My boat sank!

[Ron p Levin]

A few years back I replaced gas tanks. After I pulled them out I noticed rot in the stringers. Alarmed I asked the tank guy about and he had experience because he used to work for Shamrock. So, as I recall, he said the wood was not considered structural and it was more of a filler or form that was covered in fiberglass and that was where the strength was. The u shape of the fiberglass. I still added some resin and stuff and re installed the new tanks. My thought is that whatever you do will be fine.

 

[pilarboat]

Ron: I sort of sped-read your comments and kept seeing the word filling, filler, etc. Those words to me causes me to for-see problems. Without going into specifics for your problems with rotting wood, etc., I will say that that wood needs to be completely removed and replaced with kiln-dried pressure treated wood, (kiln-dried wood, nothing else), no filling with whatever material that I see posted on the internet. In other words, start over at the beginning and replace an entire stringer. Properly made stringers are made with a solid piece of wood with no joint because before it's over, the joints will leak and rot; that's why they were originally made with one piece of wood. No fillers, no fitting, rip it all out and replace it. I will not deny that stringers can be made with laminated kiln dried pressure treated wood that is properly encased in an epoxy/vinyl ester/ etc., resin. Kiln dried treated wood is used because it is not wet and resin will stick to it. I stand ready for correction on any of this post; I do not know everything.

 

[Mistress]

TMK, the Shamrock motor mounting beds are not part of the stringer, but rather a built up boss sistered to the stringer.

I believe several folks have cut of the cap and installed new engine "mounting blocks" successfully.

I'll see if I can find an associated thread. Bad Apple did similar somewhat recently and posted photos of what's under the FRP skin.

It really depends how far the rot goes. If you can get to good wood without compromising any cross sections, these can be "patched".

Edit:

Engine bed repair

Engine is out decided to open the engine beds for a look. The ply wood was rotted but the main engine beds are in good shape. This is the my last one and I decided to post pics. For everyone to see. I was surprised to see how the plywood was installed. The lags were screwed into the end grain? i...

www.shamrockboatownersclub.com

Engine bed repairs more pic

I also lifted the glass and applied total boat penitrating epoxy. The put some weights on the glass. The port rear engine bed had 0 rot on the plywood. I opened it up and ply wood was clean. The starboard side was rotted ( plywood) main engine bed was clean. I’ll post pics when I find. I’m...

www.shamrockboatownersclub.com

 

[Dakota Smoll]

Thisni

TMK, the Shamrock motor mounting beds are not part of the stringer, but rather a built up boss sistered to the stringer.

I believe several folks have cut of the cap and installed new engine "mounting blocks" successfully.

I'll see if I can find an associated thread. Bad Apple did similar somewhat recently and posted photos of what's under the FRP skin.

It really depends how far the rot goes. If you can get to good wood without compromising any cross sections, these can be "patched".

Edit:

Engine bed repair

Engine is out decided to open the engine beds for a look. The ply wood was rotted but the main engine beds are in good shape. This is the my last one and I decided to post pics. For everyone to see. I was surprised to see how the plywood was installed. The lags were screwed into the end grain? i...

www.shamrockboatownersclub.com

This is what I’ve found. I cut the caps off and found much rotting wood. I’d love to have someone do this work for me but here in port Townsend Washington it is apparently very difficult to get someone to do the work —2months out. I cut down to good wood and will probably fill back from there. Likely a mahogany fill block with epoxy…gflex maybe? Rears are not bad but the forwards are pretty much gone.

I’m sort of in a between area of “do it right” and “just get it done”. I agree cutting them completely out, using pressure treated and fiberglassing it all back together is the best way, but with the engine on the way I don’t really have time to build brand new mounts. I think the repair I make will be substantial. If I’m 5 years I have to redo them, so be it. It takes only a couple hours to get the engine out of the boat, and in 5 years it might be time to pull it anyway.

 

[Dakota Smoll]

 

[Ship]

Oak is what it think mine were. If not, oak is still a good engine bed material. And you can usually get it in larger dememtions (6/4 or 8/4) that way less glueing to get the proper thickness.

 

[Dakota Smoll]

Oak is what it think mine were. If not, oak is still a good engine bed material. And you can usually get it in larger dememtions (6/4 or 8/4) that way less glueing to get the proper thickness.

Yes white oak is a possible too. Depends what it costs at our local sawmill. Fortunately because Port Townsend is a Mecca of wooden boats, edensaw is able to produce whatever wood I need…for a fiberglass boat haha

 

[Damon]

There is a good chance they’ll total the boat. We are still sort of in limbo on that. The marina insurance is paying out and our insurance will cover the remainder, worst case.

We considered shopping around for something else but when it comes down to it, this boat is just made perfectly for what we do!

I regret selling my 26' Commercial Pilothouse back in 2005.

 

[deputyrpa]

These were what mine looked like. It wasn't an isolated incident.

So I just copied and replaced them. It took a few days, but I know the mounts can take the torque..

.

 

[Gary S]

Do not use treated wood- resin does not adhere well. Douglas fir is a common used wood probably what was originally used. Pretreat the wood with CPES-https://www.rotdoctor.com/products/cpes.html until it wont take anymore,it is compatible with epoxy resins. US Composites, https://www.uscomposites.com/ has epoxy at more reasonable prices.