TOPIC: larson help

I would like to start this with a safety tip, that most of you probly already know, but I sure didn't. when working on a boat that is on a trailer, if the tongue of the trailer isn't hooked to a vehicle, block up the back of the boat. since the transom is the shortest part of the boat we have using it to get in & out. well, yesterday i went to get in the boat and the front of the trailer/boat shot up in the air, sending me tumbling out over the transome and spilling me onto the concrete floor. MAN OVER BOARD!!!

floor is clean and ready to build
this is all that supports the stringers, this U shaped fglass thing? and the foam.....ohhh, that miserable stinking, wet foam. sorry just having a flash back.

I'm going to reglass were the stringers are for more support & it appears to be a factory ooops on the middle stringer support thing, they cut the fglass down to far on the left side, the outside hull & foam was holding up the left side stringer. the stringers were not glassed or glued, nothing... just sitting in the pockets on the sides and laying on the foam and the thing in the middle. I cut the one side of the pocket so i can slide the stringer into the opposite side and will only have to reglass the side i cut. I have decided to use vinyal for the stringers. since i don't have to worry about fglass sticking to it & it won't rot.

I read horror stories on re-doing boat floors, grinding fglass, cursing and swearing trying to get the stringers out. were this was easier, since all the wood was just laying there, I'm not sure i like the idea of my floor and stucture of the boat being foam?

Don't get frustrated. I almost cut a boat to pieces when I determined that I had to replace the floor. This boat didn't even have stringers. So I did what I had to do and ended up having alot of fun with the boat. I remember those Larsons having 100 hp Evenrudes on them most of the time. The bow is the best place for a fuel tank in my opinion. You can usually carry more fuel for longer trips, too.

Don't get frustrated. I almost cut a boat to pieces when I determined that I had to replace the floor. This boat didn't even have stringers. So I did what I had to do and ended up having alot of fun with the boat. I remember those Larsons having 100 hp Evenrudes on them most of the time. The bow is the best place for a fuel tank in my opinion. You can usually carry more fuel for longer trips, too.

ok, back after a short time in the hospital. MarkS. you said sealed with resin. You saying, basicaly just paint the boards with resin? or use glass as well, again excuse my ignorance, this is my first build.

Got the 1x2 in the V, and cut the the stringers. had all that stuff laying around. Now it's time to start spending $. I am basicaly cutting all the boards and fitting them. this way, once I fix all the holes/cracks, they will be ready. I noticed some cracks in the v, the don't go all they way threw. Is this just from flexing or should i be worried?

Sorry to hear about the hospital stay DT, hope everything works out / heals fast! I really should let one of the more experienced folks guide you here, as I am still learning. I sealed my stringers with (several layers) CSM (chopped strand mat) and biaxial cloth. On the floor, several people advised just using resin was okay, but I opted for resin biaxial tape over all the edges and seams, and CSM (both sides). (More waterproof, I did not want to take a chance on water getting into the wood.) Just finished that stage on my project, off today to buy some wood to build the ski locker / console so I can get the deck back on before winter! (Snails are speedsters compared to my pace.)

Those are probably stress cracks, most likely from "flex" - previous owner operating the boat after the structure began to fail. Since they don't go completely through, I think they are definitely repairable. I'll let one of the more experienced hands take over advising how to repair them.

dt, i think of stringers like floor joists. so if you are rebuilding a floor on top of them, you want your joists to have enough support in all the areas that you'll step on.

The foam, my opinion is that it isn't necessary or desired below the waterline. I think it invites water to stay when it gets to it.

Yes, encapsulate the stringers in fiberglass and make sure any water that could get into the below deck can drain out if it's tilted.