How much $$$ for stringer work....

[Donziweasel]

All this talk of big power in Classics has me contemplating having my stringer beefed up. They are in great shape and was going to sandwinch them in aluminum, but might want to have them glassed since my final goal is, well, let's just say my 540 is 600hp and I am eventually shooting for way more than that.

Since I know absolutly nothing about glass work, what price should I look at for a glass shop to beef them?

George, your not going to be in JH anytime soon, are ya?:biggrin:

[mrfixxall]

All this talk of big power in Classics has me contemplating having my stringer beefed up. They are in great shape and was going to sandwinch them in aluminum, but might want to have them glassed since my final goal is, well, let's just say my 540 is 600hp and I am eventually shooting for way more than that.
Since I know absolutly nothing about glass work, what price should I look at for a glass shop to beef them?
George, your not going to be in JH anytime soon, are ya?:biggrin:


Dw, if you can r&r a engine and do all the rest of the stuff on your boats and busses then fiberglass work as everybody thinks it is. The hardest part is mocking up the wood and traring the old stuff out..when applying it like wall paper,apply the resin,lat out the fiberglass,brush on more resin and roll it out and push the mat down..you want to make sure you dont mix the resin to hot or it will crack,its soppose to flex..thats why i think alot of the newer donzis are having problems with their cracks in the hulls,inproper mixing of the chemicals..
if you need any info give me or one of up a shout and we can walk you through it..:beer:

[boxy]

All this talk of big power in Classics has me contemplating having my stringer beefed up. They are in great shape and was going to sandwinch them in aluminum, but might want to have them glassed since my final goal is, well, let's just say my 540 is 600hp and I am eventually shooting for way more than that.
Since I know absolutly nothing about glass work, what price should I look at for a glass shop to beef them?
George, your not going to be in JH anytime soon, are ya?:biggrin:

I'm pretty sure once the Lazy P is finished, if you promised to feed Lenny, and keep him supplied with Cold Beer, you could probably convince him to drive from BC to WY for a week or two. Then again, I've spent some time on a dock with Lenny, and it maybe cheaper to just send it Sarasota..... :troll::pimp:

[BigGrizzly]

I samwitched mine 8 years ago in the Criterion and the 16 was done in 1968. neither has had a problem and no one has ever noticed it unless I point it out. I did 6'X6"X1/2" inch. If you glass them next to the wood the expansion differential will crack the glass. I saw this happen, when a friend copied mine in the early 1970s, so don't do that. even if you get rid of the wood it will happen.

[MOP]

You need to be sure of just how good what you have is! Since everything will be glassed over one way or the other the first thing I would do is use a moisture meter to check things out. If it comes up Ok then you can build up the stringers and install transverses, one spot that can be trouble is where the stringers meet the transom. The stringers ends are not isolated from the transom wood, any water weeping into the stringers through the aft limber holes works its way back into the lower part of the transom. My 22 is an 86 only the last 3-3-1/2' of my old stringers and the very bottom of the transom were bad, we tore out new looking wood from the engine mounts forward. I went with double stringers from mid ship aft and isolated from the transom with two layers of glass, put in an extra bulkhead and added three sets of transverses. Way over kill for my mouse motor but my buddy was the glass guy at Hustler he did most of the work, he said build it to the max said the next guy may want major hp and can just dump it in.

[Lenny]

I'm pretty sure once the Lazy P is finished, if you promised to feed Lenny, and keep him supplied with Cold Beer, you could probably convince him to drive from BC to WY for a week or two. Then again, I've spent some time on a dock with Lenny, and it maybe cheaper to just send it Sarasota..... :troll::pimp:

That sounds like fun. :yes: Drive for 15 hours, get drunk, be hungover everday and hang my head in a bilge sucking up styrene all day and repeating that 3 times :D and then driving for 15 hours home.

Gee, thanks for thinking of me Steve. :)

The Lazy P does sound like fun tho. :yes:
When there is NO snow.

I'd hazard a "guess" of about $2K.

[boxy]

That sounds like fun. :yes: Drive for 15 hours, get drunk, be hungover everday and hang my head in a bilge sucking up styrene all day and repeating that 3 times :D and then driving for 15 hours home.

Gee, thanks for thinking of me Steve. :)

The Lazy P does sound like fun tho. :yes:
When there is NO snow.

