Many boat enthusiasts enjoy working and improving their vessel's construction by completing repairs without a professional's help. Consider a lot of factors when repairing an older boat, including the basic hull structure. Structural supports, called stringers, can decay and rot over time. Choose specific wood for stringer repair for a safe and long-lasting boat repair.
Stringers are long strips of wood that extend from the boat's bow to its stern. The stringers are equally spaced from one another, creating a set of parallel wood supports. These wood strips apply more strength to the hull's construction for supporting the overall boat structure. Additionally, the added stringer support allows boats to withstand choppy water, especially at high speeds.
Boat Builder Central recommends using marine plywood as the stringer's main wood core. Many boats have fir plywood as a stringer material, either as the manufacturer's installation choice or a previous repair option. However, fir plywood has many unfilled spaces that can compromise the stringer's strength. Marine plywood offers strength and durability without adding significant weight to the boat.
Any wood exposed to water must be treated with a sealer for preventing water infiltration that causes wood decay. A specific sealer designed mainly for boat wood protection is called an epoxy sealer. Epoxy resins, mixed with solvents, create a chemical reaction within the wood. This reaction breaks down moisture, sap and oil within the wood. As a result, the wood fibers and the resin adhere to one another, generating a stronger wood composition while retaining flexibility for natural wood expansion and contraction from temperature and moisture level variations.
Marine plywood, treated with epoxy sealer, is a durable and strong wood choice for a boat's stringer, but installation and stringer design contributes to strength as well. Each stringer is a set of two marine plywood sections pressed against one another. The stringers are held together by cleats that reside on the stringer's end caps. Typically, epoxy putty holds the stringers to the hull along with final fiberglass biaxial tape.
Many boat enthusiasts find traces of rot within their hull, specifically in the stringers. An alternative process to a complete wood stringer replacement can help extend the life of the boat. Rotted wood stringers can have holes drilled into them. Allow the outside air to dry the wood's exposed interior. Inject epoxy sealer into the holes after they dry, as well as filling the hole completely with a laminating resin.
