85 2001 LVL Stringer Project

Big Pappa wrote: One other question for you guys. I am about to order my supplies. Is it cheaper to buy fiberglass supplies from US Composites and have it shipped or is there somewhere in the south (Ga, Tn, Al, Ms) that has the materials and the prices? I only ask because of the weight of 10 - 12 gallons of resin and then the foam kits as well. Seams like shipping would kill your wallet!!!

Ive still found US Composites to be the cheapest- and thats including shipping to the northeast. Theyre located in FL, so shipping to the south would be even cheaper.

Kris, wherebouts in B'ham are you? I'm on Shades Mtn. in Hoover near Bluff Park and my 85 will be going under the knife this winter. My floor is separated front to back along both sides and I have a few horizontal gel gracks on the lower exterior of both sides, which tells me it needs to be this winter, not next.
I'd love to see yours in person to see what I'm getting into and see how it's braced up underneath.
Also, depending on when you order your lumber, glass, resin, and foam, we may be able to split shipping costs by ordering together.
Shoot me an email if you are interested or if you'll at least let me take a gander at your nekkid boat
my email is poster112@charter.net

Chris

Kris, got your email, but I'm working in South GA this week and cannot send email for some reason.
We go through Hayden on the way to my in-law's house in Guntersville. We may be heading there this weekend. I'll let you know.
I am NOT ready to order my supplies yet. I've got too much money tied up with other projects now. Sorry.
I'll email you when I get back in town.
Thanks.
Chris

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.

Ask and you shall receive!!! I feel rather blessed, after reading the trouble some have had getting their pylon out. I pulled the bottom bolt out and loosened the bolts on the cradle ind it easily slid out.

BuffaloBFN wrote: Looks like you're 'gettin ready for the dance'!    The shaft log area is a common place to find a patch; I haven't seen so many with a patch around the pylon. I would explore those patches to see how well they were done. Unless they were done really well, I'd cut out as much as I could without cutting the hardware out. I used my pylon and cradle as a reference for the stringers. It gets heavy in and out of the boat, but it worked for me. When I put the boat on stands, I leveled the cradle front to back and left to right. That gave me a known place to work back to; first 1 stringer, then the next. I also had to cut out my pylon base. Again, I used the cradle to put it back where it belongs, and the pylon base was the first part to go back before I cut anything else out. If you bolt the pylon back to the cradle before you cut anything else out, it will be a good reference for stringer height and cradle position. There are probably better ways to ensure that it all goes back as it should...I think I liked seeing the real deal in place rather than wonder if I took my measurements right.

I was planning on using the cradle to locate the stringers when replacing them but I had not though about using the pylon as well. Good I dea, the more things to keep constant the better likely hood it will go back together correctly!!! Thanks for the tip!!!

Kris

MADTOWN78 wrote: The pylon mount and shaft thru hulls on my 78 and my buddies 81 SN have the identical greyish "patch" job. Same goes for the raw water intake thru hull. I mean identical!! Same approximate shape and size. It makes me think that it is a factory job.

I agree.

My 78 martinique had the identical greyish material there.

I know it is factory.

The first stringer is out!!! I leveled, and braced the boat back up. Taking BFN's advice I put the cradle and pylon back in to level the boat and for future stringer locating. After all that I pulled the Drivers Side Secondary. It was in good shape for the most part but there is rot there. Once I got it out and looked at the there was hardly any glass past half way up the stringer on the starboard side.

Here is the floor with the stringer out.


Here is a shot of the stringer out of the boat. I broke it in the process of getting it out. I used the foot hammer a little too hard. :-)


Here is the measurements of the stringer pieces. I am going to clean it up and create one on the computer for future people to have as a reference.

BuffaloBFN wrote: Kris, be careful with that foot hammer. The hull glass will flex some under the stringer, and too much force could cause cracking in glass you want to keep. I used a combo of a sawzall, a metal cutting grinding wheel, and a 4.5" diamond blade to cut the stringers out at their base. There were places that I wished I had a 7" grinder because of the steeper hull angle, but I was still able to get them out without too much frustration.

