top cap removal

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

so, in this peanut butter, how much of each do I put in the mix. I know it matters on how much I need but??? Oh, you told me before I need to shim the stringers, but dont use wood. So, what do I use. And the resin, I hear there is a big deal about poly/epoxy (what sticks to what, & what dont).. How do I know what to use with my boat?? or does it matter?? Thanks Bryan

P.S. oops, your engine, you got one lined up yet??
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: top cap removal

as far as the engine.....im going to test with the 4.3 v6/alpha 1 gen 2 that came out of the barge.......after the testing.....if the hull is good...and everything is ok........(im sure it will be.....but these things must be tested)

because of this....i havent got the new motor yet.....im back and fourth bet the stroker and a bbc.......but well see what the hull does first before i make that decision.......to do it before hand would be guessing.

for shiming the strings....you can use just about anything....from styrofoam to a peice of plastic....to a cedar shim !......i actually supported mine above the hull instead of shimmed.

there is directions for the ingreadants for pb on the thread.......id make it thicker......if you used 50 50 cabosil and glass bubbles.....and add some milled fibers just for fun......add the resin to the mixed stuff till it has the consistancy you want
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

so, can I just use the csm for everything, with the epoxy resin, or do I need to put some of the thicker stuff over the top of it to stiffin it up???
 

salty87

Commander
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Messages
2,327
Re: top cap removal

medalist...there are a few decisions you're gonna have to make on the best information you can gather....i suggest you start reading up as much as you can. there's great info here but you also need to compare that to what you can afford and also what you can actually purchase.

- poly vs epoxy...is the extra cost worth it to YOU?
- pull the top cap off or not...depends on what you have to work with
- remove the engine or work around it...again, depends on the job but getting it out of the way is usually easier
- foam or not
- drainage or sealing everything back up

it takes a good bit of research so YOU can sleep at night with your choices.

none of this is as easy as slapping some resin on some cloth and calling it done.

when you pull apart your old floor, see what's there. that's the best info to start with. it's most likely that the folks that built your boat used good materials but didn't have the best design to survive the years. more of the same materials won't necessarily solve any problems, better materials may be a waste of money......

what rotted your boat?
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: top cap removal

good post salty....


as far as epoxy with csm....by all means it will work and work well.....however, why use a glue that strong with a weak matt? if you are using epoxy....id go with a stronger cloth....even an 8 oz veil type will work well.

csm is the work horse of the glass industry....but epoxy is such a good glue that you dont need it.......you can skip that step and go straight to a cloth product...and save some time and money.

but with a 19 footer id just go standard poly....that will be plenty strong for your sized boat and still give you more than adiquate waterproofing properties.....if you really want to go over kill.....for 50 bucks grab a can of gellcoat and paint the stringers after its done.....that will give you and extra 10 years minimum.......(depending on a few minor factors)
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

ok, now if I go with the epoxy resin, then I need to go with just thestrong cloth. If I go with the poly resin, I stll have to use the csm, and the strong cloth. Or can I use the poly resin, with just the strong cloth.. Thanks Again, Bryan
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

ok, now if I go with the epoxy resin, then I can go with just the strong cloth. If I go with the poly resin, I stll have to use the csm, and the strong cloth. Or can I use the poly resin, with just the strong cloth.. Thanks Again, Bryan
 

J. Mark

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
303
Re: top cap removal

Just a note since I am doing a similar project on a 1988 Marlin inboard.

Pulling the top cap was not necessary to do my transom. The mushier the wood the easier to remove. It took me less than 2 hours to remove the inner fiberglass skin and all the wood. Transom in mine is three pieces and will drop in as soon as the weather warms up a bit.

My stringers are 12 feet long and stop well short of the space under the bow. Like the transom, they will be very easy to so with the cap in place.

The only reason I see that I might have to pull my cap eventually is the floor under the bow, but core samples show it to be solid and rot free less than a foot in front of the stringers, so I think I can patch that adequately, if not the top comes off.

