New member with soft stringers

[Richard Siddall]

My name is Rich. I live on Hatteras Island N.C. I've owned three Grady's in the last 35 years as well as several other boats,' two of the G.W."s being the Fisherman 249 center console model which were manufactured from '85 to '88. I previously owned for fifteen years the first one built and recently acquired the last one built and have discovered that it has soft stringers. I'd like to know if anyone else has had this problem and how they dealt with it. I'm investigating ways to fix it and am seeking technical advise and input from anyone with personal experience on this mater. I realize that I have to de-rig the boat, take it apart and remove an replace stringers and possibly some bulkheads as well. It'll be a huge undertaking but I am committed to doing it because as an original owner boat when I bought it, it is in otherwise pristine original condition. Any pertinent information or insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Meanwhile]

Good luck is all I can say. Please post lots of photos when you get into the project.

 

[VeroWing]

I found two soft spots on the stringers of my 23 Gulfstream when I pulled tank(s) for replacement. I cut away fiberglass covering on inside of tank compartment larger than soft spots and then cut away soft wood plus a few inches of solid wood on both sides, being careful not to hit the fiberglass behind removed soft wood. Used a circular saw set at just enough to cut core wood and not glass behind it. Next I belt-sanded (50-80 grit) this existing glass, cleaned it up and epoxy coated complete area as well as cut replacement plywood pieces, made up an epoxy paste w/cut glass and spread it on still curing existing epoxy coated glass as well as on precut replacement plywood sections and pressed them into place using cut lengths 2x4s pushing from stringer on other side, as well as some screws to bond into existing stringer. While that was setting up, mixed more epoxy resin paste and filled in seams, topped with epoxy coated strips of fiberglass and finally several complete epoxy coated layers of fiberglass overlapping existing solid areas. That was three years ago, and I keep a close eye on repair and have had no issues while running boat offshore and through rough water.

 

[Richard Siddall]

Thanks for the input VeroWing. Sounds like the method I'll employ, which is to rebuild the stringers in place, rebuild the bulkheads with new coring as well, reusing the original fiberglass skins and then glass them in place. Have done this with the hatch covers and removable deck panels on my first 249 Fisherman back in the
'90's with balsa coring material which is what was used then. Have also used this method in bigger boats to repair compromised sections in cabins and covering boards. Will have to remove center console and T-top to access deck panel beneath. With all of the other deck panels removed I should be able to get to the inboard sides of the stringers up to about 3/4's of the way forward to where the rot seems to stop. It's amazing that none of the deck core is rotten. Most likely because the boat was kept in a rack inside a boatel most of it's life. It must have been partially submerged at one time long enough for water to penetrate into the stringer and bulkhead core.

 

[Oceantroller]

Hey Rich How are you making out with your Project? I just purchased a 249 with a pair of 150 Yamahas on it looking forward to hearing from you

 

[Richard Siddall]

Hey Rich How are you making out with your Project? I just purchased a 249 with a pair of 150 Yamahas on it looking forward to hearing from you

 

[Richard Siddall]

Thanks for your interest, Oceantroller, havn't started work on it yet but getting closer. Brought it to an outfit here in N.C. ; Wollard & Nelson fiberglass and boat repair to have the damage assessed and repair estimate. These guys used to work at the Gradywhite plant and do warranty work for them, extremely experienced and knowledgeable! Turns out that the extent of the damage is exactly as I thought it was and he would repair it as I would, by rebuilding the affected stringers and bulkheads in place and avoid taking the boat apart or cutting the deck out. That was huge relief and the price that he quoted me to do it was significantly less than I had anticipated! Made a deal for him to do the job when I bring it back to their shop after I de-rig and remove the console-top and fuel tank as that would give him time to finish some current jobs in process and it would also save me money on labor. It's three weeks later and I've prepped the boat but they have taken on some priority warranty jobs for G W as he advised me might happen. Will check on status of timeline in a week. Am anxious to get it started because the main reason for having them fix the boat is that I don't have in indoor facility to do that kind of work on it and they could do it a lot faster than me. Also I believe that these guys are the most qualified. Hope you enjoy your newly acquired 249 Fisherman this coming season. Get an early start on thoroughly checking out the boat and operation of all of the equipment so you don't miss out on time on the water. If you have any questions about your boat don't hesitate to ask. I owned and operated my first '85 249 with twin Yam'ies for 15 years from '88 to '04 in Ches. Bay as well as offshore from Indian River inlet to Hatteras where we live now. Troll on my friend

 

[Oceantroller]

Thanks for your interest, Oceantroller, havn't started work on it yet but getting closer. Brought it to an outfit here in N.C. ; Wollard & Nelson fiberglass and boat repair to have the damage assessed and repair estimate. These guys used to work at the Gradywhite plant and do warranty work for them, extremely experienced and knowledgeable! Turns out that the extent of the damage is exactly as I thought it was and he would repair it as I would, by rebuilding the affected stringers and bulkheads in place and avoid taking the boat apart or cutting the deck out. That was huge relief and the price that he quoted me to do it was significantly less than I had anticipated! Made a deal for him to do the job when I bring it back to their shop after I de-rig and remove the console-top and fuel tank as that would give him time to finish some current jobs in process and it would also save me money on labor. It's three weeks later and I've prepped the boat but they have taken on some priority warranty jobs for G W as he advised me might happen. Will check on status of timeline in a week. Am anxious to get it started because the main reason for having them fix the boat is that I don't have in indoor facility to do that kind of work on it and they could do it a lot faster than me. Also I believe that these guys are the most qualified. Hope you enjoy your newly acquired 249 Fisherman this coming season. Get an early start on thoroughly checking out the boat and operation of all of the equipment so you don't miss out on time on the water. If you have any questions about your boat don't hesitate to ask. I owned and operated my first '85 249 with twin Yam'ies for 15 years from '88 to '04 in Ches. Bay as well as offshore from Indian River inlet to Hatteras where we live now. Troll on my friend

Ok sounds great I fish out of Indian River so keep me in the loop on you progress. I have down sized so I can go out with out having a crew so we will see how this 249 treats me.