60 ft on the Chesapeake - It Begins !

[DSDman]

Yep I was planning on doing one quart at a time, I had not done the math yet or tried to figure out how thin I could mix it and still have it kick. So thanks for the 7cc number. I bought a small bottle from a hair supply place that measures in cc s for hair color. Air roller? I'm using 4 inch paint roller 3/8th nap... paper core.

[minaret]

Ah, I see. You just use the nap roller for wet-out. Roll a coat of resin on the deck, then lay the matt in place in the wet resin. Use the nap roller to wet it out, but not too much. Then use a laminate roller to roll out all the little air bubbles in the layup. Sorry sometimes I forget not everyone is a pro laminator that speaks the lingo. They look like this. You need several. This is basic stuff. This one from Amazon might suit you, but they should be cheaper at the local glass supply place.



Saturation Roller : Amazon.com : Automotive

[minaret]

Maybe watch some vids first? There's a bunch but I don't know if they're any good.....





How To Fiberglass * KNOW YOUR FIBERGLASS #1 * The Original Series * Good or Bad - YouTube

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DSDman

Yep I was planning on doing one quart at a time, I had not done the math yet or tried to figure out how thin I could mix it and still have it kick. So thanks for the 7cc number. I bought a small bottle from a hair supply place that measures in cc s for hair color. Air roller? I'm using 4 inch paint roller 3/8th nap... paper core.

Test your roller cover first, some will fall apart in poly resin. Sucks when it happens in the middle of a layup. I use a 9" frame with 3/8" Super DooZ on it, with a 4" chip brush for corners. Speed is paramount. Often laminator a don't use a tray at all, just pour resin from the pot onto the surface and roll it out. It's faster. Please be extra careful with catalyst, it's an organic peroxide. So is Agent Orange if that helps. If you get it in your eyes you will go blind. Safe beaker usage is wise. Don't spill, don't get it on your skin. Wear your respirator and run a big fan for ventilation.

[minaret]

This is pretty serious amateur hour, but it gives you some idea of wetting out a matt and using a laminating roller on it.




Fiberglassing The Deck - YouTube

[DSDman]

Boy am I tired, I guess I'll go back out tomorrow, if I can move, and see how it looks. Used about 3.5 gallons of resin. I bought a small squirt bottle from beauty supply place for the hardner. about a six second squirt was about 10 cc per quart of resin.

[minaret]

Looks fine man. Congrats on no catastrophe. You think you're tired now, wait till you fair it....

[DSDman]

Anniversary! Well folks its my one year anniversary. This time last year I was motoring/sailing up the Delaware Bay in my new sailboat. I have to say it has been quite a journey. It has been an emotional, physical and financial challenge like no other in my life. I have over the past year done quite a few projects to the boat and have actually got to take it out and sail some. This coming year I hope to get a few more things done and many of the half done projects completed. And it looks like it is going to work out that I will actually be living on the boat part time. I actually may be able to save enough money by living on the boat and not having to rent an apartment to get a couple year jump on the restoration. So one year into it I have to say "Thanks" to all those who have patiently told me over and over what and how to do things and given me other choices and ideas to think about. This year I will move the boat from the Sassafras river over to Deale MD and move aboard. The Deale stop may be short lived because I hope to move it over to the DC area at some point...maybe.... I'll just have to see how it goes. I will have to finish the deck work and install some sort of temp DC panel before the move so it should be a busy next couple of months. On the horizon, more deck work, rigging work, interior trim and cabinet construction, bilge paint, wiring, propane system rebuild, navigation lighting, more port rebuilds, water tanks inspections/repairs, rework bilge pump system, new flooring...and on and on and on. So do I consider myself a sailor yet? Absolutely not. My ability to work on the boat is far exceeding my ability to sail the boat! When I move to Deale I'm hoping there will be some old crusty folks about there that can help me catch up with my sailing skills! It's been an experience so I continue head down and pressing on!

[DSDman]

Finally got all the fiberglass down and started work on reconstructing the starboard couch. Busy day...looks like I will be moving the boat sometime in May if all goes well. gel coat next...I see lots of sanding in my future.















and now mineret can tell me what I did wrong!

[jmcdboater]

Originally Posted by DSDman

Bacchus is present tonight and the wine is flowing! So as we sit in and among the assorted destruction of a sail boat my friends and I are having a heated debate about the benefits of refurburing an older boat. There seems to be two camps. one says hey you are having some fun and this is an adventure so press on, the other says since you are not on any timeline just sell the thing and save your money for the next ten years and buy a new boat. I don't know how to set up a poll and probably cant do it from a smart phone anyway. My only point of argument is that I have not found another boat out there, new or used, as salty as these nautical developments. I'm afraid I'll never find another like it in the future...just not economical to build them like this anymore. I don't think the assembled guest here appreciate the reality of modern sailboat construction. So I put it to the world of self proclaimed opinionated sailors. What do you think? Buy what you like cheap and fix it up over the years or save all that money and buy something new when you are ready to leave. The constant variable here is, for the sake of discussion, a ten year time frame from either purchase date to launch or start saving date to launch. Salude!

If you saved for ten years before you bought the boat, some person might rip you off, you might buy some dumb old car, instead, you might loose it in a casino, you might just plain lose it, you might spend it all on food, you might spend it all on booze, you might spend it all on women, or you might just waste it !!! This way you get ten years of INVALUABLE experience, and look at what you are creating, man you can be proud !! Lastly, you have spent ten years ON the boat. Not ten years dreaming about the boat! Hang in there !

[DSDman]

JMC, thanks for that. I tend to agree with you. I sat on the back of the boat yesterday afternoon after a long day of various chores and cleaning after some fiberglass grinding, completely tired. Another weekend spent...but as I enjoyed a cold beverage and listened to the ducks and the water and the lines clank in the wind I realized again that I really couldn't think of anything else I would have rather been doing. Back to the real job today! Different kind of grind there.

[DSDman]

Anybody got a good technique for trawling down gel coat? Mine is not working out so good I think.

[DSDman]

entire deck gel coated, 11 hours on saturday! Had to take sunday off, went to the fun park with the kids. Just got my charles 100 amp charger back in the mail. rebuilt and ready to go!

[DSDman]

What a long weekend. Man I'm I tired of sanding. Gel coated, puttied, then sanded, I think I'm to a point where I can tape, prime and paint the non skid. that will be next weekend. The light is getting brighter at the end of this particular tunnel!

[DSDman]

Since it rained yesterday most of the day the work on the deck was slowed down so we worked on the interior some. Thanks to my buddy Mark for keeping me on track with the interior stuff. Just roughed in for now but coming along.