replace wood stringers with solid plastic deck molding?

[sitdownsteve]

i'm fairly certain that none of us want to see someone bust their a$$ for nothing.

i've seen some really crappy glassing jobs by the factory but i don't think i've ever seen a boat with no glass on the stringers. if you're not encapsulating the stringers then i'm not sure what your test proved. you should try bedding a piece to the hull and then standing on that.

the point someone made about it not being structural is relevant. if you're using this stuff for the floor, you'll need more supports than was originally designed. plastic boards may sag between stringers and cross supports...esp if you plan on filling sacs.

what thickness do the boards come in? the main stringers are 1 1/2" thick...will you laminate pieces together?

Yes i plan on doing another test but im not down to the hull yet, but i will do whatever it takes to make the bond as strong as it needs to be. Next once the stringers are down i will set the floor down walk on it and then make the decision if i need more cross supports. I blieve the material i have is 1x6 but could be wrong, will have to check again. yes i plan to laminate the boards together where need be.

[sitdownsteve]

well i can now say i hate rivets, after the first set was out and when i thought i was done no i then found another set underneath ugh but i got them all out and loosened up the hull and cap.



now the fun starts and the point of no return!!!!

[sitdownsteve]

it supposed to rain the next couple days but soon i will have the floor up, and foam out then on to the stringers. My goal is to be on the water before june first, list of things to do are

composite stringers & floor
rebuild all the chairs with composite material
new vinyl through out the whole boat with a black and white theme
new cup holders cut in to the side of the cap for newer updated look "stole idea from another member"
build new captain chair with cut out in the lower back like new boats have
new black carpet
new stereo system
led lights all over
build new back bench to hold ballest tank
build the floor with 4 access points, hope to put ballest in two of them between the stingers on the sides of the motor but still need to look at messurements
paint the boat and trailer
take super traps off and replace with some kind of flapper

think thats about it but probably missing a few things

[Hagman]

IMG_1266.JPGAttachment 0This is a piece of trex decking that's three years old. I wish you luck.

[sitdownsteve]

IMG_1266.JPGAttachment 0This is a piece of trex decking that's three years old. I wish you luck.

where did this pick come from, i aasume its not yours or you would have said something about it in your prevous post? My buddys deck is made of trex and is 9yrs old and doesnt look like that.

[bdumas35]

This link may be of interest. http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6209

I researched several options before deciding to use wood/epoxy. My experience with " composites " in my decade or so career in the surfboard, sailboard, kiteboard manufacturing business led me to try to find a better alternative to wood.

At the end of the day, marine plywood, epoxy resin and dual bias fiberglass are hard to beat. After all, this is a proven " composite ".

While doing the demo on my project, it became apparent that the wood was not the problem. I think that the bean counters at Supra may have been running the shop. Poor lamination, lack of drainage and water absorption in the flotation foam were just some of the culprits.

Maybe the Trex could work. It would seem though, that it would have to be reinforced with some type of fiberglass (or other) lamination to achieve the rigidity needed to support the loads on the hull.

What the hell, I'm no rocket scientist. Just find out if anything sticks to it and let us know it works out.

Best of luck with your project!

[Salty87]

nice front loader. i spent easily a day or 2 building a frame and then a stress-filled afternoon wrestling it off. nobody even lost any fingers.

i hope you don't mind the on-going discussion. if the boards flex, laminating them will be tough.

[sitdownsteve]

like said in a previous post if it doesnt work or end up rotten then i will just have to do the job again, not the end of the world, plus with this stuff i will be using a lot of screws so if there is a next time it should be easier

[sitdownsteve]

nice front loader. i spent easily a day or 2 building a frame and then a stress-filled afternoon wrestling it off. nobody even lost any fingers.

i hope you don't mind the on-going discussion. if the boards flex, laminating them will be tough.

thanks, its actually a backhoe, deff made it easier... nope lol i bet this thread will be a long one, i have plenty of work to do and plan on taking pics through out the job, i will have a lot more time invested in this than money and with my job i have a lot of free time, and no kids so planning on working on this alot or until the girlfriend gets pissed that she is gonna be living alone for the next 2 months lol

[Hagman]

where did this pick come from, i aasume its not yours or you would have said something about it in your prevous post? My buddys deck is made of trex and is 9yrs old and doesnt look like that.

This is a picture of trex on my deck. I'm a builder and I've been using this stuff since it first come out. And for the last two years I've been replacing bad trex decking on numerous decks. Trex will pay for the material but you're out the labor. I took this picture just today. And this is typical of what I've been finding out in the field. The carpenter house is always all ways the to get fixed.