Any thoughts on a partial stringer replacement??

[HtxConbrio]

So, today after trying to diagnose a water leak from the stern of my boat I noticed a small section of rotten stringer. I pulled the back seat out of my 90 Conbrio to gain better access to the rudder. Upon doing so I noticed that some of the fiberglass on the port side main stringer was flaking and cracked. So my curious mind couldn't leave things alone. The area of the rot is directly under the gas tank and from what I can tell does not extend too far. I drilled some test holes and from what I can tell the rot only extends from 3 inches behind the front edge of tank to about 3 inches in front of the edge of the tank. I went as far as drilling a few small holes into the stringers (both port and starboard side) up to the motor mounts.

What are your thoughts on just replacing this small section? I don't want to do a complete cap off repair if I don't have to. Especially since I just bought the boat a little over a week ago. I don't think it is severe enough to remove her from service but please tell me if I am wrong.

[bens250ex]

You can prob get away with doin a partial. If the motor area is fine then your prob fine for a partial. But you more than likely have rot in places you can see so keep that in mind. But deff use it for the rest of the season

[HtxConbrio]

You can prob get away with doin a partial. If the motor area is fine then your prob fine for a partial. But you more than likely have rot in places you can see so keep that in mind. But deff use it for the rest of the season

Can you do a complete stringer replacement with cap still on? After a little further investigation it looks like someone has repaired this area before. I have removed some of the fiberglass and it looks like someone has sectioned in some new wood directly behind the suspect area. This isn't something Supra would have done would they?

[bens250ex]

Is it plywood or 2x of some sort? A full stringer replacement would be about impossible without pullin the cap. I just finished mine a couple months ago. Its a JOB. And cost a lot if done right. If you love the boat then I'd say fix what you can now then end of season decide on what rout you want to go. I spent about 3-4k on my stringers. Could I have done it cheaper yea. But that's besides point. Take some pics and we can go from there

[ronster75]

So do you have pictures from your cap off stringer replacement? I'm about to tackle mine, an 85' Comp.

[bens250ex]

So do you have pictures from your cap off stringer replacement? I'm about to tackle mine, an 85' Comp.

https://forum.supraboats.com/showthr...hat-needs-help


There the link to my rebuild. I can pm you some advice if you want.

[TallTex]

One way is this: If your wood stringers and or other glassed wood supports are "intack" that is not crumbling, I would opt to use a 4" to 4.5" electric angle grinder with a thin metal cut-off disk, and carefully cut straight lines down the very top of stringer's glass cap, remove the cut cap, save the cap as you will re-glass it back onto the stringer when done. Remove cut-off cap to inspect the wood, if intack let dry completely, using air and or fans, heater, etc. when completely dry. No get out your drill, with a stop, and start drilling holes in the wood, like a "pin-cushion"

Then order and get some Aero Marine epoxy, look for it on ebay and videos on youtube, "how to"

this stuff is a non-blush two part epoxy resin, you can add 10% (by weight or volume) Acetone to the mixed resin, creating a penetrating epoxy resin, mix up small batches at a time. Get a meat injector needle or large medical injector/needle and start injecting the same size holes you have drilled down into the wood, the keep injecting or pouring your penetrating epoxy resin until the wood is SATURATED with the resin......once cured it will be as harder than wood and will not absorb water. I have used Aero Marine reresin to restore a lots of damaged wood and to preserve new wood before I glass it into or over.

If wood is "dust" you may have to chisle/scrape out rotten wood and replace. Choice of material is a good question. If you go back with new wood pre-saturate/treat with the penetrating epoxy resin after you have cut and trimed new pieces, then glass over.

[OUI]

Check my post under "Stringer Repair Using Seacast" Smith's is the way to go.

[lively]

One way is this: If your wood stringers and or other glassed wood supports are "intack" that is not crumbling, I would opt to use a 4" to 4.5" electric angle grinder with a thin metal cut-off disk, and carefully cut straight lines down the very top of stringer's glass cap, remove the cut cap, save the cap as you will re-glass it back onto the stringer when done. Remove cut-off cap to inspect the wood, if intack let dry completely, using air and or fans, heater, etc. when completely dry. No get out your drill, with a stop, and start drilling holes in the wood, like a "pin-cushion"

Then order and get some Aero Marine epoxy, look for it on ebay and videos on youtube, "how to"

this stuff is a non-blush two part epoxy resin, you can add 10% (by weight or volume) Acetone to the mixed resin, creating a penetrating epoxy resin, mix up small batches at a time. Get a meat injector needle or large medical injector/needle and start injecting the same size holes you have drilled down into the wood, the keep injecting or pouring your penetrating epoxy resin until the wood is SATURATED with the resin......once cured it will be as harder than wood and will not absorb water. I have used Aero Marine reresin to restore a lots of damaged wood and to preserve new wood before I glass it into or over.

If wood is "dust" you may have to chisle/scrape out rotten wood and replace. Choice of material is a good question. If you go back with new wood pre-saturate/treat with the penetrating epoxy resin after you have cut and trimed new pieces, then glass over.

what do you stringers look like now ? lol do you know how much un cured poly was put on the woven glass in these boats ... man i took a hammer once my floor was off and hit the sides and they just buckled like plywood ... i would be worried about old glass breaking apart ... that is if you were doing the whole stringer /ribs.... just do some
research on these older supras .. you will find that foam / water saturated resin .. and more water ... lol