Restoring Crazed and Pitted Decks

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Ripples

1. In the first two pic's are of the deck of my 1962 columbia C29. What options do I have to remedy the crazing and pitting?

2. The portlights are off color and crazed on the outside. Anyone ever buff out their lights or are they to the point of replacing?

Thanks

I recommend Don Caseys "Complete Sailboat Maintenance Manual" which goes into deck refinishing in a lot of detail. But basically its fill, prime, and, and paint. The best paint is a 2 part epoxy like Interlux Perfection.

[Cheechako]

It's doubtful the old ones will be any good. From your pic I thought that was wood trim.... is this the type of gasket that slips over the fiberglass and likewise over the plexi with a locking piece you push in ? If so, the boat builder where I worked a few years ago was getting that stuff. Unfortunately, I dont know from where. I have also seen a wave knock a glass window out..... it was in that type of moulding. Maybe get the plexi cut oversize and over lap onto the fiberglass instead? Depends on if you are local sailing or sailing blue water I guess.. if you want new, PM me and I might be able to track down someone who knows where it comes from. May not be a marine items actually....

[Ripples]

Heres what I found. Any thoughts on the product?
Self Sealing Weatherstrips, Self-Locking and 2 Piece Weatherstripping for Boats and Equipment

[Cheechako]

Yep, that looks like the stuff. The kind we used had a piece that you pushed into the goove after assembly to hold it in. I would still put sealant of some kind in both halves... keep it at room temp until installation and put the butt ends on top.

[Ripples]

Looking for some other advice, The mast, boom and spinnaker pole.
Does anyone have an opinion on buffing or painting? As of now they don't look too good.

Thanks

[Cheechako]

If they are bare now, leave them bare. You can sand them if you like. Or just sand up to the spreaders (fine grit).. cant see above that! Once you paint you're screwed. I've spent thousands painting masts and they dont last with all the fastener penetrations etc. they corrode and bubble up. Having a bare mast/boom is a real plus IMHO. Unfortunately, alot of the big boats have to weld/rivet the mast from pieces so they paint them....

[Ripples]

There not painted now so I guess some sandin is in order. What about buffing after sanding?

[Cheechako]

There are ways to buff aluminum... maybe someone will pipe up.... I have forgotten what to use. I'd use a random orbit sander first.. not sure.. maybe 120-150 grit? Is it well oxidized with tiny rough "tits" sticking up on the surface? or...? Or possibly you could do it by hand with a scotchbritte type of pad.... might be easier with the curves... There are acid washes that might take the oxide off before sanding making less work... maybe someone has tried that...? Dont spernd too long buffin... it wont stay that way too long!

[roverhi]

Aluminum is protected by the oxide that forms with contact by air and moisture. If you polish/sand your bare mast, that protective layer of oxide will just reform to protect the underlying metal. May look better for a short while but will return to it's 'natural' oxidized state in short order. If you have halyard marks or other surface stains, a cleaner/wax may remove them without disturbing the protective surface oxidation. Buffing and waxing an aluminum mast will protect the metal only as long as the wax keeps the elements away.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Maybe Minaret or one of the experts will chime in, but I would think extensive sanding, hi build primer etc will be needed.

Don't know how I missed this one. That is clearly a failed factory gelcoat, and probably the most severe example I've ever seen. Usually when a failure is this severe it is because they lost the chemical bond when they built the boat, so the gel isn't really bonded to the fiberglass. In this case it looks like the gel is also much too thick, another common contributor to this problem. Grinding out individual cracks would be madness, the boats a network of cracks and it would take forever and make fairing a real PITA. If you try to fill and fair over it they will come back, gauranteed. The only real cure I see is to remove the failed gelcoat, all of it, and start over. That would cost a fortune. Probably more than the boat is worth. Unless the OP is good with a grinder and wants to do a load of work to make his boat pretty again, I'd think this is a live with it situation.

[holmek]

Adhesion of silicones to plexi is a problem. You MUST use Sikaflex 295UV. Start with 100grit sanding around the glue line, clean with 205 cleaner, apply masking tape to all areas where you don't want a mess, then 209N primer working in the SHADE, allow 30mins to dry. Apply a narrow strip (or small pieces at suitable intervals) of 3mm double sided tape to give you a gap for the Sikaflex and to hold the window in place while the Sikaflex goes off. Apply a bead of Sikaflex, place plexiglass window, and smooth off excess Sikaflex with a finger. Remove masking tape. The Sikaflex needs 3mm gap to allow for difference in expansion between Fibreglass and plexiglass. The cleaner and primer are expensive but DO NOT do the job without them.

[holmek]

Like most things; a job worth doing is worth doing properly. Aluminiun oxidises REAL fast. like 20 seconds.! So sanding, buffing and getting paint on, that quick, is virtually impossible. In time the paint will blister again.The only REAL solution is re-anodising and then being sure to never allow your halyards to slap ever again.!