Stringer repair at engine mounts

[AmeliaMan]

I bought a 1996 Albin TE with the 300 HP Beast. I have discovered termite damage in the 2 main stringers that the engine is mounted upon. The wood core has been eaten. Dose anyone know if the builder reinforced the area where the engine is mounted. I would hate to have the engine collapse the stringers. Is there a build drawing available of the stringers?

The boat will be tented week after next to get rid of the pest.

Thank You
Amelia Man AKA Jay Friday
412 860 3264

[Sisu22]

Jay, sorry to hear that but welcome to the site. I'm not sure drawings exist for the stringers per se but how much damage do you have? Was it rot, or termites? There have been cases documented in these forums where stringers got wet because they were not sealed. How extensive is the rot? At some point, the only option is to pull the engine and glass in new stringers since that is a structurally sensitive area. Are the stringers good below the fuel tank?

[AmeliaMan]

There were active termites in the boat. The 2x4 that sits behind the fuel tank was where I first found live termites. They were between the 2x4 and the stringer. The 2x4 was completely eaten except for the the paint. To look at it you would not have known they were there, except I stepped on it when replacing the fuel line and it crumbled. We are putting it in dry dock on Tuesday 8/2 so it drys out and it will be tented and fumed on 8/12. I will be testing the stringers after fumigation. The port side stringer seemed to be ok but at least part of the starboard side stringer is damaged. I will drill small 1/8" holes and then plug them.

My Plan to repair the damaged parts of the stringers is to fill them with West System epoxy using a 12 to 24 Hr cure. I hope to open the stringer in non weight bearing areas and stuff them wood or foam core and then saturate them with the epoxy. I am assuming the builder used fur stringers.

Any ideas or information on the construction are welcome.

[Norseman]

Ouch...
I also had termites on a sailboat and had to tent it to kill.
(No wooden stringers however)
Not sure what is best, rot or termites..
Probably best to lift the engine and re-do the structural parts.
Fairly low tech, but labor intensive.
If a yard was doing it in the Off Season, I would guess $5k to disconnect and to lift the engine, then another $5k for glassing in new supports/stringers.

Bonus: Good to lift the motor and re-do stuff underneath, hoses, wires, pumps and especially the stuffing box, or drip-free packing.

[AmeliaMan]

If I can't find specifications for the stringers that support the engine then I may have to scrap the boat. Pulling the engine is too costly.

[Nancy]

If I can't find specifications for the stringers that support the engine then I may have to scrap the boat. Pulling the engine is too costly.

That seems really drastic. Pulling the engine is a one-day job at most for two people.

Very sorry that you're going through all this.

[AmeliaMan]

I am going to wait and see what the prognosis is on the stringers after the gassing of the boat. I have no need to pull the engine and spending 10 K to pull and replace the engine is crazy. I may use micro glass bead as a filler in the stringers. I'll keep you informed as to how it proceeds.

[Sisu22]

What is the evidence of the termites actually in the stringers? Did you sound it out with a hammer? Drill holes? Some kind of ultrasonic test?

[AmeliaMan]

I saw termites when I removed the 2x4 at the rear of the fuel tank. They had entered the stringer where the screw held the 2x4 in place. The 2x4 crumbled when I stepped on it. I tested part of the stringer using a small drill bit. The port side gave resistance and the starboard side gave on resistance once through the fiberglass. I have scrapped the epoxy fill as a solution. looking at filling the voids in the stringer with a pourable high density closed cell foam. I should come up with a compressive strength of 500+ psi .

[AmeliaMan]

The wood in the stringers was devoured by the termites. I used an endoscope to inspect the damage. Ran a sewer snake in the stringer and vacuumed the dust and dirt out. Replaced the wood with high density urethane foam. Poured the foam mix in until it appeared at a port further down the stringer. The foam was a 16 lb density with a crush strength of 400+ PSI , I feel confident the stringers are stronger now that the wood has been replaced. Everything is running fine. Now replacing the steering fluid.

[CaptG3]

Glad to hear the foam worked out well for you!

[Sisu22]

Awesome. Where did you learn how to do that? Any pics?