Getting Dirty - Haulout

[atoll]

we paid about $40 us then for 4l+1l pack for top coat and about $30 for the epoxy that can be used as an undercoat for the polyeuerathane or as a single application for the bilges

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Capn Morgan

Hi Dan

If you haven't got anything else yet, I've used an International white primer (2 pack). If I remember right it is called Interprotect. It sticks really well and forms a really good base for a finishing paint if you want to go to those lengths. Johny Lim can surely find anything you want if it is in Singapore.

Good to see a can of Tiger in the last picture, makes me homesick...

Originally Posted by atoll

we paid about $40 us then for 4l+1l pack for top coat and about $30 for the epoxy that can be used as an undercoat for the polyeuerathane or as a single application for the bilges

Thanks for the tips. I got $500 worth of "lucky draw" vouchers from various regattas.

I used International Toplac on the cockpit 2 years ago and am pleased with ease of application. It has a few minor chips is it but adhesion has been good so I am sticking with that.

Hadn't thought of Brasso so will give it a go.

My crew is fueled by Tiger beer. I just can't let them get started till the work is done...

[Ex-Calif]

Got a couple of hours of mid-week after work done.

Visible progress on the bilge cleanup. Anchor locker done, aft lazarette done starboard locker cleaned up but as you can see from the photo there is a some fiberglass work to do.

Main bilge clean but also some fiberglass work to do.

Photo 1 - Saildrive mount looking forward
Photo 2 - Looking aft through bilge - note bare plywood
Photo 3 - Better shot of bare plywood
Photo 4 - Engine bed looking aft

The inner walls of the cockpit seats are a fiberglass pan top and bottom connected by a piece of marine ply. The marine ply was painted but they didn't carry any fiberglass mat across from the top and bottom. The paint has all peeled off and the plywood is detached from the pans.

I could cut out the plywood and fit a new pieces but that is more reconstruction than I want to do.

I plan to lay in two layers of glass on each side of the plywood as it is dry but probably no longer structural and the fiberglass should tie tings together nicely and hopefully barrier coat the remaining ply from the elements.

Also as you can see there has been no thought given to wire routing. I plan to lay in wood strips (1X2) near the top of all lockers as a ttach points for wire supports.

Then paint - stay tuned...

[DeepFrz]

I would suggest you epoxy coat the plywood before laying on the cloth. If you time it all right you should have a very strong bond and if you can get at the edges of the plywood a structure that will last a long time.

[Ex-Calif]

Thanks DeepFrz. Just to be clear you are suggesting a coating of West Marine epoxy, let it dry, sand the bond coat for adhesion and then glass.

That is pretty much what I intend. Also because the through holes were cut and the edges never sealed or protected I am planning to close the current holes and relocate them.

I suspect this is where most of the rotting problem initiated. Also PO had used zip ties with screw holes and simply screwed through the paint into the wood. Lots of places discovered where water got in.

Also the engine loom and engine wiring enter at the bottom of the port locker and then route up through the locker. I am going to put the hole at the top, supported by a proper rail and it will be "tucked" up under the locker roof where it is out of the way and can't be seen or foul items in the locker.

Jeez - A million little things. Devil in the details.

[DeepFrz]

If you use west system epoxy (and many others) and let it completely cure then you have to wash the wax (bloom) off before sanding. Then you will get a good mechanical bond. If you can lay the next coat after it tacks up but before it cures you will get a chemical bond which is much stronger than a mechanical bond.

Jeez - A million little things. Devil in the details.

And you are just discovering this?

[perchance]

Regarding your rudder: Why not install a Garboard plug and save having to drill new holes at every haulout?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

If you use west system epoxy (and many others) and let it completely cure then you have to wash the wax (bloom) off before sanding. Then you will get a good mechanical bond. If you can lay the next coat after it tacks up but before it cures you will get a chemical bond which is much stronger than a mechanical bond.


And you are just discovering this?

Got it. Didn't quite understand if you were suggesting to let it fully cure.

