First timer stringer question

[SpartySteve]

I’m considering taking the plunge with an 83’ Rider. Engine and vinyl are in fine working order for the year. The floor and stringers are shot. I’ve been lurking and reading and learning about others restorations. Is there any reason why you can’t use 1/8” aluminum angle (1.5” or 2” wide) for stringers? I rebuilt the floor on my aluminum fishing boat that way and worked great. Very strong and rot free. Obviously wouldn’t rivet it down to the fiberglass but they could be glassed in no? Thanks in advance and can’t wait to join the Supra family someday!

[Jetlink]

Oh man, there is a die hard Supra guy that used to frequent these forums years ago but now I think he is a lurker only. Anyway, his Saltare is going to need a full cap off here soon and he was talking about going aluminum stringers as well for his boat. If he sees this, hopefully he will PM you or something.

[SpartySteve]

Cheers JetLink! Seems doable, affordable, and the best non rot material. I’d think you’d only need to glass the bottom in so less cost in the end.

[Mischief IV]

Don’t get tricky dicky with this stringer repair. Use Coosa Composites as most do as the better choice over wood if you don’t wanna do wood. The boat is already 37 years old, will never be worth more than a few grand even after restoration, so why complicate an already miserable experience by adding metal to the equation?

[Salty87]

It may work but you'll be trail blazing where no one has gone before. And if you're not on crack you can do better than the factory so rebuild with wood will outlive you.

[michael hunter]

I don't think 1/8'' aluminum will hold a 351 engine and trans. The only inboard boat that uses aluminum I know of is Pavati . I would use Douglas Fur and lots of CPES . It will not require completely re-engineering the structure and will outlast both of us.

[SpartySteve]

Don’t get tricky dicky with this stringer repair. Use Coosa Composites as most do as the better choice over wood if you don’t wanna do wood. The boat is already 37 years old, will never be worth more than a few grand even after restoration, so why complicate an already miserable experience by adding metal to the equation?

Seems like aluminum would be cheaper and easier to work with than coosa and fiber glass. I wouldn’t have considered it but after rebuilding my tinner boat it was actually pretty easy to work with so I thought.

[SpartySteve]

I don't think 1/8'' aluminum will hold a 351 engine and trans. The only inboard boat that uses aluminum I know of is Pavati . I would use Douglas Fur and lots of CPES . It will not require completely re-engineering the structure and will outlast both of us.


Great point. So if I was to do it this I’d do a fiberglassed wood stringer for the engine mounts tied into the rest of the aluminum frame. Probably run a cost on both options and see if there is any savings. Thanks!

[cadunkle]

Great point. So if I was to do it this I’d do a fiberglassed wood stringer for the engine mounts tied into the rest of the aluminum frame. Probably run a cost on both options and see if there is any savings. Thanks!

Use wood, coosa, or other proven composite material and do a traditional build. If you really want to use aluminum build a cradle to mount the engine and transmission to and lag or through bolt that to the stringers. I believe Correct Craft did this for a at least a decade, it's a proven design. I would be worried about cracking the hull using aluminum for stringers.

[cvhsquared]

Salty are the stringers 3/4" ply? and what did you use for engine mount.

[Salty87]

Salty are the stringers 3/4" ply? and what did you use for engine mount.

Yup, the outers are 3/4". The inner stringers are doubled up for 1 1/2". I used 4x4s for the engine mount bases.