1996 Baja 252 stringer replacement need assistance
 

Hey guys,

So I have a 96 Baja 252 with a 502 Mag in it and its a little tired so we pulled it so I can do some updates over the winter. I was worried I would find rot knowing these boats seem to be prone to it and well I found it. when we pulled the motor the left side mount came with the engine and the large nut was off then we realized the wood was total MUSH! How the engine didn't drop is beyond me, I was able to dig the wood out with my fingers.

Anyway I have never replaced a stringer before so I was wondering if I could have some pointers on how to attack this?


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Stringer on the other side is ok? First thing you are going to want to do to develop a game plan, is to figure out how far/extensive the damage is. Get a drill, and start drilling small holes in various area,s working away from known damage, and see what the wood comes out looking like. In a perfect world, small curly cues. If the whole stringer is wet, then you need to check transom, intersecting bulkheads etc..

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b2318de5dc.jpg
I will attack that method tonight and see, so say murphy isn't totally Fing me and the majority of the stringer is ok is it possible to splice in a section of stringer? I assumed that is a NO-NO and regardless the stringer is in need of replacement? Does the the stringer go through the first bulkhead or is it jut butted up to it? This is where I like working with metal, just cut it out and weld in a new piece, none of this BS wood involves lol

I am surprised that 502 was mounted that way...instead of the more robust designs. Wonder if that contributed to the rot?

YES...a stringer CAN be repaired, but as noted above you need to assess the damage and find where it is limited to. However, that rot is in THE worst place possible, frankly. Assuming the damage is limited to just that area, you're still looking at taking that section out and stubbing in ~6' or more to make sure you have the support and strength needed. So...you'll need to remove the rear seat and the cockpit floor forward of that to gain access. Not impossible at all, just very time consuming and tedious.

'93 Islander 208 resto - Baja Boat Owners (vbulletin.net)

You may find some helpful info in the above thread. Good pictures of a stringer restoration on a 208 Islander.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...893a48c970.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...8fd6fbff81.jpg
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peeled back some more of the onion last night with an angle grinder and a flat blade. Talk about much is was about has hard as frosted flakes in milk for an hour! But the Starboard side is rock solid so far!
Question what type of wood are you guys replacing it with I assume not pressure treated but maybe a laminated 2x6? I figure a laminated stringer is stronger than pressure treated??

Lag bolts and no sealant. First mistake. Looks like you are on the right track. Like Bajaman said, keep going until you hit solid wood.

I assume the mounts were done like this from Baja and this is why these boats are prone to stinger/transom rot but FING DUMB!!! I want to try and find laminated or Fir beams to replace what's there with then I think I may fabricate some sort of a metal cap that I can side bolt to the stringers and 5200 seal it. Then mount the engine mounts to that. What a mess, all I wanted to do was freshen up the engine but I cant say Im in the least be shocked I found this.

Joey,

This is essentially how PowerQuest does it. Sealed holes through the stringers, an aluminum U-channel cap, and motor mounts bolted through all of it.

Having run high performance model boats for many years, I've repaired my fair share of damaged wood. If I were doing yours, I'd keep cutting til you find solid wood, finishing the demo with a step joint on both ends, replace it all, glassing it in, then have U-Channel caps made that span the repairs, making sure to bolt though good original stringer on both sides of the repair, AND through the step joints on both ends. Before assembling, make sure all the holes through the stringers are sealed. Keep in mind that this will likely move your motor mounts, so they will have to be modified/remade, to account for this.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Well, not all, for sure...mine and other Bajas I know have a very robust stringer mount as shown in the picture...perhaps worth looking into when you rebuild?
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...315fe16fd4.jpg

So it looks like my Transom is solid I dug the complete stringer out and there is Fiberglass between it and the other mating surfaces so it didnt spread the rot to the bulkhead or transom.
I removed the transom assembly and the transom around this is solid as well so I think I am good with replacing one stringer. What I see which is STUPID is at the transom they notched the stringer so water can pass from the cavities down to the bilge and where the water passes is open bare WOOD!!!!!! DUMB to say the least! MY plan is to do as in the last photo and make a heavy duty mount but like mentioned I want to add more metal then in the photo to add rigidity and spread out the weight on the wood.

Next debockel is getting the pin out of the gimbal ring which was leaking and started this whole process. SO far heating and soaking with penetrating fluid and it wont come out. I walked away but this weekend I'll go back at it with more heat, I just don't
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want to crack the gimbal ring there big $$$

The backing plate when I loosened the nuts crumbled in my hands so now I have to find another one! If anyone has a 4116-C3-S-1-F let me know. I saw a few on Ebay but I am not sure they are exact. Mine has the two holes with one elongated on the top, looks like the bravo and Alpha share the same???

The tig cups are on the bench there.
Weld that dude up.

I was waiting for the call out on that lol, LOL its a cast and badly corroded I rather just replace it with a better one lol

Have you priced a new transom assembly? May be the easy way to go then everything is nice and new.

