Kate's 1974 222 Rebuild

[KlassyKate]

I'm in search of advice and answers to some questions I have and that I know will develop along the way for this rebuild. Before I dive into the build thus far, here is some info about me and my hull:

My name is Kate, I'm 27 and this is my first complete teardown and rebuild. I've got my 1967 Whaler under my belt, but that was just filler, sanding, and a ton of wood varnish. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, have plenty of power tools, and have a little fiberglass experience. I'm working on getting my captain's license to do scallop trips, manatee tours, and eventually some fishing trips out of Homosassa, FL. I have a strange obsession with anything that is old and I'm an old boat fanatic. My fiancé, who is a guide, picked up this ol' 1974 Aquasport 22-2 hull off of Craigslist locally for a whopping $100. It had soft floors and was weak in the platform and cap but nothing that I'm too afraid of. Pulled the console out, ripped the floor up, and made a bummer discovery - both stringers are split from port to starboard and the stringer foam was completely soaked. Cut the top off of the port stringer and pulled all of the foam and started grinding some of that nasty concrete-like stuff.

And here is where I'm at a crossroad and need some advice: Not only are both stringers split but they are both showing multiple areas of delimitation from the hull. I really wanted to keep the original stringers in there - the design worked for the past 40 years why change it. However, I'm concerned that the amount of damage to them will affect the structural integrity of the hull down the road. I'm not opposed to re-tabbing, but I'm not sure if the amount of work required to salvage the stringers will be with it. Would I be better off to pull them out and replace with composite?

Thanks for the help!  

As she currently sits:

[KlassyKate]

I'm having trouble adding photos - says that it can't determine image size. Will continue trying.

[Callyb]

First of all, Welcome!
Secondly, for what it is worth when I found myself having the same dilemma, I decided that the cost and work involved in repairing the old stringers just wasn't worth it, and mine were not nearly as bad as yours. I would cut them out and not look back.  If you look through Rick's rebuild he reproduced the original stringers design and they came out awesome.

I am following suit with reproducing the trapezoid stringers design, but going about it a different way. More to come on that shortly....

What it really boils down to, is there is more than one way to skin a cat. You will have to decide what way is the best way for you.

Good luck and I look forward to watching you project progress!

[CLM65]

Welcome to the site, Kate!  My stringers were in good shape, so I left them in and tabbed them to the hull on the inside.  However, I think this created a lot more work when it came to raising them and finishing off the tops.  If I had to do it again, I would probably rip them all out and start from scratch.

BTW, I'm just up the road from you in Crystal River, working on a 1967 flatback rebuild.  If you ever want to swing by and see what I've done, you are more than welcome.  Just shoot me a PM....

[RickK]

Hi Kate and welcome aboard  <!-- s:salut: --><!-- s:salut: -->
You're defintely going to get mixed opinions on this.
Your rebuild looks like it could go either way depending on how much of the stringers are delam'd from the hull and if you're going to raise the height of them.  The pics don't tell us everything (and you're right - just keep trying to post and they'll eventually go through. seems if there are a few people posting on the site it gives you that error). Take a good look along the stringers and see if they are solidly bonded to the hull. For piece of mind you could tab from the inside like Craig did but that's a ton of work - per Craig.  The break in the stringers look repairable if that is the only flaw with them. You could grind them down in the cracked areas and span the cracked area with ever widening cloth and epoxy.  As long as the stringers are securely bonded to the hull the repair could make them stronger than new. If you go this route definitely go with epoxy, I wouldn't trust poly to be strong enough.
If the stringers are delam'd from the hull in a lot of places then it might be worth digging them out and building new.  One reason I went with new stringers is I went from 3 to 2 stringers.  Had I not been going that route I might have done it differently.

Otherwise the inside hull looks to be in good shape.

[Capt. Bob]

I'm having trouble adding photos - says that it can't determine image size. Will continue trying.

Welcome aboard Kate.
The photo problem is annoying for sure but very common. Perseverance is one workaround. That is, keep trying to submit. It may take a dozen times but it will eventually post. Also you may try posting at odd times when the server is less overloaded.

Good luck and please keep posting.

[seabob4]

Kate, welcome!  Great to see a girl on here!!  Your fiance being a guide on the Homosassa and most likely CR also, I would imagine he knows a very good friend of mine, Dan "Biff" Clymer...

[Aquasport Commodore]

A very good friend of mine

Bob,
Who do you not know  

Welcome Kate looking good. You could also make a form/mold of the original stringers prior to removing them. Once done, rebuild and replace. I would suggest putting an entire layer of 1708 across the entire inside of the hull before reattaching. Reenforce the chine area. I'm grinding on mine to remove the old transom and it is paper thin. There is a good post by Group W Bench, "Eugene" when tells you of a good way to do this and why. I like the boat.

[gran398]

Kate,

Welcome aboard! I too think its great we have a new lady member!

Your 12 degree '74 has good stringers in place, so would use them. Here's a little "boat-warming" present

viewtopic.php?p=101469#p101469

[KlassyKate]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm hoping that being on here will also give me more motivation to keep on a fast track with this project. With only 10 weeks until scallop season, I need to get a fire under me to push on.

Craig it's nice to know that someone knowledgeable it close by. Not a problem that can't be pondered over a six pack!

SB both my fiancé, Rick, and I are well acquainted with Mr. Hollywood Clymer and his luscious locks. Rick and Danny Boy guide together most weekends.

I've decided to leave the original stringer structure in place in the interest of time. My thoughts are to reinforce the weak spots, repair the cracks, and refoam. I'm foaming and glassing in the sides (from hull side to stringer) to help with a little extra buoyancy and hopefully give a little more support to the hull. Any thoughts/opposition to this?

I still have to take the casting platform out. Has anyone removed it with the inner liner still attached? I know it typically gets cut out on it's own, but I wanted to see if this had been done before.

Will post pictures later of today's grinding/cutting/fiberglass itch mess.

[seabob4]

Well ain't THAT is a hoot, Kate!!  Next time you see "Lieutenant" Dan, tell him Jock Campbell and Joe Bertine want to book an all day with him...he will DEFINITELY know what I mean!!

Just tell him Bob C hopes him and Becky are doing super!!

[seabob4]

Kate, 1 more request.  Ask him about the time he dumped the 29 on the ramp at Pete's...not in the water, ON the ramp!

[KlassyKate]

Not much done this morning, but enough to make a dent. Top of starboard stringer removed and about 1/4 of the foam removed. More foam prying tomorrow!

[CLM65]

Craig it's nice to know that someone knowledgeable it close by. Not a problem that can't be pondered over a six pack!

I don't know about the "knowledgeable" part, but I am close by and I can certainly share my experiences...and a 6 pack

I don't think there is anyone around here that doesn't know Danny Clymer.  I work with his dad - have for many years.  I met Dan when he was a teen, and he would always call me "Mr. Miller" whenever I saw him around town...really made me feel old.  I haven't seen him in a while, other than passing by in his boat or his truck, so he probably wouldn't even recognize me (BTW, now I am old).  But his proud dad is always telling me well he is doing on his charters....good for him

[seabob4]

Every once in a while, the Biffmeister would get a haircut.  Scary pic, huh?