I did a fair amount of fiberglass work as a young A&P mechanic and a couple of years ago rebuilt the pulpit mounts after someone crashed into us on the mooring.

That repair is solid so I don't have any real fiberglassing concerns other than I am like PigPen in Peanuts. I always get more sh&t on me than the job - Painting, engine work and fiberglassing - LOL...

I alw

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by perchance

Regarding your rudder: Why not install a Garboard plug and save having to drill new holes at every haulout?

Interesting idea but the rudder stopped "leaking" after one day so there wasn't as much water in there as I first thought.

My neighbor's rudder is on a pair of sawhorses (ready to install) and it is about the same weight as mine so maybe I don't understand the rudder construction as well as I might. It might be encapsulated lead - LOL.

The top end where the bracket was installed was completely unsealed. I am going to figure out how to seal this better wen I reassemble.

[DeepFrz]

Hey, you misquoted me...

[Ex-Calif]

Continuing to push the ball forward we did various jobs yesterday - primarily the locker fix.

The day started at 8am as planned. First off the power is out in the yard. Huge rains overnight trip the fuses. Get the yard guy out to start working it

8:45 and after gathering all the gear from the car the woven glass mat had disappeared - damn! It was in the box. Drive home (only 15 minutes luckily) - not there. Double damn! Call the crew. I am headed to the chandlery. OK plenty of prep to do, see ya soon.

No woven mat, only chopped - much messier stuff. Oh, well... Also picked up a valve spring compressor for the engine at a small tool shop.

Get back. 10:45. Look in the boax. There is the woven mat -what!!?!?!? We both looked and missed it in the box. <sigh>

Anyway, a few more hardware items removed in preparation, including engine panel and engine cut off control. Cut of control broken during removal. Another future fix...

The rest of the day proceeded OK. Tiger George continued on hardware polishing duties, finishing the cleats and deck hardware and getting stuck into the prop. Dan assists Doug who volunteered to be upside downin the bilge doing the glass work.

Dan got part of the foredeck sanded between duties. Fiberglassing complete around 3pm and we clean up and knock off for the day. When folks are dehydrating and getting loopy, it's better to quit for the day than risk someone falling off a deck.

Photo 1 - Tiger George in the shade polishing the prop parts
Photo 2 - Port locker forward end - two layers of woven glass
Photo 3 - Port locker aft end
Photo 4 - Starboard bilge wall - First layer of 3 going on
Photo 5 - Starboard bilge wall

Also put 2 layers on the bilge side of the port locker so the port locker wall is now 4 layers of glass.

[hummingway]

An inspirational thread Ex-Calif. Though my boat is much bigger I take heart that when the day comes to strip and rip that patience and a healthy supply of beer will help see me through.

[Ex-Calif]

It's also great to have mates.

One thing about a smaller boat is all the spaces are smaller. It is a practical impossibility to work two different jobs in the cockpit at the same time.

You also have to sort of manage how much gear you haul up onto the boat as space is at a premium.

Here's some shots of Doug working in small spaces.

I was a little worried about him as he was in the bilge for about 45 minutes doing the glassing and came out looking a little dizzy. In an OSHA perfect world we'd have respirators, gloves, space suits, air supplies etc. From a practical standpoint these things are quite rare in the boat yards I have been in.

Doug probably wouldn't use them anyway...

[Jaxxiam]

Forward progress on any project is satisfying, It's good to see your progress is not backwards!
Thanks for keeping us updated.

[Ex-Calif]

Enthusiasm vs. Experience

Well Jaxxiam - You called it... Some backwards progress.

I can't complain about free help but Doug was so confident in his glassing abilities I let him do it. What I didn't factor in was Doug is apparently not the chemist.

He didn't think it necessary to measure the WM system epoxy and yes the epoxy failed. After 24 hours the first batch he mixed set but is tacky. The second batch didn't set.

I should, coulda supervised closer. Oh, well. Doug learns, Dan learns. I decided not to think about it this week. Next weekend we gotta redo on our hands. The wasted time and effort is a real shame.