Yes its over $3k that will be an absolute last resort.

So I am looking to glass the new stringer myself, I was planning on using glass mat 1708 with total boat epoxy resin.

https://www.totalboat.com/product/totalboat-epoxy-kits/

Any recommendations I am overlooking?

1708 has a mat backing which is not recommended for use with epoxy. It will soak up way too much resin ($$) and the strength of epoxy does not warrant the extra thickness of mat.

Something like a 12 oz biaxial cloth would be a better choice and easier to work with IMO

Is an epoxy resin what I want to a structural repair? I have done fiberglass in the past but not for a structural support like a stringer.

Yes, epoxy is very strong and when used properly (reinforced with fiberglass cloth) very suitable for structural repair.

If your transom assembly broke in 2 when on the transom, chances are your transom is soft and it broke under load... mske sure it is not the case before reassembly!

Nope did not break on the boat, I had unbolted it and put it aside. Few hours later I grabbed it quickly from the bottom part and it just fell apart in my hand. The transom is SOLID thank god!

How do you guys like the totalboat supplies? I reached out to them and they recommended the following:



Rick White (TotalBoat)
Oct 25, 2022, 12:50 PM EDT
Once you have the replacement piece cut to fit either oak or pressure treated wood, mix some epoxy either Totalboat High Performance 2:1 epoxy or the 5:1 Traditional epoxy with some silica to thicken it to the consistency of mayonnaise and apply a layer at the bottom to bed the stringer in and place it in.
Then try to put it all around the sides if it's a loose fit. If it's a tight fit apply the thickened epoxy to the stringer sides first then place in. Finally cover the entire stringer on the outside and top with 1708 biaxial cloth and epoxy resin, several layers.
Here are the links:

https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...-detail/336216
https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...t-detail/64343
https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...t-detail/97694
https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...ct-detail/1441
Rick WhiteJamestown Distributors
Total Support Technical Representative1-800-497-0010
Tools and Inspiration for Craftsmen
Name Rick White
Title Total Support Representative
Office: 800-497-0010
Address: 17 Peckham Drive
Bristol, RI 02809
E-mail: [email protected]

1708 and epoxy?? pressure treated wood???solid oak dimensional lumber??? Am I reading this right??

That is what they told me, you certainly are! I take it you disagree on many levels? From what I have researched Dug Fir is best because it absorbs resin so you coat it before installing it then encapsulate it with cloth and resin.

Pressure treated is never correct. Epoxy will not adhere to it.
Dimensional lumber is sometimes acceptable, though marine plywood is preferred by most.
1708 has mat backing and is not used with epoxy. It will consume too much resin and is less flexible than a good biaxial cloth.

If not using composite use marine ply, look up some of glass Dave's posts he has some great how to's.

I did laugh at the motor mount question why didn't they use some type of al and bolt to it.

They do, its called a offshore mount.

Joey,

My personal preference is WestSystems epoxy and perpendicular weave cloth. I like the perpendicular because you can lay it diagonally over and into corners and it lays down more securely and all the fibers are across the joint, not just one direction.

I also think a stepped joint is pretty important. It will be a PITA to cut a step in your stringer, but it will serve you well. You can always cut a relief chamfer on the outside corner that will fit into an inside corner you're struggling to sufficiently clean out for proper fit. This will greatly increase the long-term strength of a stringer repair.

On the assumption that this is new territory for you (if not, use your own process):
I really like the microballoons (silica filler) for structural gussetting. If you've never worked with it, it is not hard. After you've epoxied in your replacement stringer and sanded it flush (if necessary): Mix your epoxy. Wet the surface you're planning to apply the filler "putty" to. Stir in the microballons. Keep stirring more in until the epoxy is about like peanut butter and won't "pour". Apply the peanut butter to the epoxy wetted surfaces. Smooth it out, like you would caulk around your bathtub. Let it sit while you mix up new epoxy. Wait for it to just start to set, so it resists deforming, but is still pretty tacky. Wet the surface of the gusset and anywhere you're going to apply glass cloth. Apply the glass cloth dry and wet it in with a brush, pushing the glass into the already applied epoxy, adding epoxy only if and where needed to wet the cloth to a uniform appearance of translucence. It's kind of important to get the second batch of epoxy down before the first fully sets, as wet epoxy often doesn't bond well with cured epoxy.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Brad,
Thank you for this in depth information, yes this is unchartered territory for me, I have worked with simple fiberglass a few times but nothing of this nature so I am a bit nervous not to mess it up but also I wan to do it and just throw my hands up and pay someone as I will know I put the attention to detail into it.

When you say "stepped joint and cutting in a relief chamfer", I am not certain I know what you are referring too. I was able to thoroughly clean out the old stringer it was so far gone I scrapped it out with a flatblade screw driver and a pressure washer.
https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...ct-detail/3842

Joey,

I hope this is clear enough.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...bf90f6e6e.jpeg



Cutting outside corners is far easier than making inside corners sharp enough to accept the insert.

