Stringers necessary?

[Rich Barry]

I have a 67 Oday Mariner Fk. The stringers and sole were severely rotted.
I've begun working on the stringers from a template but I'm getting the itch to get her in the water a few times before the end of the season.
I've searched the threads here and am coming up with different answers. Can anyone tell me definitively, are the stringers structurally necessary to sail?
Am I going to risk damage to the hull without them?
I've already replaced the keel supporting ones.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Rich Barry]

Was it a stupid question?

 

[Brian S]

Eh, probably just no one with a definitive answer. I myself, do not have any experience with Mariners.

I think in general, back then, they used to do solid hand layups of fiberglass, and they tended to go beefy. It was the early days of FG boats. If they built wood boats with ribs, I guess they thought glass boats ought to have them as well. As time went on, they learned more about the characteristics of glass layups, and how to scrimp for just enough durability, to reduce materials costs.

If those ribs aren't involved in holding anything up, such as floor boards, then maybe you'll be ok. But if the floorboards are supported across ribs, I'd think twice about standing directly on the glass hull. It was that way on my old Mark 2 fiberglass GP14, but then again, the GP14 was originally designed for plywood. Converting a design like that into fiberglass had issues, mainly with converting the flat runs of ply into flat runs of fiberglass. (Flat glass panels aren't as strong as curves molded in....)

Brian

 

[RichH]

Are you talking longitudinal (parallel to the centerline) or transverse (across the centerline) stringers ????

Several boats of that era were built with exceptionally thin solid laminate hull sections that tended to 'oil can' during 'hard' sailing and when improperly blocked for winter storage. Although the oil-canning did not promote permanent hull deformation, the Pearson brothers (leading FRG pioneers of the time) then advised the addition of long longitudinal stringers to keep the 'temporary' deformation to a minimum.

These long longitudinal stringers (usually added after the fact) are, or can be, important especially when 'blocking' the boat on the hard; or, if such a boat is improperly blocked you risk delamination of the hull especially at the where the trailing edge of the keel meets the flat underside of the hull (although instances of full delamination is exceedingly rare).

The remaining 'expert' in all things "Oday" is Rudy at D&R Marine, Marblehead MA (?). drmarine.com .... give him a call with the exact location and condition of your stringers including their orientation (longitudinal or transverse).

The simple answer is: In any case rebuilding the 'stringers' are a quick and easy repair ... if we're talking about the same thing.
If you defer such repair, make sure that the boat is fully supported by jackstands that are placed directly under the 'bulkheads', not between the bulkheads, and are set up to take a LOT of weight off of the keel. The keel also NOT blocked under the aft trailing edge section, just at the front of the keel and under the 'middle' - not the aft end.
;-)

 

[SchwarckT]

I once looked at an older centerboard model Mariner that was for sale. It had rotted stringers under the floor boards and the owner said that he sailed it that way with no problems. I think that you would be o.k..

 

[Sunbird22358]

I looked at a few pictures of Mariners of that vintage, it appears that those wood pieces were to support the floorboards as much as anything? One clarification, the ones that I see would technically be "Floor Timbers" or "Floors", someone else refered to them as "ribs" and that is more or less correct as well (although in a wooden boat they would be frames, ribs are a more "landlubber term". Stringers would usually run fore and aft and may connect frames or floors together.

Anyway, to the original question, it would appear that you could possibly sail OK without those floor timbers (as long as you did replace the ones in hte area of the fixed-keel, those ARE needed!)

 

[Rich Barry]

You guys are right... "Stringers" was not the term I should have been using.
Floor timbers would be more accurate.
I had read two different threads on the topic, one saying the timbers (especially in the cabin) were necessary for structural support, and another saying they were nothing more than a place to fasten the floor boards to.
That being said, it's almost September and I am in Canada...
I think I will chance it and get the boat in the water at least a couple of times this season, then do a proper job on the timbers over the winter in the shop.
Just itching to see how a mariner handles in the bays I'm near on Lake Erie.
Thank you gentlemen for your opinions and I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Thanks for making me feel welcome!

 

[TLW]

Those pieces are properly called "floors"- a term that naturally causes some confusion, but they definitely are STRUCTURAL. That doesn't mean they are so far gone that you can't sail in moderate conditions. You will have to be the judge of that.

They keep the hull from flexing, support any keel/centerboard weight (could be substantial) and support the mast or compression post. (could be substantial, as well) Secondarily, they support the sole of cabin or hull liner.

 

[Ritdog]

I've often wondered how these terms come to be - the stringers run fore and aft- makes sense...but the "floors" run side to side off the stringers : ??

Also, a support that is attached vertically parallel to the floors is called a "ceiling" : ?? X 2!

Seems like a lot of nautical terminology was created by a bunch of guys in the old days sitting around after building something new, with a few too many pops under their belts saying, "Now, what are we gonna call THAT thing, guys?" HICK!!

 

[Rich Barry]

My thoughts exactly!

 

[TLW]

Our understanding is often based on our own perception from common experience -as in our homes. In an architectural and historical sense, when structural techniques differed somewhat "floors" referred to a lower, horizontal structural support. On this site, and elsewhere we often see the word "topsides" used incorrectly, but understandably, to refer to a boat's deck when it actually refers to the hull sides between the waterline and gun wail.

Which brings up a similar point. Nautical pronunciations evolved, I think, through common usage by sailors who could neither read nor write. Boatswain became "bos'n" - forecastle became "focs'l" - gun wail became "gunnel" (now an accepted spelling) Mainsail became "mains'l" - etc. Many more and interesting. But where did "Vang" come from? Anyone know?

 

[Merlin Clark]

And in the Navy, personnel are told to "lay topside" meaning report on deck.
I'm thinking yachties screwed that one up. My Navy can't be wrong!

 

[TLW]

All is perception. Does one perceive it as TOPsides or topSIDES?

 

[justsomeguy]

snip-. But where did "Vang" come from? Anyone know?

The Dutch, apparently.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vang