringer Project

I have had the crud and had a trip for work so I have not worked on the boat all that much. Over the past few weeks I have made some progress though.

I have the engine out and on a stand I built.


I have the floor out to behind the battery box. The boards both in front and behind the battery box had rot in them. The one in front was just mush.


The foam under the box was completely soaked. Upon further inspection the hose coming from the drain on the box was broke so any water in the bilge was able to seep under the battery box and it did.


Once all the foam was out I could see the front of all the stringers and all 4 have rot from the engine forward. So they all have to go and new put in.


Here is the front of the boat once I cleaned out all the foam and vacuumed. Yes I am another one with OCD. Also notice that the fiberglass has dried out since the last pictures. All the foam was wet on the bottom 1/4" or so.


Here is the back after clean up.


Next on the agenda is pulling the rest of the floor under the bow. All the water I found under the Battery box has me spooked and I am going to pull it while I am here just for piece of mind. It will not be that much more work but will ease my mind knowing it was done right. Plus I wanted to change the vent hoses and maybe reconfigure things up there a little bit.

Other than that it is just cleaning up where the floor connected to the hull in the very front and in the very back. The boat was nice enough to separate the floor along the sides for me.

After that it is time to cut and replace the stringers. I am hoping they are in good enough shape I will be able to create some templates, we will see how that works out though.

Kris, I think OCD rox! I think many of us may be paddling that canoe...to go to such lengths to end up with what we want?!!?

I too found a broken fitting at my battery box. We may have found a weak link. It seemed like a brittle fitting and the foam around it was solid. If the boat moves as fiber does, maybe the smaller fittings need to be a little flexible? Yall set me straight if I'm off, but I'm thinking back to a mariah that flexed enough in rough water for the center window to fall through. This hull is much more soild than that, but it will still move some I think.

Joe, I'd be interested in your measuring strategy...especially since you've been here before!

4 foot adjustable drywall t square, 16 inch adjustable framing square, digital calipers, tape measure, 4 and 6 foot levels, clamps, etc its a PIA. But with the changes I want to make up front, and my desire to order material mostly precut it seems the thing to do. It would go quicker if I recruit a secretary...

Greg, Do you have a power hand planer? Goes real quick to scribe the new wood to the hull!

Big Pappa wrote: BFN, The hose and fitting was hard and brittle but I think it may have been pliable at some point. I will just have to figure out a better system/ Components when I put it back in.

I'm thinking flexible pvc...we may get some other ideas from the pros.

As i posted in another topic, I am doing the same thing as you guys. I got to here tonight. What a blast this has been getting to here (:


A couple of questions...
1. What kind of wood are you going to use for stringers?
2. I know, I know, I have read all the old posts, but epoxy or poly resin?
3. Marine plywood glassed/resined on both sides for the floor?
4. Also do you know if there was a reason the outer little stringers have that 1" gap in them? (where its filled with foam)

Joe, Kris...what are you using for the air vent hose under the floor?

I am going to be using epoxy resin and glass coated Douglas Fir. I am going to be very meticulous on waterproofing the wood because I do not want to do this again.

I am thinking of laying up some glass to use in front of the pylon so I am not putting wood back there. If you notice in my pictures this is where the rot in my boat was the worst and probably where it started.

I have not made the decision on the air tubing yet. I know I am going to be using something more rigid than what was there from the factory. I am also thinking of re routing them so I have more storage area under the bow of the boat for storage.

I have not had any updates here recently because we are about to put our house up for sale so I have been working on all the honey dos that come with that. I hope to get back to work on in in the next week or two. It is starting to warm up here as well so the fever is coming on so I have got to get back at it so I can get to the lake. :-)

I also picked up another project to work on after I finish with the Nautique. It is a Hobie Cat 16 that was given to me. The hulls need a little work and it is missing the mast and Jib but other than that it is all there. It is a bargain when it is free.

This is my first sail boat, Anybody else sail on here? Anyway here it is.

Kris, yes there are a couple that do the BLOW BOATS.
We have our first regatta on the Gulf coast April 19.......H-18M
I have several;
2] Hobie 18
1] Hobie 17
1] Hobie 16
1] Hobie 14 Turbo
1] Wharram 26 Pahi

And enough parts to build several more,too many boats and not enough time to sail.
Kris where are you located ?

sounds like a road trip to the Doc is in order.

Kris give me a call , I love to talk Hobies...
Shrouds and forstay are called "standing rigging" Sheets and other lines are called "running rigging"
At #230 that boat is a little small, but will be a good "starter boat" I have a jib"forsail" and a lot of misc. parts...............1-318-386-2825...Billy

Where are you located Boat Dr?

Hollywood wrote: If you could take some pictures of the hull socket/pylon base with the pole in and out of the boat that would help many.

Once I get the Pylon out I will snap a few pics and post them up.

BuffaloBFN wrote: Kris, I found some good hose at a local store. I've lived here for years and didn't know about this place. They also have wet exhaust hose but call it something different...looks the same anyway. For the air vents, I got what they call RFH (reinforced flexible hose?). It's stength/toughness is about halfway between dryer hose and the wet exhaust hose. It was a little expensive, but I'm sure I won't have to buy it again!

Awesome I will have to check into that. Thanks for the info!!!