bertram31.com

Hopefully someday soon I will have gained enough knowledge to contribute more than I ask ....

We are making progress still.... I put my wife Ashley to work.... One more deck stringer to remove today, then finish trimming the deck to hull connections.

I found one thing of concern.... I noticed a bit of bulging in the starboard inboard stringer. Tapping on it, it sounds solid, however I found the wood completely mushy for a few inches in every direction surrounding the drains in the stinger, and a bit of delimitation around the many unsealed holes for the deck stringers... After doing some reading here, it appears the consensus is that the strength from the stringers in in the glass, not the ply core? There appears to be no separation from the tabbing and hull. I am getting ready to start the glass work, should I just accept this or consider pulling stringers and rebuilding (I really don't want to do this $$)

I am considering replacing the current 165 gallon stainless fuel tank for around 220. I got a quote for $2K on a tar covered aluminum tank, I am also considering having an integral glass tank built or trying to find a glass tank built for the B31. What do you guys recommend?

Pics are below;

https://imgur.com/a/7Dy2IJx

I would definitely clean that area up some more and take a deeper look. You can always make a repair to that area. I have also read one of Capt Pats posts stating that the wood inside the stringer was just a mold for the fiberglass. As far as tanks if your running diesel I like fiberglass tanks. A coated aluminum tanks are ok as well but if the coating is ever compromised the tank could deteriorate in that area. I am sure the guys will chime in. Here is a photo of a seaboard marine integral fuel tank.

I would say dig out as much as you can, make drain holes out of PVC pipe glued in place (use a segment of larger pipe if you want an arched cutout), drill holes in the stringer over the void, use caulking tubes to infect slightly thickened epoxy to fill and seal void. This is just my opinion. I am sure others will chime in.

Thanks guys! That picture of the integral tank from Seaboard is where I got the idea for an integral tank. Looks pretty epic.

Also thanks for the advice on the stringers... I will start poking around... I know absolutely nothing about glass work... I think I can teach myself small stuff, but I am currently interviewing and getting quotes on some shops to the the majority of the glass. I was not planning on going this deep, this early... But as many of you guys warned me, this would happen... So I am going to just rip the bandaid off now and get it right the first time... I think I am even going to pull the diesels so I can clean them up the right way, and make the glassing easier... Headed out now to do more demo..