QA

Quick Answer: How To Fiberglass Boat Stringers

How do you bond stringers to hull?

By shimming the stringer from the hull with foam or rubber pads the filtering and tabbing, to bonding with materials such as construction adhesive, such as liquid nails or Pl adhesive, to epoxy and Cab.

How do you put stringers on a boat?

What is the best material to use for boat stringers?

For your stringers, use two pieces of 3/4″ thick wood, epoxied together, rather then one 2×4. Epoxy has a difficult time with wood thicker then 1″, so glue up thinner pieces.

Do you have to fiberglass stringers in a boat?

Most new boats built today have a fiberglass grid stringer system that is actually made in its own special mold. This eliminates the need for a plywood form over which to laminate the plywood. But not so long ago many builders used plywood – even the best ones.

Do stringers attach to the transom?

You can continue the stringers over the transom and make them connect or, if you don’t want to do that, put brackets at the end of the stringers in the corners of the transom and hull. Either way, make sure these corners have a nice radius.

What do you use for boat stringers?

Boat builders would use plywood to build stringer support systems. This still happens to this day, and the structure will then have fiberglass frames or hats placed over them and can also be laminated. In this example, the wooden stringers are the 2 wooden lengths running from front to back of the boat.

What is the purpose of stringers in a boat?

The primary function of the boat stringers is to provide structural support. Hence, they are often located beneath the boat deckas a part of the hull system to strengthen stability. In some ways, they’re comparable to the floor joists. However, the hull is not the only thing that stringers assist.

Can you use plywood for boat stringers?

Do not use plywood for stringers. Grain orientation is important with long thin pieces. The grain of the wood should follow the length, which goes without saying, but plywood has a large percentage of its grain running across the outer grain direction.

Can I use pine for boat stringers?

Douglas fur works good as do many different species, such as southern yellow pine (regular construction grade lumber in most parts of the country).

Can I use cedar for boat stringers?

Fine idea as long as the cedar is sealed in epoxy first all sides three coats and as long as the wood scantlings are based on a similar strength core. If the original wood was white oak, for example, it would be wise to beef up the cedar to a somewhat larger section.

How do you fix a rotted stringer on a boat?

Repairing local core damage Drill a pattern of 3/16″ diameter holes over the rotted area. Dry the area thoroughly. Inject or pour resin/hardener mixture into the holes while the core is warm. Continue to add epoxy to the holes until the wood can no longer absorb more.

How do you replace a rotted stringer on a boat?

To replace your stringers, follow this simple seven-step method: Prepare the surfaces. All surfaces should be clean, dry and sanded. Mark the area. Remove the damaged stringer. Make the core. Sand the surfaces. Bond the core. Finishing.

Do fiberglass boats have wood in them?

Most fiberglass boats have wood in them. Sailboats travel more slowly and depend more on hull structure for strength, but even so they often have glass-encapsulated wood stringers, engine beds, and lots of balsa or plywood cored decks.

How thick are fiberglass boat hulls?

It cavies from 1.5 to 2 inches thick of solid fiberglass. It could depend when the boat was built. If you look at older fiberglass boats (Pearson or Aero Triton, for example), some of them were built with very thick hulls.

How strong are fiberglass boats?

To be specific, it can reach strengths of over 72,000 pounds per square inch. Fiberglass, on the other hand, isn’t as strong. The material might be flexible during the manufacturing process, it becomes rigid and stiff when hardened. As such, an intense impact can cause fiberglass to crack and break.

How many layers of fiberglass do you need for stringers?

I would Highly Recommend Three Layers of 1700 Biax cloth and call it good. that is what I have use and NEVER had any issues. The Biax is super strong and easy to work with.

How many layers of fiberglass do I need for my boat floor?

Two layers is the absolute minimum, three is better The more prep time between the layers the stronger the finished product will be.

Where is the transom located on a boat?

Transom. The transom is the area of the boat where the motor is attached. The transom is located on the stern of the boat and is typically made of metal on pontoon boats.

What kind of wood is used for stringers?

While yellow pine is the most common wood used for stringers, it is possible to use hardwoods, such as oak, maple, walnut, ash, and hickory, all of which offer superior strength compared to standard pine boards.

What is a bilge stringer?

Bilge stringers are used in many carvel and other round bilged hull shapes to add strength and stiffness. While smaller boats do not really need them, workboats, powerboats and others that are likely to be highly stressed often have one or more, on each side of their hull.