Century Coronado restore

[gm280]

Thanks GM. I have done most of this rebuild using epoxy but did patch some holes I ground through the hull with poly since I had planned to gel coat the bottom. I should have enough 1708 left for the patch but need help remembering which side the CSM goes when I lay the first patch. :stupid:

That is a good question about the side of the 1708. Since you will be basically going from both side, it really isn't much of an issue. The CSM side is easier to feather out, but the weave side can be feathered as well. It just depends on how much filler material you are going to use after the patch is finished. What I mean is, are you going to mix up some simple PB with some sandable filler instead of 1/4" fiber strands to apply a finish coat to smooth the outside patch for a smooth look? If so, then is doesn't mater either side exposed. If you are looking for an easier to smooth out side, then the CSM will work better. But that is just my opinion from my previous experiences. I am certain others will have different and maybe even better ideas and suggestions. There usually is a few options from iboaters on such issues.

Whatever you chose to do, post some progress pictures for us to see. We love pictures on these forums and it allows others to see how you accomplished your project. :thumb:

 

[Woodonglass]

On the inside I'd put the CSM down. It will give a better bond and there's not need for an Invisible patch. On the outside, I'd still put it down first but then either follow up with a couple of layers of CSM or another layer of 1708 with the CSM UP!!! Much easier to feather and blend the CSM.

 

[89 resorter]

Thanks guys. I'll have to see how much 1708 and CSM I have left over from when I patched my self inflicted grinding holes in the hull and then get more poly resin on order to get this done. Hopefully I will get a chance this weekend to try out the new-to-me compressor and by borrowed long board air sander to remove gel.

 

[gm280]

Thanks guys. I'll have to see how much 1708 and CSM I have left over from when I patched my self inflicted grinding holes in the hull and then get more poly resin on order to get this done. Hopefully I will get a chance this weekend to try out the new-to-me compressor and by borrowed long board air sander to remove gel.

89 resorter, if you already patched some cut-throughs with the grinding efforts, just do the same procedures with this hole as well. There really isn't any difference. Make sure you post the pictures or it didn't happen. :thumb:

 

[89 resorter]

Have not gotten to do any sanding on the hull yet cuz it turns out that the compressor I bought off CL that was only used by a little old lady after church on Sundays had some issues. I got it hooked up and running the first weekend but it would only build pressure to 60psi. When I dug into it I found a crack in the manifold that houses the pressure switch and it was leaking air pretty good. I got a new pressure switch assembly for $25 and installed it last weekend which took care of the leak but still could only get 60psi. I now have a reed valve rebuild kit on the way but it won't be here in time for this weekend so it looks like sanding will be delayed at least another week. .:facepalm:

 

[nurseman]

That sucks...sorry to hear that.

 

[89 resorter]

Still waiting for my compressor rebuild kit...called and found out it had to be back ordered so hopefully it will be here in time for this weekend. I did get a chance to crawl under the boat and grind around the large holes the PO drilled for poll holders. Mistakenly thought that there would be less dust throughout my building with the boat upside down but the dust from that little bit of grinding still covered everything. I also attempted to separate the velvet shift tranny from the motor but could not get it to budge. Every manual I have found looks like it should be as easy as removing 6 bolts and pulling it away from the bell housing. If anyone knows the trick to getting this thing off I am all ears:butterfly:. I will probably post the same question over on the Merc forum as well.

 

[Kiloecho]

Just ahead of the casting numbers looks like a boss for a bolt (would have to face backwards and thread from inside) or maybe it's an oil passage. Try prying the rubber disc up or use a mirror and flashlight through the starter hole. You may have to pull the bell housing if that is a bolt inside there.

 

[mickyryan]

if I recall you need to spin flywheel and unbolt the plate that will free up once you remove the other bolts from housing

 

[89 resorter]

Kiloecho, the boss you see is for a bolt, but it is one of the bolts that holds the end cover of the transmission to the case. I'm hesitant to pull the entire bell housing/tranny combination as everything I have read cautions to be careful with the transmission shaft splines ...... The manual actually states to replace the middle bolt on each side with a long stud to hold the weight off the shaft while pulling the transmission.

Micky, I will have to look into moving the flywheel ..... might loosen some things up a bit.

 

[gm280]

Have not gotten to do any sanding on the hull yet cuz it turns out that the compressor I bought off CL that was only used by a little old lady after church on Sundays had some issues. I got it hooked up and running the first weekend but it would only build pressure to 60psi. When I dug into it I found a crack in the manifold that houses the pressure switch and it was leaking air pretty good. I got a new pressure switch assembly for $25 and installed it last weekend which took care of the leak but still could only get 60psi. I now have a reed valve rebuild kit on the way but it won't be here in time for this weekend so it looks like sanding will be delayed at least another week. .:facepalm:

Sorry to hear about your C/L purchase. :sorry: Seem the little old lady statement gets thrown around a lot these days. But that usually means the item is trashed. But when you do get everything rebuilt, it should work perfectly after that. :thumb:

As far as removing the tranny from the engine, is there an inspection plate some where on the bell housing? Usually that allows you to remove the bolts holding things together. Just a thought. :noidea:

 

[89 resorter]

After I got the reed valves rebuilt I found that there was a large crack in the intercooler tube that spans between the two heads:facepalm:. At that point I decided that rather than keep playing this game of wack-a-mole with the old Iron Horse compressor I would bite the bullet and get a new one so I can get to work. So after all that I finally got some sanding on the hull (yeah me) but it don't look like the 80 grit in the air powered long board or 6" DA sander is going to do the job. After about 1 1/2 hours of sanding this is all I have to show .....