I was thinking of dragging the 3 days worth of work out over 10 days or so .... :D :D

[Donziweasel]

Come on Lenny, it will be fun. I will make sure you have a Bloody Mary every morning for the hangover........:biggrin: Plus, it is a nice drive, seem to remember doing it in November.....:yes:


Mike, I just have NO experience with glass at all. My mechanics do the repairs on the busses, but it is not really structural stuff. Considering the amount of stress that the stringers will be under, want to make sure it is done right. If it was just superficail stuff, such as a scratch or something, I might take a shot at it............

[gcarter]

This is what I suggested to "Just say N20".....

"Sorry I didn't get back to this sooner, but this is a very complicated subject.
Actually any handy person can do it, but good guidance is required.
I'd like to reccomend a book to study;

"The fiberglass boat repair manual"
by Allan Vaitses

http://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-Boa...120036&sr=1-10 (http://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-Boat-Repair-Manual/dp/0071569146/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238120036&sr=1-10)

This book is invaluable for repairs like this and many others.

I have a copy somewhere, but I can't seem to find it...."

John, this stuff is easily learnable. Buy the book, and study it a little. It's a great guide.
BTW, if you seal the end grain on new stringer wood w/a thin penetrating epoxy, they'll never rot out.
__________________

[onesubdrvr]

"..... I just have NO experience with glass at all. My mechanics do the repairs on the busses, but it is not really structural stuff. Considering the amount of stress that the stringers will be under, want to make sure it is done right. If it was just superficail stuff, such as a scratch or something, I might take a shot at it............"


I will say that I think you should give it a shot. I have never done any siginficant work with fiberglass, and I'm getting ready to begin a seriously more involved undertaking on the 16.

Granted, different monsters, but with your attention to detail, I'm sure you'll do fine,... come on, give it a go like I am :) :D

Wayne

[CHACHI]

I will say that I think you should give it a shot. I have never done any siginficant work with fiberglass, and I'm getting ready to begin a seriously more involved undertaking on the 16.

No truer words have passed Waynes lips. :wink:

Ken

[Trueser]

Or you can call Nabbers that took care of Marks Crit.

Give me a call or send me an email..

I can keep a close eye on her and keep you updated.

[Donziweasel]

Thanks Trueser. I spoke with the Fuzzy one this morning and he said he might be able to send me a few pics of the stringer work on FarmerTx's boat. If you have any, I would love to see them.

Alright George, as one of the board experts on glass, if you say I can do it, then I am going to give it a try. I am going to order your book. Might be buggin' ya some with some questions, hope that is ok. Last time I messed with glass was on my snowmobile hood and lets just say it didn't come out very good.

I guess worse case scenario is that it doesn't strengthen them, but it also won't weaken them. My Critter stringers are just not that big. I think my 16's were bigger actually.

[Air 22]

You need to be sure of just how good what you have is! Since everything will be glassed over one way or the other the first thing I would do is use a moisture meter to check things out. If it comes up Ok then you can build up the stringers and install transverses, one spot that can be trouble is where the stringers meet the transom. The stringers ends are not isolated from the transom wood, any water weeping into the stringers through the aft limber holes works its way back into the lower part of the transom. My 22 is an 86 only the last 3-3-1/2' of my old stringers and the very bottom of the transom were bad, we tore out new looking wood from the engine mounts forward. I went with double stringers from mid ship aft and isolated from the transom with two layers of glass, put in an extra bulkhead and added three sets of transverses. Way over kill for my mouse motor but my buddy was the glass guy at Hustler he did most of the work, he said build it to the max said the next guy may want major hp and can just dump it in.

What he said..:) You can figure labor to be the main cost $$..my stinger transom project was 40hrs.

[Trueser]

Unless your boat was done correctly earlier,I would go thru these post and see the problem area's.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54377

Has your tank been replaced?

[BigGrizzly]

Actually DW's was gone through pretty well, I had talked to the restorer when he was doing it. I think it was just after I got mine it and re engined it. The owner did not spear a dime on it. He and I had an engine disagreement, but beyond that he seamed to have a good direction. I beleave he spent almost a year on it. It was suppose to be a keeper. Now in no way am I going to say he is as good as the T man's guy. Guys like that are a dying breed.

[Donziweasel]

Trueser, I looked throught the thread and other than than the additional side mount, (he has two on each side, and I have only 1), they look identical.

I have moisture tested everything, transom and stringers are solid, no moisture.

Grizz is right, guy really did a good job. Gas tank was replaced. I will try and take some pics. Hell, maybe it doesn't need anything beefing at all.

[BigGrizzly]

DW, just so you know he replaced the tank and it was not bad. The original plan was to put a bigger tank, but that did not happen I believe. From what I under stand the boat wasn't in bad shape to begin with.