Nauticat 52 Refit

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Richard5

That sure is a lot of computer...what you doing, running a Level D flight sim?

Can't wait for the pics...and hopefully fully captioned.

Nah, just casual gaming. No time to get serious anymore. Gotta sleep sometime...

[hgd137]

I have just ran across your thread and have read the whole thing. You have done an excellent job not only on your boat but on your very clear tutorials and tips. Thank you.

I have been waiting patiently to see what you are going to use for your nonskid. One of these days I am going to bite the bullet about what to do with my teak decks. On my cockpit gunnels I have removed teak pads and replaced them with FG. I replicated the diamond pattern on the cabin top using gel coat with what I think you called fleximold. I then painted it with Awlgrip. It turned out pretty good and was thinking of replacing the teak decks using this technique but it is a very tedious process. I am curious to see what you are going to do.

If you are looking for entertainment check out Passport 40 – S/V Grendel | Passport 40 – Sailing Vessel Grendel . You can also see my first and only attempt at FG construction of a solid dodger.

Herman

[Krogensailor]

Hello Minaret, Here's something I'm working on. This is the mast step for my boat. The back half is corroded away. the base aspect is 1/2' And the elevated part is 1 1/4'. What the round thing is for is a mystery to me. It sticks up another 1". I'm thinking of 6061 plate 1/2" and another 1 1/4" plate cut to shape. I'm not sure about attachment. Weld or put a pin through the ywo into the keel, a bit. There a S.S. plate that this set atop. If pinned with what? 1" ss?

[Warby12]

Maybe the round bit was designed to be drilled to allow wires to pass through?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by hgd137

I have just ran across your thread and have read the whole thing. You have done an excellent job not only on your boat but on your very clear tutorials and tips. Thank you.

I have been waiting patiently to see what you are going to use for your nonskid. One of these days I am going to bite the bullet about what to do with my teak decks. On my cockpit gunnels I have removed teak pads and replaced them with FG. I replicated the diamond pattern on the cabin top using gel coat with what I think you called fleximold. I then painted it with Awlgrip. It turned out pretty good and was thinking of replacing the teak decks using this technique but it is a very tedious process. I am curious to see what you are going to do.

If you are looking for entertainment check out Passport 40 – S/V Grendel | Passport 40 – Sailing Vessel Grendel . You can also see my first and only attempt at FG construction of a solid dodger.

Herman

Thanks. Decks are Griptex. Just did a full Flexmold job, really meant to take pics but totally failed. In a nutshell, here is my technique; as usual developed after many years of frustration and difficulty, blood, sweat and tears (literally).
If you follow Flexmold specs you will often find yourself in a disastrous situation, particularly if attempting large pads on a deck with lots of camber. If you reduce to their recommended Zahn cup readings it just gets worse. After a great many attempts at doing both repairs and full new decks with flexmold, I finally talked the boss into trying it my way. My way works great, unlike Flexmold's way. It has now been the chosen method for us for many years, 100% success rate with no failures.
Basically, acquire a roll of Flexmold in the desired skid pattern. Build a strongback and flat stock table. Apply the Flexmold roll to the flat stock table using thinly applied contact cement and lots of pressure on a big J roller, without distorting the pattern. Apply liquid mold release wax and buff out several times. Spray heavily with color matched gel until the skid pattern is almost totally full (this prevents the tops of the diamonds wearing off to bare resin). Laminate with one matt and one boat cloth, either six or ten ounce depending on the height of the desired skid pad. This gives a pad thickness of around 1/16th. Occasionally I add a layer for boats with high skid pads. Release the part-carefully. A full sheet is delicate. Get the deck fair and in primer. Sand for prep. Lay out your desired skid pads in pencil. Build doorskin patterns very precisely for each skid pad. Hot glue a series of very small plywood blocks around the edge of each skid pad layout. These are to prevent the pad from moving out of it's desired spot. Use the minimum number of blocks required, as each one will be a repair. Use the patterns to carefully cut (using carbide abrasives to prevent blowout) and sand the sheets of fiberglass non skid material into the shape of each skid pad. Make sure to grind the back side of the whole sheet for prep first. Be very painstaking and make each piece perfect, dead on the lines. Dry fit. Your piece should fit in place inside the blocks with no wobble. Adjust blocks as needed. Once fit is perfect, vacuum bad each panel in place, using color matched gelcoat as the adhesive. Fully mask the top of each skid pad, or the bag will suck excess gel into the skid pattern. Mask the deck around the pad 1/8" back to allow the squeezeout to bond. If you do it just right, and pull the bag for cleanup as soon as it's gelled, all you have to do is wet sand and buff the squeezeout line and make a gelcoat repair where each block was. This technique works most excellently, and is the only way to do a really pro match to a factory diamond pad. By which I mean one that is absolutely flawless. This is yet another trade secret which some would be displeased with me for divulging. But dammit, I invented it, and I'll happily put it out there!