Leaving the cap on may be an option for you and saves some work, and some money, both of which are good things. With a bad stringer and transom, the cap is helping to maintain the shape of the boat, pull it and the boat will flex if not adequately supported and braced.
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

j. mark, I looked at it today... I think you might be rite. I think I can do what I need to do w/o pulling the top.. The engine was coming out last Tuesday, but I cant get it out till Saturday morning, already behind time I got 5mths left. Man i hope I can get it done!!!!
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

go a lot done today.. i got the junk 4.3L out, kinda easy i just let the air out of the tires of the trailer, and she pulled right out. I got the rest of the deck out with a little help form a chainsaw, and removed most of the foam, man that stuff was wet and nasty!! When I changed the oil when I got it to hear it run to check the outdive. the engine had about 4 gallons of oil and water that we draind out of it. The bow of the boat was not high and a lot of the stuff ran up to the bow. What can I use to clean this up with??? will regular dish soap and water work, then perssure wash it out?? Thanks. I will have new pic's up soon
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

does anybody know the diff. between pt. and outdoor plywood??? or is it the samething??
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

I noticed tonight that i might have a problem!! I have the resporator, the kind with the two filters, but I have yet to get the cover-all thing.. I noticed tonight that I kinda itch??? All I did was get the foam out and check the transom. i took my shirt off and around my neck, sholders, and the top of my back has what looks like chickin pox???? Its only in those areas the spots are very small but there is a lot of them?? Does this sound like the fiberglass??? I think i am done till I get the cover-all's... Man, This itch is not good;)

Well I did the core samples an the transome tonight...guess what???? thats right it needs to be replaced... what a shocker right...

I got to looking at it, and in oops! boat he bonded two pices of wood together and they go all the way across the back of the boat. In mine i have 1 pice of 3/4 that goes all the way across the back, then another pice of 3/4 that starts about 1.5 ft. in from both sides, than a 1/4 in that is about 6in in from the last one. Then they are all 3 glassed over with what it looks like CSM. Why would they have built this transom like this???

I wanted to know if i can take 2, 3/4 and 1, 1/4, and take it from one side to the other. all the same thickness, a total of 1 3/4in. all the way across??? and also glass them together and in, with the CSM, or should I use something else??

i know this is a dumb question, but here i go anyways.

I have a new 4.3l I am putting in the boat. It has a OMC Cobra outdrive hanging off the back and i would like to keep it. I do not have the money to put a newer up-to-date drive on it now. I dont know when I will. So I have to put the Cobra back on! But, in the future, how hard would it be to update the drive?? I know i will prob. need to put a different transom in it then, and fill the hole and get the new drive to fit. Is it even possable to put a diff. drive on this boat??
 

wildmaninal

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
1,897
Re: top cap removal

I noticed tonight that i might have a problem!! I have the resporator, the kind with the two filters, but I have yet to get the cover-all thing.. I noticed tonight that I kinda itch??? All I did was get the foam out and check the transom. i took my shirt off and around my neck, sholders, and the top of my back has what looks like chickin pox???? Its only in those areas the spots are very small but there is a lot of them?? Does this sound like the fiberglass??? I think i am done till I get the cover-all's... Man, This itch is not good;)

Unless your allergic or having an allergic type of reaction to something like a chemical that you might of been using, it is most likely fiberglass causing the problem. If it gets any worse or doesn't get any better soon I wouldn't fool around I would seak treatment. Some people react different to fiberglass.
 

medalist1901

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
81
Re: top cap removal

i tried to find some pics of peoples skin when they get fiberglass in there skin, but I cant find anything??
 

wildmaninal

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
1,897
Re: top cap removal

i tried to find some pics of peoples skin when they get fiberglass in there skin, but I cant find anything??

Here are three links, but no picture. You can also search here on the forum for more links on fiberglass reactions or something to the likes.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=229829&highlight=fiberglass+reaction

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=245367&highlight=fiberglass+reaction

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=235651&highlight=fiberglass+safety
 
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