I worked about a 3 foot square area and after 1 1/2 hours just started to see some fiberglass so I am hoping there is a better way. I have access to an 8" DA that we use here at work and was thinking about trying some 36 grit paper which has proven to rip through powder coating pretty well I'm not sure what it would do with gel coat :noidea:

 

[gm280]

After I got the reed valves rebuilt I found that there was a large crack in the intercooler tube that spans between the two heads:facepalm:. At that point I decided that rather than keep playing this game of wack-a-mole with the old Iron Horse compressor I would bite the bullet and get a new one so I can get to work. So after all that I finally got some sanding on the hull (yeah me) but it don't look like the 80 grit in the air powered long board or 6" DA sander is going to do the job. After about 1 1/2 hours of sanding this is all I have to show .....



I worked about a 3 foot square area and after 1 1/2 hours just started to see some fiberglass so I am hoping there is a better way. I have access to an 8" DA that we use here at work and was thinking about trying some 36 grit paper which has proven to rip through powder coating pretty well I'm not sure what it would do with gel coat :noidea:

I know exactly what you are talking about with slow go on 80 grit paper. It took me a very long time to get the entire hull sanded with 80 grit AND a lot of DA hook and loop sanding disks as well. But it is really worth it to get everything to a know state to follow on with the primer. Even if you use 36 grit, you probably would still have to come back with 80 to get it to look right. 36 grit would have lots of scratch mark that would need filled in with the priming effort. So either way you are in for a lot of work. I wouldn't take it down to the bare fiberglass though. If you sand the gel coat to 80 git and it isn't coming off like peeled paint, then that would be your starting point for priming. Obviously some areas will cut through to the fiberglass to remove some iffy areas. But not everything has to go down to glass. Either way, I know exactly how you feel right now. BTDT JMHO

 

[89 resorter]

GM, my plan is to gel coat the bottom since the boat will be docked. WOG had mentioned in an earlier post that if I were going to gel coat I would need to get down to the bare glass. I am thinking that I could remove most of the gel with something more aggressive than 80 grit then do the final sanding with 80 grit and get pretty much the same result.

 

[nurseman]

IMO - If you are going to re-gel the bottom, I would think you could get pretty aggressive with your removal of the old gel. The gelcoat is made pretty by the sanding AFTER it is put on. Just take care not to put gouges or depressions in the hull with the removal.

 

[gm280]

GM, my plan is to gel coat the bottom since the boat will be docked. WOG had mentioned in an earlier post that if I were going to gel coat I would need to get down to the bare glass. I am thinking that I could remove most of the gel with something more aggressive than 80 grit then do the final sanding with 80 grit and get pretty much the same result.

Okay I do understand. But if gel coat is pretty much polyester resin and pigment coloring and you seem to be having the exact same issues with sanding/grinding it off to fiberglass that id did, why not take off the top section of the gel coat and re-gel over the remaining gel coat base? Since it is on there and not coming off without a ton of sanding, I'd say the new gel coat would adhere to the old without an issue. But I am far from an expert with such things. It just seems that the present gel coat is stuck without any issues and new gel coat would adhere to that base exactly like it would to the bare fiberglass surface. Maybe I am totally off base with that thinking, but it seem logical to me. :noidea:

 

[89 resorter]

Nurseman, I was thinking kind of the same thing except I thought I could always smooth up the grain a bit with 80 grit prior to gel coating if needed. In my (inexperienced) mind, I would think that applying a 25 mil thick coating of gel would hide a lot in terms of the grain size.

GM, what you are thinking sounds logical to me too. I'm hoping that WOG will weigh in and explain the thought behind removing the gel down to the FG.

 

[harleyman1975]

89 Resorter there is a better tool for stripping the getcoat off. it is an 8" Random orbit sander. We call it a "mud hog" around these parts. use it with 36 grit paper to strip (be careful it will remove a lot of material try to keep it as flat as possible) then go back over it with the board file and 36 grit to make sure it is fair, then use the 6 inch DA with 80 grit to remove the 36 grit scratches. Your doing a great job on my next boat! the gelcoat won't shrink up as bad into the sand scratches as paint does due to the fact that it is going to be much thicker 20 mils gel vs 2-3 mils paint. Gel cures/hardens with much less off gassing than paint does which has solvents escaping for up to 30 days. further more you will not have a need for primer with gel. the spray equipment is a whole 'nother story though.

 

[89 resorter]

harleyman, you must be a very patient man if your going to wait for this project to be your next boat lol. I am hoping that the 8" sander with 36 grit will become known as the gel hog around these parts in the very near future. We happen to have one here at work that we don't use very often but comes in handy for stripping powder coating, which it some pretty tough stuff, down to bare metal. I won't be able to get back to the camp to work on the boat for the next couple weekends but will post up some pics once I get a chance to use this thing....

 

[gm280]

harleyman, you must be a very patient man if your going to wait for this project to be your next boat lol. I am hoping that the 8" sander with 36 grit will become known as the gel hog around these parts in the very near future. We happen to have one here at work that we don't use very often but comes in handy for stripping powder coating, which it some pretty tough stuff, down to bare metal. I won't be able to get back to the camp to work on the boat for the next couple weekends but will post up some pics once I get a chance to use this thing....

89 resorter, I have one of them as well. In fact it looks like the same type. Mine is an IR311G. But you better have a very large compressor because it takes a lot of CFMs to be able to work properly. And that is why I didn't use it on my hull. My compressor would only let me use it for about 20 -30 seconds and then couldn't keep up anymore. JMHO