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

Hello Minaret, Here's something I'm working on. This is the mast step for my boat. The back half is corroded away. the base aspect is 1/2' And the elevated part is 1 1/4'. What the round thing is for is a mystery to me. It sticks up another 1". I'm thinking of 6061 plate 1/2" and another 1 1/4" plate cut to shape. I'm not sure about attachment. Weld or put a pin through the ywo into the keel, a bit. There a S.S. plate that this set atop. If pinned with what? 1" ss?

Do a search on the forum, lots of pics of well done mast steps around. You want to use UHMW to isolate the alu mast from the SS base plate. Otherwise you get corrosion, as you see here. Lots of sticks end up getting a few inches cut off the bottom as a result. Check yours. Don't forget a slver dollah for luck! Mines from 1696.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Warby12

Maybe the round bit was designed to be drilled to allow wires to pass through?

Likely so, unless the heel of the stick has a fitting to accept it.

[Krogensailor]

Originally Posted by Warby12

Maybe the round bit was designed to be drilled to allow wires to pass through?

That my be so. It's a casting, so perhaps it's a pour spout from the mold. No need to cut it off. The mast is just round at that point. Minaret, I thought Hvm?? was slippery, ie. for making jigs etc. Regarding the pin idea, what would you use? Non corrodable and strong seem like good attributes

[hgd137]

That is a great idea! When I did my pads I essentially did the inverse. I made a 1/16" sheet of FG and squeegeed the gel coat on it with the Fleximold. Then cut out the result and resin glued it down with weights on top. I could not see doing a large area that way. I really don't know how I would weigh it down. I assume your vacuum bagging pulls the sheet down to the deck. Is that correct? I have never vacuum bagged before. I read your note on using butyl tape. What do you use for a vacuum source? Must you use a gage? How do you make the port connections to the plastic sheet? What is the plastic sheet? What more should I know?

[Warby12]

Thanks a million for that deck description Minaret. A boat we are looking at has had the teak deck pulled up and some yucky plastic fake teak put down ( at great expense I bet). if we buy i would love to pull it up and glass it. I was really keen to hear your deck method

So you pull the teak, level the deck, you put foam over then glass and then thin sheets of moulded gel coat, easily said much harder to do I bet.

Thanks !!

[minaret]

Originally Posted by hgd137

What more should I know?

A whole lot. I will write you a treatise on basic bagging soon.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Warby12

Thanks a million for that deck description Minaret. A boat we are looking at has had the teak deck pulled up and some yucky plastic fake teak put down ( at great expense I bet). if we buy i would love to pull it up and glass it. I was really keen to hear your deck method

So you pull the teak, level the deck, you put foam over then glass and then thin sheets of moulded gel coat, easily said much harder to do I bet.

Thanks !!

You're welcome. Be aware what you are getting into if you attempt this. A full deck job often takes me four to six months to complete. I work long hours and have helpers too. Very expensive. Griptex looks great for a fraction of the price, and it can actually be repaired, unlike patterned skid.

[Warby12]

Thanks for the warning, that is quite a time commitment, I will take it very seriously

There is always a lot of work on a boat and this job would be way down the list. It's just nice to know the overall method for day dreaming

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by minaret

A whole lot. I will write you a treatise on basic bagging soon.

If it were me, even if I was in FLA, I would fly to the PNW to buy a very nice dinner for two for Mineret and his misses. The next night I would ply him with his favorite libation. Then we'd get to work transferring that knowledge.

Or, you could kidnap him and he could work off the ransom. Bwaaaaaa.

[CAELESTIS]

Has anyone used G-10 on their deck after removing the teak? It appears G-10 1/8 or 1/4 with another layer of glass over the top and then non skid would be a good strong deck.

Thoughts?