Opinion needed on fiberglass repair...

[Cjpainten]

So I am in the process of restoring an old bowrider, and I have ran into a small issue...

I have sanded down the whole boat with 80 grit and dremeled out all cracking to be filled with pettit easy fair and resanded before primer and paint. Most of the job went smoothly until I came across the rear deck on top of the motor/ fuel tank. It was heavily cracked and appears as if it was repaired before without additional fiberglass.

Obviously this did not hold up...

Now I am at a point where I assume I will need to strip this down to the original glass and redo the job adding layers of fiberglass and resin on top.

Is my assumption correct? Is this how it should be repaired?

Also if someone could point me in the right direction of what I need as far as fabric/ epoxy/ hardener it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would fire up the 7" grinder with 24 grit, take the whole surface down to good material, build back up with 1708 or similar

since you are using epoxy, use straight 1700 (biax), as the 1708 has CSM stitched to it and CSM needs poly to work.

ondarvr and Woodonglass can probably give a few pointers as well.

 

[Cjpainten]

Thanks man. I like the sound of that lol

 

[kcassells]

if you are using eeeeeppppooooxxxy you won't be able to gelcoat. It gets tricky. Go poly if you want to gelcoat.

 

[Cjpainten]

I'm using ezpoxy to paint

What would you recommend for epoxy on a budget?

Will the standard 435 work with the 700?

 

[Cjpainten]

Anyone

 

[chevymaher]

Epoxy is the polar opposite of on a budget. It is the most expensive thing out there.

 

[Cjpainten]

So what should I use if not epoxy.

Sorry I have no fiberglass knowledge/ experience

 

[chevymaher]

Polyester resin is what they are originally made of and that is the cheapest.

 

[zool]

You may find that epoxy laminating resin from USC isnt that much more than the 435 poly resin when you factor in that the poly is subject to hazzard material shipping surcharges, plus, you will use less epoxy than poly for the same strength because it takes alot of poly to absorb the mat on 1708. 1700 and epoxy wets out with less resin, in fact less is more with epoxy for maximum strength.

EZpoxy is actually a poly based paint and will adhere to either substrate.