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**Boracay** · 02-07-2009, 23:17

For my dodger top I made it up out of 3 layers of 7mm "Eco" ply (C/D - "A" grade bond), glued together with 5:1 generic epoxy thickened with cotton fibres.

Once it was trimmed to size I coated it with the same 5:1 generic epoxy tinned 15-20% with epoxy thinners. The thinner can slow the rate at which the epoxy sets.

Sort of sanded the lot with 80 grit.

Then I covered it with fibreglass mat saturated with the 5:1 generic epoxy, being careful to work out any voids (white patches).

I don't like using too many two pot paints/resins on a boat. Can be confusing (don't ask) and the polyurethanes are downright poisonous.

So on top of that I used a premium grade white household exterior acrylic.

It's all held up pretty well for over a year now, and if it shows any signs of deterioration the acrylic is dead easy to touch up.

Those same experts who'd knock acrylic paint would be quite happy to use acrylic cloth to assemble a dodger...

02-07-2009, 23:17	#11
Boracay Moderator Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: nr Blackwattle Bay,Sydney, NSW, Australia Boat: Steel Roberts Offshore 44 Posts: 1,882	My variation on the above... For my dodger top I made it up out of 3 layers of 7mm "Eco" ply (C/D - "A" grade bond), glued together with 5:1 generic epoxy thickened with cotton fibres. Once it was trimmed to size I coated it with the same 5:1 generic epoxy tinned 15-20% with epoxy thinners. The thinner can slow the rate at which the epoxy sets. Sort of sanded the lot with 80 grit. Then I covered it with fibreglass mat saturated with the 5:1 generic epoxy, being careful to work out any voids (white patches). I don't like using too many two pot paints/resins on a boat. Can be confusing (don't ask) and the polyurethanes are downright poisonous. So on top of that I used a premium grade white household exterior acrylic. It's all held up pretty well for over a year now, and if it shows any signs of deterioration the acrylic is dead easy to touch up. Those same experts who'd knock acrylic paint would be quite happy to use acrylic cloth to assemble a dodger... __________________ Rust never sleeps Boracay Blog.