Stringer Wood Core & Strength

[silverghost]

I was wondering how much strength & structure the stringer wood core actually gives to the stringers on a Donzi 16 or 18 ?

Most of the wood stringer core is fairly thin in cross section & solid soft wood, plywood, or in some cases mahogany is it not ?

Is the real strength & structure of the stringers not in the shape & thickness of it's fiberglass shell laminations ?

Does the interior core wood really add very much to the stringer's real strength ?

I have stringer wood core rot; at least in the aft transom & engine bed area..
I am just wondering how far I should go foreward in replacing my stringer's old core ?

I suspect the plywood bulkheads are also rotten near the center keel & PVC pipe drain hole areas.

The lower half of my transom core is also rotten & I will replace it's entire wood core.

This rot is near the center drain hole, speedo pilot tube moutig & hose holes and the lower outdrive cut-out !