Rebuild time!!

[csl]

Well I have reached that point of no turning back! I am finally going to tackle a rebuild this winter. Our boat has had a few soft spots in floor and motor mounts aren't as tight as they should. I have held off for a year or so longer than I wanted to. We have been taking on water on the drivers side of the boat. The floor on that side will get wet after a while on the lake. So here we go. I have read every one of you're rebuild threads that I can and am actually looking foward to doing this.

I got started tonight and have some serious questions right off the bat. I can't decide if I'm the first one to do stringers on this boat. As you can see in the pictures below, the wood is in good shape. But the fiberglass is not laminated to the wood at all in some places. I ripped the fiberglass off the outside stringer on the drivers side and it is a piece of treated wood. ????? That didn't come from the factory did it? Also, the foam isn't solid, it is just a pile here and a pile there. What do you think I have going on? The driver's side needs redone. The foam was wet from the bottom to about halfway up. and the treated boards are not solid without the fiberglass holding them. But the other side of the boat is dry as can be. The stringers over there are the same wood, but look great. Here are a few pictures. Any feedback would be awesome.
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[Jetlink]

You going to pull the top cap to do the whole thing or try and patch it with the cap on? Also, I haven't even started yet so no clue... What year boat again?

[csl]

You going to pull the top cap to do the whole thing or try and patch it with the cap on? Also, I haven't even started yet so no clue... What year boat again?

The boat is an 87 sunsport. As for the cap off and all, I'm planning on removing it. I just cut the floor up to investigate what I have going on first.

[villain]

From the look at the foam it all has been done before.

[Salty87]

it may have been a learning process. by the time they got to the good side they had the glassing process figured out better. their quality control obviously sucked. the first stringer i glassed got ground back down to wood 'cause it turned out too crappy.

[csl]

it may have been a learning process. by the time they got to the good side they had the glassing process figured out better. their quality control obviously sucked. the first stringer i glassed got ground back down to wood 'cause it turned out too crappy.

Ha, thats what I was thinking also. What is your opinion on the treated wood as the stringer? I'm not sure I like the idea of treated material for this. If its ok, I may leave some of it and redo the bad ones.

[Jetlink]

What is your opinion on the treated wood as the stringer? I'm not sure I like the idea of treated material for this. If its ok, I may leave some of it and redo the bad ones.

Depending on your future plans for this particular boat, I would look into using composite materials if you really want to do it right, have it last and never have to do it again. I have spoken with Donny and he has the ability to retro fit composite stringers into these classic hulls for a nominal fee, talking about $1,000 more than to do a wood stringer restoration. If you can find the materials it might be worth it to go that route for yourself if this boat is going to stay in the family for any length of time.

[csl]

We plan on fixing it right and keeping it around. I own a wood mill shop, so I have doug fir material in stock that I planned on using for the stringers. But after seeing that one side of the boat is still in great shape, I am wondering if it is worth redoing them or leaving them and just doing the rough side. I only want to rip this floor out once, so I want to do it right while im at it.

[Jetlink]

You answered yourself when you said you wanted to do it right and only rip the floor out once...

[csl]

You answered yourself when you said you wanted to do it right and only rip the floor out once...

Ha, your like the little voice over my shoulder. I'll keep ripping and see what I find.