Yea I was watching it pretty close. I already had the long piece out and was just trying to get the rest out. I had cut most of it and was just trying to break the parts I could not get to easily. I am using a sawsall and 4.5" grinder as well. The grinder cuts through like butta!!!

Kris,

I will be following your thread as I too have an 85 and will be doing some floor work next winter. I have a soft spot under the observers seat and am a little scared at what I may get into. I am in Moody, AL. Did you move to Gardendale area? Which lake do you go to?

jay

Howdy Kris!

Don't you hate it when life gets in the way? I was most fortunate with an understanding wife and not having major changes going on...now she's got me busy! LOL

Kris,
Looks like you are ready to go.

"Do I put down a layer of epoxy, lay on the mat, wet it out, then put some more on the other piece for good measure, then sandwich it all together and weight it down to hold it together good? Is that all there is to it?"

Sounds like you have a plan. This will mate the materials together nicely.

What's up guys!! It has been looks like almost a year since my last post on this project. It feels like it has been going on for years.... Oh, wait..

Anyway I have both the secondaries in now and the drivers side Primary is out. It was a bit of a pain to get out but it is done!! I was shocked to see how many places there were from the factory, that water could potentially get to the wood. Even though I should not be by now, I still was. Needless to say this will not be a problem with the stringers I am putting in!!

I am heading out to pick up the LVL for my main stringers. I am going to give it a go it is a little thicker than what was in there 1.75" vs 1.5". Everything should fit back in without too much fuss. I figure as long as I keep my cradle as the baseline and work off of it everything else should fall into place.

Now all that is left to do is do it!! I will post some updated pictures soon.

Kris

Good for you!

Since you have already set your secondary stringer, and since you are using a thicker board for the primaries, be sure there is enough room for the muffler before you bed that stringer down. BKH

Updated Pictures for you all.

This is the Passenger side Secondary all fiberglassed in. Bedded with 2 layers of mat and glassed in with 2", then 4" woven glass on opposite 45 deg angles then 8" woven glass all the way up the side and at least 4" on the hull.


Same side just the rear of the secondary


This is the Drivers side hull after the Main was cut out.


Here is the Fiberglass off of the Main. It took about 5 minutes to pop this off as it was hardly holding on to the wood.


Here is the Main Stringer laying next to the lvl. If you look close you can see I have traced it out already.


Old Stringer on top of the LVL


Old stringer on top of LVL Thickness comparison. Main on top 1.5" LVL on bottom 1.75". I did measure and I have 5.5" between the main and the secondary stringer now and the muffler with carpet is 5" so I should have room. I will just have to make sure and maintain that 5.25" when I install the main.


A couple of notes about the lvl. There are lap joints that will have to be filled on the outside to keep air bubbles out when you fiberglass it in. I plan to fillet the joint then lay a layer of mat over the whole thing before installing so I have a good even surface to bond to when I install it in the boat.


One other thing is the laps on the interior of the boards. I plan to take a needle and injecting some resin in these holes to fill the void and make sure it is solid all the way through. Any ideas on good ways to do this effectively? Thinning the epoxy resin maybe?


All in all I think this is going to be a good option I am going to take extra precaution as I go with this and make sure these are installed the best I can. I have some CPES that should be here later in the week so I will be able to coat this baby good then putting a layer of glass on then glassing it in the boat. Hopefully It should never be touched by water. It is very strong even laterally, these are 13' sticks and they do not bend and bounce with you pick up and carry them like other 2X material I have dealt with does. As far as weight It may be a little heavier than stock I am not sure yet once I get it cut out and pretty close to install shape I plan to put it on the scale and see what it weighs for comparison. There is a varnish like coating (Glue?) that is on the sides that I am going to sand off before I cover it with cpes so I can be sure I get good penetration. That is about it for now, more to come soon.

Kris