Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

Question for the fiberglass experts with concern to stringer repair:

I am restoring a 1982 Carrera 24. I have allready removed everything and am down to the stringers. The stringer coring is rotted, but the glass/cloth is not damaged or fractured.

I realize that the stringer coring on this boat is (was) wood. What is the problem, as only the coring is rotten, to cut the caps off the stringers, remove all the coring material, then prep and fill with epoxy. Then recap the stringer. Can it not be done because of the additional weight of the epoxy, that it would be too ridged, or what?

Thanks for the advice.

E.S.

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

Eric,
I would think if you cleaned out all the rotten wood and cleaned inside and scuffed inside properly (for the epoxy to bite into the old glass). Why not slide a new piece of plywood or sheets of pluywood glued together into the cavity? Make the wood large enough to fill most of the cavity and count on the epoxy to fill the rest.
I would justfill the cavity with enough thickened epoxy so that it oozes out when you cram the new wood in. That way you would have no air gaps. smooth off the top and glass over.
The West system book shows that for partial stringer repair.
Dan

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

I would not do it that way. I would be to concerned with secondary bonding problems and getting ALL the air out.

Jon

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

Thanks guys, guess full removal and replacement is the way to go.

E.S.

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

I've got a 17' correct craft that looks like it needs stringer replacement too. I'm thinking of going with a product called seacast. What do you guys think?

http://www.transomrepair.com

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

Check out this website, rotdoc.com.......penetrating epoxy CPES.

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

I would cut the caps off and clean and sand the insides. then use a foam coring (in front of the engine stringers) wood for engine mounts.Then fill the gap with a slightly smaller core and fill with a slow cure epoxy. Most of the structural capability comes from the spreading of the stress across the glass.

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

What type of foam coring would you use? It would not be possible to use a type of pourable expansion foam and fill the voids, or would it? The stinger glass\mat thickness is about an 1/4". Is that normal for this age boat with wooden cored stringers?

Thanks for the insight.

E.S.

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

Seacast seems like a good product. Grind off the tops of the stingers, clean them out, and pour this stuff in.www.transomrepair.com

Re: Question for the fiberglass experts.
 

What type of glass cloth was it built with tri-layer 1708, 1808 or a woven like and older chris or scarab? Also what was the wood core, ply or solid. This matters in your replication of strength and flexibility. You can fill some types like woven because the strength is in the glass and the wood is a filler only. If it is a smoother type like the 1708 (nicer finish) and is wrapped over solid wood in 2 coats equaling about 1/8" you need to replace whole stringer. In my opinion if you can't make the call, find out lay up from manufacture..