Re: 81 Sea Ray 26 Sedan Bridge I/O to OB Conversion/Restore (Pics)
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Hull Layup[/h]Since we got 2 layers of tabbing in the other day, today was going to be the day for the major layup: CSM and 1708 on the hull and up the sides of the stringers. Started off OK. Took a couple of hours to cut all our pieces of FG, then got ready to mix some resin. Mixed a 2000 ml batch for the first (of 5) section and started in. Halfway through, we realized we needed another 2000 ml. So I mixed while Q continued the layup.
Then we started the next section, a bit smaller one, so we thought 2000 ml would be enough. It wasn?t. Ended up needing another 600 ml. But, for some reason, this 2000 ml batch kicked off faster than the first two. I had wetted out the 1708 while Q put in the CSM layer. By the time we were ready to lay in the pre-wetted 1708, it was being stubborn and not wanting to adhere to the first layer. We were panicking at that point. I was ready to pull off the 1708 and throw it in the trash. But a lot of fast action, a bit more resin, the bubble roller, and a lot of dabbing with the chip brushes and we got it in. But it was enough of a close call disaster that we decided that, psychologically, we would postpone further FG work today. Checking later, it came out OK with only a few small air bubbles. But like GT1M posted today, what?s done is done.
So we switched our efforts today to cutting the first two floorboard pieces. These will be the outside pieces that will be FG?d in permanently. We plan the center section of floorboard, over the water tank, to be removable. We don?t really plan on ever removing it, but don?t want to tear up the boat if the water tank ever springs a leak (just a precaution).
After taking measurements every 6 inches, both at the top of the floor level and the bottom of the floor level (so we can get the bevel), we headed off to our storage unit to get two 4x8 sheets of ply, took them to the back of our salon, drew out the lines, and cut them out..
At this point, we didn?t have much time left (Mrs. Kick Back was calling us to dinner). So we took the pieces to the boat and laid them on the stringers.
Then before we left, we just had to stand on them just to see what it felt like. Man, did it feel good. Felt like real progress. I think once we get these completely in, we?ll feel a huge sense of accomplishment. But for now, we?ll keep plugging away.
