How hard is it to replace a stringer in a 20' boat I think it's a Well Craft. The boat is in great shape except for the stringer and will need some interior work. Thanks in advance, 88 Mach 1

Its a messy job, But not to bad once you get all of the rotten wood out and the boat prepared for the new stringers. I have cut the tops out of the existing stringers and removed the rotten wood and i have put in completely new stringers with all new glass work. I got tired of paying people to do crappy work so i do all myself now.

"I got tired of paying people to do crappy work so i do all myself now."

You know the military cut open some of their old boats and found the wood in the stringers was dust. The real structural part is the glass. Thats why so many are now balsa or foam. It is really just a form for the glass. The military boats were still strong. I completly rebuilt every stringer and bulkhead in a 33 Donzi. You will make a mess and itch for days. I gutted the boat to get to everything. Almost split the deck and should have. It was never right because of that. The ends were icebreaker strong but the middle was weak.

So what are you telling me? The wood and fiberglass are both broken.

If less then half of the length of the stringer is rotten you might consider splicing it and replacing only part of the stringer. Either way it is doable. Take cut off wheel to the bottom portion of the stringer and cut through the glass. Do this on each side of the stringer. If you are removing the whole stringer you will have to do this all the way front to back. If the stringer is real rotten it will now remove pretty easily with a pry bar. Usually their is some good wood which stays bonded. Now you need a grinder. Grind away all wood and excess material. (but not into the layers of the hull laminate!) You want to round the top of the new stringer with a router or else it will be hard to get the new glass on without bubbling. I have always bedded stringers in epoxy putty and then glassed over them.

Hey Mitch I to had to cut apart a Donzi and itched for days, mine was an 86 Z-21. If you treat it as a Hobby you might and I say MIGHT enjoy it. Good Luck.

88 on mine they were but if you just have rotted wood and no fiberglass damage you could cut the top of the stringer off, remove the bad wood and replace it with good wood. Don't use treated though. Mine were shattered and pulling from the floor so I had to start over.

mach,

there is a product out, i think it's relatively new, that is used to repair transom's. if you can get at the top of the transom, you dig out the rotten wood, and pour this stuff in. it's supposed to be stong as hell, some form of epoxy. my friend sells it. i'll try to find out the name. i'm sure it would save you lots and lots of aggravation and itching on your stringers too.

That's got to be the best news I've heard in a long time. Please send me the info. Thanks, 88 Mach 1