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?

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..

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.

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?