1990 4.3 Century 2000 - Floor,Transom,Stringer,Upholstery Project

[Nortron]

I do a brother-in-law's trip every year. About 10 years ago we went to Cumberland. We rented a house boat and we used that as headquarters. It's a nice lake with lots of places to hole up in. Since then we've gone to Indian Lake hoping to hit a good run on Saugeye. We have rented a number of houses there and had a good time.

 

[Chris51280]

Started with the PB bedding and got almost the rear section completely done. Couple of transitions but thats ok. Used about 3qts. So I can assume that the PB bedding will take a good 3 gallons. Wetting out and laying glass should get me close to 15 gallons then. With the deck and the front bow section I assume I will use about 30 gallons.

 

[Mechanicalmike08]

Before you go nuts with the PB I would let that section cure over night and check it for adhesion and if the PL gassed out into the PB and degraded it. Just an FYI part of the reason for the wet out before any tabbing or PBing is to prevent the wood from breathing while the tabbing and stuff cures and prevents delamination or big air bubbles. It also helps the stop the wood from sucking the resin away from the fabric and causing it to be to dry. Personally I would have wet them before any of the PB went down.

 

[Chris51280]

Before you go nuts with the PB I would let that section cure over night and check it for adhesion and if the PL gassed out into the PB and degraded it. Just an FYI part of the reason for the wet out before any tabbing or PBing is to prevent the wood from breathing while the tabbing and stuff cures and prevents delamination or big air bubbles. It also helps the stop the wood from sucking the resin away from the fabric and causing it to be to dry. Personally I would have wet them before any of the PB went down.

Yup. Checked today and all good.

 

[Chris51280]

Aaaarrrggg.
I'm out of cabosil. Just a little short of finishing my stringers. Can I use flour to substitute? I know I will plaace another order sometime next week but I just want the bedding to be done,

 

[Chris51280]

Wouldn't this work in a pinch to thicken resin?

 

[Chris51280]

I wanted to finish my stringers and went ahead and tried the flour. For thickening the PB. After only adding flour which took alot, I added some cabosil I had left. It came out very creamy and just was a gooey mess. I got it where I wanted but it sure isn't as nice as cabosil. After about an hour I could not see a difference in the color drying. I will check tomorrow and see how it dryed. I will have to go back and sand off the little nibs I knew I'm going to get.

I sanded off the globs I had doing the other stringers and rounded the top of the stringers.

Layed my first 1708 on the stringers and did a double on the port side motor mount stringer. My hands became too sticky and called it quit. Tomorrow is another day. Boat not going anywhere. I hope I get through the stringers by the weeks end. I know I will be placing an order late this week or early tje following week.

 

[dezmond]

Quick question, why didn't you coat any of the wood before it went in? Edges especially....

 

[Chris51280]

I got in and out of the boat cutting and measuring. After it fit, I stapled it in place and used PL underneath to fixate it. I just didn't see the need for it. Tje PB is sticking to it and I will coat it when I tab it in with 1708.

 

[kcassells]

Flour absorbs water. The way your going you'll be done by tomorrow. Popcorn works also.

 

[Chris51280]

I was thinking about this too. So is the wood but all will be encased with glass and resin.
working as fast as I can. Im sure there will be enough stops along the way.
I didn't get the popcorn thing

 

[Mechanicalmike08]

Careful with the puddles in the chines they will crack and peel when the hull flexes and lead to bad joints. If its puddling like that it's to wet.

Also looks like your second layer runs all the way up the stringer, you only need to go past the first tabbings end by a couple inches.

 

[Chris51280]

Thanks for the tip.i thought I had to go all the way up for stiffness. I will grind the puddles out

 

[Mechanicalmike08]

Thanks for the tip.i thought I had to go all the way up for stiffness. I will grind the puddles out

No most guys do a 3-4" in each direction first layer then a 6-8" on the second. Then the up and over with CSM. There is no real issue with what you are doing but sure will cost you a lot more in resin and 1708.

 

[Chris51280]

Ah, Good to know. I might have enough then. I cut some 16" long and therefore ran out of 1708. I can do 5" and 8" since I cut them 10" and 16" Now I might be able to finish it with what I have. Thanks Mike, just saved my day. :laugh:

 

[kcassells]

Chris,
I wanted to reach out and suggest a couple of things that will benefit your build. I'm hoping you won't take me wrong.
Lots of guys have made suggestions to move you in the right direction and have been polite.

The woods should all be wet out prior to install, especially the edges and the edges filled/voids, like stringers and bulkheads. The raw wood sucks up moisture like...alot. and goes into rot. Fiberglass is not waterproof.
Everything that goes into a boat.
The wet out seals the wood from water. Additionally when you do glass over the raw wood what happens is not good and becomes a quick project again shortly after launch.
If the wood is not wet out when you go to glass the wood absorbs the resin and pulls the resin out of the glass making a horrible bond if any. The glass will delaminate from the wood after some torque, twists and bends.
Running the glass all the way up is awesome and I did it too. Definitely overkill.
When looking at your glass now their are areas that already appear to demonstrate the bad adhesion.
At the end of the day it's about proper construction and safety for those on your boat.

https://www.seaworthysurvey.com/wet-...may-want-know/

https://www.glen-l.com/methods/how-to-fg.html

 

[Chris51280]

kcassells
Thank you for the info. Much appreciated. I did wet out the wood prior to laying the glass. Kinda like a wet on wet application. The bottom edge where the fillets are, are not wetted out and are completely covered with PB. I was thinking that wetting the edges vs smearing PB in there, whats the difference? There is resin at the ends.

I noticed 1 or 2 areas where little nobs from the PB where that I didn't catch sanding down. That's where the 1708 lifted. I will check the adhesion tonight. Alot of times it looks like there is air behind when wetting out but after it dries it seems to be fine.
Thanks Kev.

 

[kcassells]

Last comment Chris...everyone wets off the wood prior to glassing but not raw wood. BTW your approach is nothing like wet on wet. It needs wetted out, sealed and dried prior to any glass being applied.
Your boat do what you want.

 

[Chris51280]

Ok. So I need to apply the resin and let it dry. Then after it dries I can apply the glass. I see that that is a mistake on my side and didn't catch it. I did not understand that part.

 

[Chris51280]

After thinking about it over my lunch hour, I came to the conclusion:
- Thanks Kev for pointing the issue with the sealing of the wood. I will seal all of them tonight and let it dry before I lay more 1708.
- I will not rip out all the stringers so I can seal the bottom of the stringers, that's just not in the books.
- When I took the deck off, the top side of the stringers were not sealed and neither the stringer to the transom. It lasted 30 years and would have gone on longer if somebody else would have bought the boat. There were no visible signs of rot as usual until you drill holes.
- I do believe that this will be better than new with heavier woven fabric all around and that is all that matters to me to know this will be a safe boat for at least 5-10 years minimum.

To sum this up:
Could I have build it better with separating the stringers from each other and seal them outside of the boat? Absolutely! Is it necessary, No.

I'm ok with the outcome