87 ebbtide partial core replacement ideas

[Antihero27]

My boat currently has 4 four inch strips of what looks like 1/4 inch balsa running its length. It's mush and I would like to replace with a non rotting material. I had thought Divinycell. but not sure which type, or which density. Any ideas? It's a 18 foot Ebbtide dyna- trac fish and ski.Also I plan to use epoxy resin.

And one more question someone gave me rolls of various size plainweeve 5.7oz carbon fiber. Is there any reason I couldn't tab in stringers and transom with this?

[tech_support]

save the carbon for somethign else.

You can use foam strips no problem, its the thickness of the stiffener that give the stiffness. You can also use the pre-forms.... http://boatbuildercentral.com/products. ... fuyfayBXTo

[Antihero27]

Well thanks for reply Shine.

Those foam stiffners you linked look good and cheap. Do I glass them in the same as I would balsa? I would assume that since these sit right beside the stringers, you would place these in first then tab in the stringers. Is that a correct assumpation?

My intial concern was, having done numerous internet searchs, was sheer strength, compression etc, all matching the balsa. Is none of that an issue here?

and finally I probably will never need the carbon fiber for anything, so can it be used?

[AtTheBrink]

You could send the carbon fiber to me! That's a good use for it!

[tech_support]

Those foam stiffners you linked look good and cheap. Do I glass them in the same as I would balsa? I would assume that since these sit right beside the stringers, you would place these in first then tab in the stringers. Is that a correct assumption?

not quite, but you have the right idea. The pre-form stiffeners are the same as a "stringer", they are both longitudinal stiffeners. What determines what you use is the bottom thickness and the spacing between other stiffeners, and their spacing between chine and/or keel. On the runabout, the pre-forms are the stringers.

So what we know is that if you use a core that is 4" wide and at least 1/4" tall, then glass over it to the hull, the it will be at least as stiff as it was (assuming you have the same max spacing between the core strips). the pre-form planks we have would work very well, they are wider adn thicker that what you had before

and finally I probably will never need the carbon fiber for anything, so can it be used?

Sell it and buy some glass/epoxy You could use it to cover the tops of stiffeners, but really your not going to see any advantage.