Baja 250 force stringer replacement
 

Guys , first time here on the board. I recently just purchased a 1985 Baja force 250. Picked it up for 3000 and the engine ran (440 cyclone) with TRS out drive. First boat. I got home and realized the stringers were junk, but good under the engine when I checked it out.

I've read a lot and plan on doing the stringers as a father son project, going to use good grade plywood and polyester resin. Main question is could I do it while it's on the trailer? Or does it need to come off and put on a jig by a pro? Couldn't believe the factory made it with 2x lumber and didn't seal off the holes they cut! Live about 45 minutes north of the old factory in Sandusky if anyone knows of a good shop or would come look at it for advice. Thanks!

As long as you have a bunk trailer you can do it on the trailer. It's not that crucial for a boat that old.

It's not really that bad of a project to do yourself. If you paid somebody to do it, it would be way more than what the boat is worth.

I did it myself a couple years ago, see my thread in the Baja section.

I saw that thread and read through it. Your boat is awesome btw! I get mine done we will need to meet at the islands, live on the outskirts of Sandusky in castalia and usually launch in the bay.

I did mine myself also.. actually was a fun project!!
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...1/baja3004.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...1/baja3006.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...1/baja3018.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...kestclair4.jpg

Fleg, that is a beautiful boat!

Thank You!! It's alright for a old school 1987 Baja!! You can do the same to your 250 just take your time and don't cut any corners.. I didn't know squat about fiberglass and resin and all that crap I just jumped in and took it one day at a time!!!

Good Luck with your project!! And start a thread with lots of pics and we can help you along the way!!!
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...clair20122.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...clair20123.jpg

What did you do to your windshield? Paint it white?

No I custom made that fairing!! Its 3/4 plywood wrapped with bi-axial cloth and painted!!

Honestly I think I have more time in building the fairing than I do in removing all the rot and replacing the transom and stringers!!

I cant wait to follow along on your rebuild!!!!

Fleg gave me motivation when I was doing mine, love his ride!!

Thanks Tim!!

You want to swap hatches mine leak!!!:hijack::lolhit:

Just ebayed em!! I looked up what they cost new, may pull decent money.... they are 1000.00 new if you have the same ones I got and you should...

Fleg, did you ever have a build thread for that fairing? Might do that this winter, just love that look over stock!

my sport 250 also had dimensional lumber. i replaced the transom, stringers and floor all with aracoply, its not marine grade but almost the same for 1/3 of the cost. i honestly think sealing your wood is more important than the wood itself but thats me. i used 2 pieces of 3/4" 7 ply with a layer of glass mat in between for the stringer. i also did mine on a bunk trailer with no known issues as of now. this is the 3rd season on the water with it. i suggest using vinylester resin also, its not much more money and is suppose to stick better to the existing polyester. talk to glass dave, he can tell you everything you need, he helped me out a TON on mine when i did it. good luck!

No not here, but I did have a thread over on TBM!! I got banned over there for associating with friends but if you go register over there and do a search I think it was called flegs 320 force restoration or something like that.. I don't even have pics any more, my computer crashed and I lost them all!!!

I used 1/2" blue insulation board to mock everything up.. Once I got the shape I wanted I just transfered the pattern over to plywood and saw kerfed the back so that I could bend it ( front piece of Fairing ) the sides were straight!! screwed it together and started glassing it.. after it was glassed you start doing some body work to get it smooth and paint!!!

I also used marine grade douglas fir plywood for my transom and stringers with a biaxial sandwiched in between the 2 pieces!!! I used vinylester resins

Yeah I have heard all good things about Glass Dave, he only lives about 45 minutes away from me. I think I'm going to use LVL beans for stringers, unless I can get some good info about Prisma stuff, It would be cool to use it, but don't know if it has been used on powerboats like a Baja force before. Going to use Biaxle cloth and polyester resin for the stingers.

Picked up my gantry lift today from a friend, hopefully have the engine and out drive off by the end of the weekend and start cutting out stringers first of next week. I would love to have it in the water for a couple runs this year but not going to rush it.

Promise to post some pics of the boat tomorrow. Where is the best place to host pics?

Photobucket is pretty easy to use.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/b...ml#post3745917

Heres a link to my build thread guys! Thanks