Stringer Replacement Harris - materials, process, options........

[HiZ]

Ok,

My friend has a Harris Float boat, deck style with a 5.7 and Alpha set up
We have removed the power and both stringers are gone. (like a sponge)
I have found the spot of water intrusion, drilled drain holes (non-sealed)
So, we are going to tear out and replace them. Bulkhead is ok, Transom ok.

What products should we use and what process.

I know quite a bit about glass and lamination.
But can we laminate on the inside only
Or do we need to secure from the outside also?

Just some of your expert thoughts on this........

Thank you

[Ratickle]

This should be a good thread.

Got some pics?

[HiZ]

Working on it..................
I will have some shortly

[jeffswav]

That should not be very difficult. I just rebuilt the entire transom and beefed up the stringers. There are plenty of guys on here that can give expert advise. You can use marine ply for the stringers, 1708 biax glass, you have a few different choices for resin, I used viynal ester.

[Offshore Ginger]

Ok,

My friend has a Harris Float boat, deck style with a 5.7 and Alpha set up
We have removed the power and both stringers are gone. (like a sponge)
I have found the spot of water intrusion, drilled drain holes (non-sealed)
So, we are going to tear out and replace them. Bulkhead is ok, Transom ok.

What products should we use and what process.

I know quite a bit about glass and lamination.
But can we laminate on the inside only
Or do we need to secure from the outside also?

Just some of your expert thoughts on this........

Thank youEPOXY , EPOXY , EPOXY http://www.uscomposites.com/specialty.html I know this stuff can sometimes cost a bundle and like i stated in a different thread these guys have great prices and sometimes are hard to beat but then again these guys offer great pricing also www.michiganfiberglass.co but you must call for pricing

[jeffswav]

Polyester resins have a strong odor that stay around. I would not use it on any type of attached garage.

[HiZ]

Ok so engine is coming out and the boat is going to be a start of ripping out the old stuff!
Laminations of the new stringers to start with marine ply.
Are there other options?
How do you work the angle of the hull to the new stringers
How do you fasten stringers to the hull
Layers of mat then cover with cloth?
thoughts ideas


Main question:
What do I clean the bilge with?

[HiZ]

Prepping the bilge glass?

Grease and oil, what do I use?

[phragle]

Looking at the motormount sunk into the stringer, you sure thats not a wellcraft??

As for cleaning it, your getting ready to rip it apart, coat the thing with a couple cans of engine degreaser then hit it with a pressure washer. Before you even start back there, cover the deck from the engine compartment foreward with plastic and tape it down good or your going to get ground fiberglass in the cracks of the seats etc.

[Offshore Ginger]

This should be a good thread.

Got some pics?

:iagree:

[Offshore Ginger]

After you degrease could you post more pics of that area and the cockpit and have you determined just how much of your stringer system you might have to replace at this point and with that in mind is there the possibility of you having to cut the liner out to repair everything that is rotted because sometimes these type of jobs can very well be like opening a can of worms ,if you know what i mean .

[HiZ]

I will do that!

[HiZ]

So, looks like there is some Gunk growing from the rotten wet stringer on the stbd side! WOW>
I also seem to have found the issue, Nonsealed stringer drains that are flush cut, 5/8" hole drilled in the front of the stringer, No sealant on the engine mounts, and A Damn Diet Pepsi in the Bilge

[HiZ]

So, this sucker is nice! it's a 95 and completely ROTTEN!
Also, that is power steering fluid
thus presenting 2 questions:
1)how do you remove w/o draining
2)how do you bleed and fill
3)There are only 2 questions

[HiZ]

So what do you think

[HiZ]

Can anyone tell that it is maintained well by the clean fresh hull!?!

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I like GREZ OFF its my favorite degreaser. Acetone will work well to. Plug the power steering lines and tie wrap up out of the way.

[HiZ]

Yes sir, 5 cans just picked up at O'riley Auto for $1.99 can! WHEW
So, this is going to get messy!
HANG ON>...

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

After you clean it. Measure and draw what you have before you start removing material. Take a good look at the transom too. Hopefully it is not rotten too.

Getting messy is an understatement.

[HiZ]

Ok, got that.
So, what's the deal with fabricating the new stringers?
How, per say is the best way.
Plywood lamination. put in with the seams perpendicular to the hull?
Stacked solid wood?
Hardwood laminations.
What's the best way, technique

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Vertical plywood is most common. There are numerous variations from there. What type of clothe, Polyester or epoxy. I am using West system epoxy on my project with some trick cloth.

[DAREDEVIL]

Ok, got that.
So, what's the deal with fabricating the new stringers?
How, per say is the best way.
Plywood lamination. put in with the seams perpendicular to the hull?
Stacked solid wood?
Hardwood laminations.
What's the best way, technique

Ona fun boat like this, i would cut the tops off and use transom pour and fill them up, cap them and good to go !!!!!!

[HiZ]

Transom Pour?
How do you concoct this Daredevil?

