Transom & Stringer Replacement

[I'll Go]

I sure could use some help. I have a 1982 V20 Steplift. I want to replace my stringers and transom and I can't decide if I want to go Composite, Treated Plywood with Fiberglass, ArJay or SeaCast. My other struggle is not being able to find out about the flotation. From what I can tell there is the "upper deck" that sits on the stringers and bulkheads then vast amounts of open area then the hull. So, how much floatation is actually in this boat? When I rebuilt my Chaparral it was relativity easy; remove the deck, remove all the old foam, fix the stringers then work backwards. I'm having a hard time figuring out the design - no one that I've talked to has prints for this boat and everything I've seen on YouTube looked a little different than what I have. Any help you can offer would be much appreciated -

[phatdaddy]

can u tell how much of the stringers u have to replace?
is your deck solid?

construction is very similar to chapperral. i have a mid 80's, no foam except around the tank.

[SkunkBoat]

an '82 only has foam in the fuel tank compartment (99% sure of that)
Don't use "treated" wood, use dry marine grade AB Douglas fir or at least BC Douglas fir if your trying to save some $. Coat it with resin. Treated wood is southern yellow pine(soft and knotty), wet and doesn't hold resin.

I'm in the middle of a pourable transom project.
My '84 transom took all of 15 galllons @ $187 per 5 gal pail.

The worst problem with Arjay/Nidacore/CarbonCore is the lack of clear instructions and expectations. I'm trying to get clarification from them about the properties of cured product. Someone on the forum says "rock hard,can't get a nail in it" but mine is solid but screwable,drillable. Thats what I expected for a core material. I have an email out to Carbon-Core asking if I am correct.

see my thread for updates.

[I'll Go]

Not sure about the stringers yet phatdaddy; wanted to get some advice from you guys first. Both you and Skunkboat have confirmed my thoughts about the foam. I suspected that was the only foam in the boat. As for the pourable, I used Seacast on the Chapperral transom and stringers. I like it. It's much harder than wood, it floats, you can drill it...you can even tap it if you want to mount something without drilling all the way through it. However, it is a little pricey. phatdaddy, the deck is spongy, has a lot of give if you walk across it. You know, that kind of puzzles me that a Wellcraft wouldn't have floatation in it. I wonder if it would hurt to put some in the sides; forward and aft of the rod holders or would it be a waste of time and money. I think what I may do is see if Seacast will match the Arjay price. If so, I'll do my transom and stringers with Seacast. One last question Skunkboat, when you removed your motor did you just take the top off the transom and try getting all the wood out from the top? Did you use a long paddle bit and a chainsaw or did you get it all out some other way? Thanks for all good information gentleman

[phatdaddy]

look in the gallery, page 3, i think. go to vic's v20. he has some pics of the stringer layout.
he was going to pour, but ended up using encapslated wood

[SkunkBoat]

The newer v20s had foam under deck between the stringers and gunnels. Problem is, it eventually holds water. You can certainly add it there if you do stringers. If so, you'll want to make the gunnels watertight, put drain hoses on the rodholders to the bilge, etc. Without the foam, its one giant bilge.

Putting foam in the gunnels won't help much since they won't displace any water until you are full of water.

Also, the fuel compartment deck lid needs to be sealed. If its not sealed, your foam will be soaked and your tank corroded. There is a pvc pipe that carries water under the tank & foam from the forward bilge to the stern.