When you get to the point of making motor mount brackets, make them long enough to bolt through both the existing stringer and the replacement, through the step joint, on both ends. This will thoroughly lock everything in.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Brad,

There is no existing stringer it is all gone between the transom and first bulkhead, I removed it all and want to drop a new stringer into the existing fiberglass trough that held the original. Then glass it in. I thought I would pour some epoxy into the trough to bed the stringer then pour around it even though a 2x6 is a very tight fit. I was going to plane it so it has a little wiggle room to get epoxy around it then cap it with epoxy/cloth.
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Joey,

OH..... I see. :eekdrop: Gotta love Baja......

So.... Disregard EVERYTHING about the step joint. :picard1:

Everything else applies, though. Particularly the diagonal orientation of the glass cloth. If you lay it perpendicular/parallel to the stringer, you will only have half the fibers engaging the joint. Diagonal allows all the fibers to cross the joint. Plus, it will lay into corners and over edges a lot easier.

I'd seriously suggest clamping the crap out of that trough once you get the replacement stringer in place. Keep in mind: Thick epoxy is weak epoxy. The less epoxy between the stringer and the existing trough, the better.

After the replacement sets up, fill in any would-be gaps with glass bead peanut butter before laying glass over it.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Yep freaking Bajas, there are ones with rot and ones that have not found the rot yet. The stringer fits in so tight that i wont be able to get any epoxy along it once its set in place, I was going to plane the new stringer a 1/16", brush glass on it so its incapsulated then set it in place. Does this make sense or should I brush a think coat of epoxy on, set it in place while wet and clamp it? Once it sets up then I can apply a butter consistency along the top and lay the cloth onto it in a cross pattern as mentioned.

Joey,

Yup. Stringer and transom rot seems be their MO. And the aggravating thing is that it's so simple to avoid. It's just a couple more man-hours....

I would thoroughly coat both the replacement stringer board and the inside of the trough with epoxy and set it in place, making sure no area is missed. You don't have to go too thin, so long as you have no gaps in contact. Pouring a bit into the bottom wouldn't hurt, just expect it to seep out as you force the board into place.

Don't plane it down unless you have to. The tighter the fit, the better. You don't want the existing stringer shell to crush when you clamp the new motor mount in place. If you DO have gap, start with a thicker board and plane to thickness so that it fits snug by hand, but needs a bit of force to remove after a test fit.

After you've got it all glassed in and you've got the holes drilled for the motor mount, make sure to seal the holes with epoxy. I've seen where people have glassed in fiberglass tubes into holes to prevent water intrusion. This works very well, is easy to install and it's cheap insurance. Just drill the holes to fit the OD, cut to length and epoxy in place.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

I like that idea, can I glass in metal sleeves into the wood? If not where could I get glass sleeves? The original motor mounts were just lagged in on the top with no sealant so I assume the fuel cooler or something on the port side of the motor was leaking and the stringer just soaked it up and rotted away. Right now the stringer is SUPER tight and once officially tapped into place I do not think Im getting it back out so that's why I wanted to plane it slightly.
My plan now is to make a cradle out of aluminum for the engine mount to bolt too on top and have the cradle bolt to the stringer from the sides but adding the tubes and glassing them in I like as opposed to just putting sealant around after the fact.

I apologize for the 1,000 questions but II want to do This ONCE AND ONCE ONLY! SO thank you for being so helpful I appreciate it!!!!

Joey,

Flame-Retardant Garolite G-10/FR4 Tube, 1/16" Wall Thickness, 5/8" OD, 1/2" ID, 42" Long | McMaster-Carr

I provided this link in my last post, but I guess it was hidden in the text. All good. I don't know what size bolts you intend to use. These are for 1/2" ID, which would obviously work for 1/2" hex head bolts.

I wouldn't glass the metal in with the wood. Finish the wood/glass work, then make your U-channel saddles to fit. You might get them made ahead of time, a bit oversized, so you can glass the stringer out to fit them. Once you've got them fitted, use them to drill pilot "spots". Then drill through to size for your glass tubes. For the tube size I linked, start with 1/2" holes in the saddles, drill the stringers, then re-drill the saddles for 9/16" or 17/32". This is far easier than trying to line drill holes and hoping they match up.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

I have a 1993 Islander 208 with the 350 magnum. The engine has been rebuilt and the drive unit is brand new. Honest opinion please. Is it worth the time and money to do a stringer repair? Or would it be best to ship it down the road and find something else? Or put the gut into something else? I paid 3 grand for the boat and the brand new trailer that it came with. The engine iwas rebuilt as well l. I spent the $on the drive unit. Just curious how far is to far.. thanks for any advice l.

How is the overall condition of the boat? Do you SEE rot of any sort or just suspect it? Here's a pic of a 208 going through a full stringer/floor restoration, I can send you a link if you want..
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c0c513faef.jpg