Stringers Cost?

I would also be interested in the cost if someone has had it done.

Steve

I'd have to say the materal costs today would be in the 1.5K to 2K range. The chemical costs have gone up along with the oil/gas. The one single item that does cost is the foam!

Tim, Where's the pictures of your Tique project? Did you put foam in it?

Bruce, the latest pictures Ive taken are in my diary. I did refoam- just like the factory (but with improved methods and materials). I need to take some more pics to highlight the rest of the cosmetic upgrades (trailer, interior, exterior). Ive been tinkering with it all summer and the boat is essentially finished now.

Greg, youre right- I had all of the necessary tools on hand already. Youre also right that there is a huge size difference between a BFN and a Tique or a Mustang- these 16' boats look like toys in comparison to the modern 19' boats.

I didn't realize you got that far. It looks great. How'd you get so many pictures in your diaries? I am not putting any foam in mine.

In the case of my Mustang, both. I'm going to have to improve the framing to eliminate the foam.

vondy wrote: What is the purpose of the foam? Keep you from sinking? Structure?

That's been debated several times before. It is for floatation, some structure, and I think it has acoustic qualities as well. I think someone even brought up marine regs and/or insurance issues.

Vondy, I like the idea of having air be able to ventilate the bilge and water be able to drain down into the low point of the bilge. I'm not worried about the boat sinking, and if it does, I'll have life jackets, (and I'm on a big lake that can get 4-5' waves).

Problem with the framing is, is that the foam supported the strapping that runs side to side and provided longetudal support to the sides of the hull. The picture of the floor section in the 1966 brochure is how my boat looked when I pulled the plywood up. This is how it looks now. I have to fiberglass blocks to the side of the hull in order to run the strappingacross the stringers to support the floor and the sides of the hull.





I'm not done tearing everything out. The only things I'm leaving in place is the inner and outer stringers. Everything else will ne replaced.

The outer stringers have some rot. I have a plan to repair or replace them. I believe the main stringers are solid and have no rot at all. I am going to verify that by drilling some holes in them.

Greg, I'll tow it down to Georgia tomorrow if you think you can fix it better than I can. You are going to be go crazy soon unless you have a winter project.

My plan is to cut the tops off the outerstringers and removed the bad wood and then glass/screw a new board into the existing wood/fiberglass channel. The main stringers seem rock solid. I am going to drill holes in the bottom as Pete suggests just to make sure.

Greg, I've seen your work. I know you can do it better. Other than chain saws, power tools scare me. I'm no carpentier, but I'm going to try.

Bruce, I would recommend cutting the old glass on the secondary stringers down MOST of the way- not all. Ive done this on both my '90 and Tique (leaving 1/8-1/4"), and that little bit of channel helps hold the new stringers in place. Cutting just the top off would be a major PITA- both when it comes to remove all the new wood, as well as installing the new stringers. I imagine you wouldnt get a good bond between them, either.

As far as the main stringers go, Id go as far as removing the glass from at least one side of each stringer so you can see their condition, from front to back, top to bottom. If the wood is solid all the way through, then just reglass that side. If they have some questionable spots, you can consider replacing the entire thing.

Good ideas Tim. I have peeled small sections of fiberglass off the main stringers and so far they look very good. I have found no rot. On the outers, 4' of the port one is completly gone at the rear. The starboard one is a little punky in a couple of spots where the strapping connects to them. Leaving a channel sounds pretty doable. It maybe easier to replace both that way.

Do you think running strapping to within an inch or so of the sides of the hull and then pouring foam like was originally done sounds easier than cutting out blocks and fibeglassing them to the sides to connect the strapping to?

Pete, the mains seem rock solid. The only evidence I've seen that may indicate that I have a problem is when I removed the lag bolts for the engine, there was some corrosion on the bottoms of them. They were really tight and hard to remove though. They had a lot of bite.

JoeinNY wrote: I always grind/flap disk the hull smooth before I start putting down stringers but thats messy, expensive, and time consuming...

I agree with cutting it smooth Joe, but our buddy Tim disagrees. I was after a good glue bed.

Riley, When I looked at mine they seem the same way, just a couple of bad spots on top,I drilled into the stringers in several locations and they seemed dry, but the boat has been in a dry barn for 23-24 years.My biggest fear is as soon as I put a lot of money into everything else and put it in the lake i would be running along at 35 mph and hit a wake and be in two peices. I know it's going to be a PTA but, I will know it's like new. My intentions are to leave the foam out, and support the floor supports with glassed blocks on the side of the hull.My boat is 41 years old although it has been in a barn half of it's life I don't trust those stringers.after other component checks and seeing if the old 318 runs, I intend to pull the engine and start cutting them out.I am no carpenter either.If it gets over my head I guess I'll pull it to Gregs house LOL.I hope you got room Greg.He can do my stringers and I can tear down his engine LOL.I got a price of 3.90 per linear foot on the wood.Rot Dr. has the the CPES for around $200 if memory serves me right.and then just the glass and fabric.I am going to do plywood with CPES, foam with the glass on top may be cheaper.I want to build it so I can at have storage space for ski's if possible. One thing I would like to find out, are the sides carpeted originally or left bare and painted(Pete I know you gotta know this one) ?I will take lots of pictures and post them.I have no doubt with the help of y'all on this site I will get this old girl pulling skiers like God and Correct craft intended.