311 BHD and stringer repairs
 

I removed the gas tank in my 311 due to leaking and lost the forward bulkhead in the process. I will be replacing the bulkhead in front of the tank and the stringers going forward as well as the bulkhead under the u-shaped seat in the cuddy. Any advice before I get into it? Best method for removal? I pulled 10 gallons of fuel out of the cuddy so I need to be cautious of tool selection for removal. The stringers that run along side the tank don't look great but not totally rotted like the structure going forward. I still need to remove for foam and check those more thoroughly though.

How ever bad you think it is it is going to be worse unless you get very lucky. Just don't skimp on the repair and good luck!

Lots of soapy water to rinse it out before you fire up any electrical tools. Otherwise you might be getting whole new boat if you make it out alive lol

If you took out that much gas I would keep it outside and let it air our for sure. There are a lot of tools you could use that are air powered. I took my foam out with a chain saw. The blade will not cut through the glass as long as you use just a little bit of care. You want a new bad and don't use oil on the blade as it will get on the glass and can make bonding an issue for your future lamination.

I got everything aired and dried out pretty good. Stringers have some bad spots so ripping everything from the engine compartment forward out. Got most of the cabinets torn apart tonight. There seems to be plenty of access so removal shouldn't be too hard. I used a hand saw for cutting out the foam. I heard about the chainsaw but wasn't ready for it.

We need pictures of the progress here!

I found some more rot going outboard but do not have access. Has anyone ever cut the deck out rather then part the hull? It looks fairly straight forward and I should be able to cut it so it cannot easily be seen when put back together.

At this point you should put a couple steps in the hull

And stagger the engines. Ha ha

Kidding aside.I think it's great that you will be saving your old bird. It's not the easy way to have a nice hull, but if done right it will be better than factory new. Best of luck and post progress.

I'd buy a new boat

What part can't you get at?

Looking for some more information I found this thread that I never updated. I gave up on the 311 last summer and used my 242.. I’m back in demolition mode and the rot just keeps going. I’m now under the v birth and have to cut out the bhds where the water tank is. Cutting the wood and glass has been fairly easy by using a grinder with a diamond tip blade. I’m still on the first one and is still holding up.I have found the removal of all the foam to be The most frustrating. The structure Is completely gone and really wet under the deck in the cuddy. Can you still post pics here? How?

Please post some pics sounds like a great project

We need pictures. Boats rot from the keel upwards, so it is not surprising to hear (be nice to see) that you are finding the bulkheads wet/rotted. The stringers get their moisture from the bulkhead, so they tend to rot later in the game.

If the stringers are not salvageable, I'd consider splitting the boat halves, because cutting the cockpit liner won't be pretty and the boat will probably never be the same again.