Stringer question?

[Riverbound]

My boat has only the motor box short stringers, I am going to start a rebuild on the entire boat shortly and have always thought about converting it to a full stringer boat.

Has anyone done this?
If so what differences did you notice?

Im hopingthat it will make the boat feel much more solid, Im also thinking of addng a couple more bulkheads throughout he boat whie its torn down.
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HERBALAIRE VAPORIZER REVIEW

 

[jetboatperformance]

Riverbound as I'm sure you realize thats a lot of work and expense(stringers) not sure if the "gain is worth the pain" I'd vote to leave the motor box if its in good shape but bulkheads can hurt and might be a simple "add" Just my 02 Tom

 

[SoCal Detail]

My boat has only the motor box short stringers, I am going to start a rebuild on the entire boat shortly and have always thought about converting it to a full stringer boat.

Has anyone done this?
If so what differences did you notice?

Im hopingthat it will make the boat feel much more solid, Im also thinking of addng a couple more bulkheads throughout he boat whie its torn down.

Funny I was looking at a Spectra 20 jet up north this past Sunday and I noticed it didnt have full stringers, so I called RD and told me all the info on that. The boat will be more solid w/full stringers, but I dont know the process on doing it. Hit up RD

 

[RiverDave]

My boat has only the motor box short stringers, I am going to start a rebuild on the entire boat shortly and have always thought about converting it to a full stringer boat.

Has anyone done this?
If so what differences did you notice?

Im hopingthat it will make the boat feel much more solid, Im also thinking of addng a couple more bulkheads throughout he boat whie its torn down.

Is the boat here in CA? Or is it still in Parker? I'd talk to Sal over at OC Boat repair.

RD

 

[Flat Broke]

The main question you want to ask when contemplating something like this is Why? If you are planning on throwing more power into it, hauling the mail, and running it like you stole it in rough water, then yeah, buck up and add the stringers. But if the boat never felt flimsy or inadequate to you when you drove it before; just make sure the motor box is still in good condition, go over all of the floor/hull joint areas and make 1000% sure the floor is down solid to the hull. If the floor is down solid, there shouldn't be any hinge points that will cause cracks.

If the deck flexes a little bit add some strengthening ribs/bulkheads in areas where you can, to help tie the whole structure together.

Now if you decide you want to go whole hog and do the stringers, Dave's recommendation on where to go would be mine as well. But remember that adding the stringers will more than likely raise the floor level in the boat, make it feel shallower, harder to get under the deck, and add some weight. Additionally, there is a chance that you might have to flip the boat and true up the bottom after the work is done (no matter who does the stringer install).

As always, it will ultimately boil down to how you inted to use the boat going forward.

If you really feel you absolutely need the boat to be full stringer, I'd think about just cleaning it up, selling it, and hunting for a different 18 with full stringers and clean gel(assuming you're in love with the 18) or saving some $$$ and buying one of Danny's rigs and starting fresh with a lighter/stronger/faster/bigger boat.

Chris

 

[BDMar]

We've done it a few times and every time the cusotmer was very happy with the feel of the boat and in almost all cases the boat was a little faster. The key is hanging the boat to get the bottom back to the proper shape before installing the stringers.
There is a lot more to it than that, but this has been our experience with it.

 

[Just Electric]

put a rail kit in it and call it done