Wood Boat Hull Finish

Hi there,<br /><br />I some advice about a final clear coat for a small wooden boat I inherited. The boat is built Jon-boat style and has a solid Mohogany Transom and solid wood plank sides. The floor is 1/2" marine grade plywood. The boat is fairly old, I'd say older than 10 years. Overall in pretty good shape with a clear natural wood finish inside and out.<br /><br />The floor had a hole at the very corner by the transom, so I cut away all the rotton stuff and ended up with a 8"x8" patch that I screwed into the transom bottom and sealed all edges with Marine-Tex. I covered the patch from the inside with glass and Polyester resin and it seems to have stuck well. I want to seal the floor with a clear sealer because some of the wood looks exposed and there are screw holes going through to the keel. I will cover the sealer with carpet and be done. (This is a fishing boat) Will the polyester be a good choice?<br />On The outside I think I would like to use an epoxy for the patch and then sand the hull and give it a new sealer clear coat. What should I use? There are a million choices. Should I use the same epoxy I used for the patch? Keep in mind I already have a finish on the boat. (What it is I don't know, probably epoxy?) Would Gluvit be a good choice for the patch, the hull and the inside? My local boat dealer has it in stock, so I won't have to deal with shipping. I have also gotten some info on Fiberglass designs and the West systems. Any suggestions or advice on how to complete this project? The boat will be used once or twice a month and probably will never be left in the water for more that 3 days. Normally it will be kept on a trailer covered. <br />Thanks in advance for any assistance! adam@whitewaterrecording.com

Re: Wood Boat Hull Finish

sounds like a lit'le gem !! you want to do it good.. first of all take all polyester stuff an throw it in the dump.. clothes , leisure suits, resin , everythin' !!! they're no good...... no seriously,, poly resin is no good wherever you have wood .. poly is not a glue . it doesn't truly bond to wood.. it lets rot pass rite thru ... so to keep it simple.. just use epoxy... get the thin lam. type . west systems is fine,, whatever your local has... if your goin' to use said 'poxy for gluin' wood it's to thin for that,, must use thickeners in the mix... or go buy regular thick 'poxy at a hardware or marine center.. don't buy the " 5 minute " type buy the 2 hour or more if you go that route..good luck...