1983 Ski Nautique- Stinger replacement

I know, tough to visualize. I'll try a different way.

The floor is level as origniall built. When you cut out the floor, you left a lip of an inch or two at the side of the boat. If you level from port to starboard at several points along the floor, then the boat should be level side to side. I also placed a level across the gunnels at several points to be sure I was level side to side.

On you main stringer, the stringer steps down several times as you proceed from bow to stern.

At the bow end of the main stringer, the top of the stringer is level to the floor, and the same height as the floor for about 18 inches.

As you proceed toward the stern, the mainstringer takes its first step down. This is about 3/4 of an inch to accommodate the plywood which sits in the drivers area of the boat, and hangs over the engine compartment 6 or 8 inches. This cutout remains parralel to the floor.

Next proceeding toward the stern, the main stringer steps down again to accommodate the engine cradle. On my boat, I found that this cut was not parallel to the floor. It began 1 and 3/8 deep at the bow end of the cradle, and was just under 1/4 at the stern end of the cradle.

There are two small cutouts in the cradele section of the main stringer. Thes allow you to get the nut in to bolt the engine mounts onto the cradle.

Again, traveling to the stern on the main stringer. Once past the crade mount, the stringer steps up again. The stringer is once again parallel to the floor, and is about 3/4 of an inch lower than the floor. This accommodates the plywood which sits across the stringer between the engine comparment and the gas tank. The engine hatch bolts into this piece of plywood, and the back seat sits on top of it.

Finall, the main stringer steps up for the gas tank.

I don't know if this helps or is a bunch of babble. Trying to capture in words.

I took a couple of pictures yesterday, but my wife hasn't sent them to me yet.

BKH

PS, it looks like you have ground deep enough to me. However, you probably want to grind back some of that painted surface, as well as the residual foam. Your fiberglass will extend out 3 to 4 inches from the stringer itself, and you want a good clean glass surface to bond with.

BKH

Ben,

I leveled mine side to side. Check it in mutiple locations as the boat will twist. The floor is level side to side, and front to back. The floor may be slightly out of level as you go up under the bow. Obviously, the stringer run parallel to the floor, so if you level side to side off the floor, you can get good measurements and reference points. I did not level front to back.

On my 82, the cutouts for the engine cradele were not parralel to the stringer and floor. The front of the cutout was about 3/16 of an inch taller than the rear.

Don't know if you can visualize this.

My stringers were complete rubble. Nothing to make a template from. So, it took me a couple of templates to get it right.

BKH