[HiZ]

The power is 5.7L with Alpha 2Nd Gen

[slowride33]

Transom Pour?
How do you concoct this Daredevil?

its out there, I don't think I would use it though!
http://www.rotdoctor.com/glass/GLrotrepair.html

[DAREDEVIL]

That pour system is used to fix transoms and stringers.


safes all the cuting and heavy plywood work.:cheers2:


http://transomrepair.com/zk/

[DAREDEVIL]

its out there, I don't think I would use it though!
http://www.rotdoctor.com/glass/GLrotrepair.html

Trusst me,,that is some high tech stuff and works great ..seen it beeing used on high class boats and they don't have a problem with it !!!!:cheers2:

[HiZ]

Sweetness! I also found a product called Seacast, Any thoughts?

[DAREDEVIL]

Sweetness! I also found a product called Seacast, Any thoughts?

Thats the link in my post !!!!!!! SEACAST !!!!!! i call it transompour..lol:sifone:

[Offshore Ginger]

Sweetness! I also found a product called Seacast, Any thoughts?Sorry to say it is all junk and just a band aid.

[DAREDEVIL]

Sorry to say it is all junk and just a band aid.

And i hate to tell u, ITS NOT A SKATER....its a 45 MPH max fun boat !!!!!!!:rolleyes:
The repair with seacast will last 20+ years and is just as good as plywood, also its 70% cheaper !

But again,,u know it best ......hahahaha

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Artie I tend to side with DD here as a possible course of action. Given the age and value of the boat a "band aid" is worth considering.

[HiZ]

Anyway, no Fighting on this place!
So, what's the play on the Seacast, talked to the dealer and going to get some samples over here!

[HiZ]

This boat spends most days cruising the local river here in no wake zones.
Maybe some tubing for his kids now and then.
So, not an abused area

[slowride33]

This boat spends most days cruising the local river here in no wake zones.
Maybe some tubing for his kids now and then.
So, not an abused area

so I won't see you guys out cutting white caps on winnebago??:driving:

[DAREDEVIL]

This boat spends most days cruising the local river here in no wake zones.
Maybe some tubing for his kids now and then.
So, not an abused area

U be 100% fine with that stuff !!!!!!

I would have no problem using it on my raceboat , i seen how it works and the results, 100% perfect .
Done right, no problems at all, u can drill holes and even screw into it with no isues. :cheers2:

Offcoarse u can also spend 10K + to fix it ,,but i don't think its worth that for what u need done.

[Ratickle]

If it were some soft spots in the transom, I'd certainly consider the transom pour repair. But, stringers are not that hard of a replacement job. With the prep work he's already done, it could be complete in a week if it was hit hard.

But, thanks for fixing this thread. The discussions we have here are for everyone to assist with using their experience. And we have some outstanding experience with glass on this board.

Remember when almost all builders used to brag about straight grain Douglas Fir as their full-length stringers?

[Racerguymiami]

Here's a product from Arjay tech.

Data Sheet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Product Code: 6011
Product Name: Ceramic Pourable Compound

Description: ARJAY formulates its Ceramic Pourable Compound with premium polyester resins and high strength ceramic spheres resulting in high tensile and flexural strength. This lightweight compound is ideal for filling large volumes where strength and rigidity are major concerns. The Ceramic Pourable Compound mixes and pours easily from the 5-gallon pail.

Features:

Excellent rigidity and strength
Formulated with premium resins
Low exotherm
Mixes easily
Pumpable or pourable
Excellent stability

Uses:

Filling large volumes

General purpose filler
Radius compound
Structural applications where high compressive strength is required

Viscosity Ranges: Viscosity (m) tests performed on Brookfield DVI HB T-C at 77 deg F.



rpm mMIN cps mMAX cps

2 70,000 92,000
20 16,000 28,000


Gel Properties:
Sample mass is 150 g initiated with 1.5% with DDM-9 MEKP @ 77 deg F
Gel Time: 18 - 24 min
Interval: 20 - 28 min
Total: 38 - 52 min

Peak Exotherm: 150 - 180 º F

Product Specifications:
Color and odor: Gray with styrene odor
Physical appearance: thick liquid
Weight per gallon: 7.1 - 7.3 lbs/gal
Uncured stability: 3 to 4 months (depending on storage)

[HiZ]

so I won't see you guys out cutting white caps on winnebago??:driving:

SlowRide, You really will not see me cutting much of anything on this vessel.
Assisted departure and material specialist, it's mostly on the North end of the Wolf. Up on the NORTH end!

[insanity]

How far forward to the engine stringers go? Just to that bulkhead where the bilge pump/Diet Pepsi can is?

There is also something pretty slick I saw on a Ship Shape tv episode, a modular foam/stringer system that makes replacing stringers pretty easy. I came across them the other day while looking for something else and now can't remember what they were called. You could probably use those, and just epoxy a plywood cap to hold the motor mount lags, then cover the whole thing in a couple layers of biax and be good to go.

[insanity]

Here they are:

http://www.preforms.com/products.php

[Offshore Ginger]

Here they are:

http://www.preforms.com/products.php you beat me to the punch and in fact i saved an old 1991 professional Boatbuilder mag just so i would remember there products . And they actually have two sites and the other is www.preforms.com

[J-Bonz]

Didnt read the whole post but, this was/is my ordeal... It may help you out.... If you have any Q's for me, please feel free pm'in me..

Jr.

http://www.seriousoffshore.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12248

[HiZ]

Stingers do go past the Bilge Bulkhead yes sir!
They are the full length and seem to be a bit soft 15+ or so inches in front of the Bulk/Pepsi can
It's the Diet that killed it