First rebuild - '89 Campion Allante 185 - Stringers, Deck, Transom

[steve_h7]

Thanks Austin :thumb:

I'm cutting small pieces that are all needed but tedious while I wait for more resin to get here.
I'm curious of those that used gelcoat on the interior and used an anti-slip additive on parts that will have traffic, what brand did you use and if you were happy with the choice? I've beem looking at the Rust-Oleum that seems to popular and have pretty good reviews. I planned to add it to the first coat where needed and have a total of 3 coats of gelcoat.

 

[Mechanicalmike08]

Thanks Austin :thumb:

I'm cutting small pieces that are all needed but tedious while I wait for more resin to get here.
I'm curious of those that used gelcoat on the interior and used an anti-slip additive on parts that will have traffic, what brand did you use and if you were happy with the choice? I've beem looking at the Rust-Oleum that seems to popular and have pretty good reviews. I planned to add it to the first coat where needed and have a total of 3 coats of gelcoat.

I just went with drywall sand additive, its like $2 and worked great. Put it in the first coat and then did 2 coats over it. Its enough to not slip on but not aggressive enough to hurt the feet.

 

[ACon977]

I think Mechanicalmike08's project turned out great. Drywall additive is a good alternative! The main how to video I found was from Boat Works Today (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqCPV6Gfldc) he uses a specific sand i think, but dont see why it would need to be.

 

[Timr71]

I think Mechanicalmike08's project turned out great. Drywall additive is a good alternative! The main how to video I found was from Boat Works Today (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqCPV6Gfldc) he uses a specific sand i think, but dont see why it would need to be.

Are you going with a soft sand awlgrip floor in the Centurion?

what's the material difference between the drywall sand vs the soft and product? anything?

 

[ACon977]

Im actually going to do the foam flooring in the Centruion, I liked the non skid, but thought the foam was a good look, and wouldnt get quite as hot.

 

[steve_h7]

Hahaha... I never even knew there was something called drywall sand, so thank you!
All great information, thank you everyone!

 

[steve_h7]

Progress slow but sure...
These little side panels were a total pia. I think they were designed to be a step to get over the side of the boat and the way the hull is designed and where it meets the deck I think it'd become a perfect puddle without these boxes there.
I filled them with the last of the 2nd 16# foam kit. If nothing else this 18' boat has a ton of foam.
Since they're designed to be stepped on I'm going to cover them with 1708 for a bit more strength. Last is to finish the far back seat supports before I can start with gel coat.

 

[ACon977]

Looks good! Progress is progress. :thumb::thumb:

 

[steve_h7]

I got the rear seat supports finished and covered with CSM and bought some micro-balloons and tried to make my own fairing instead of using the premixed stuff. I wasn't sure what ratio to use compared to resin but I ended up using 16 oz of resin to about 12 oz of micro-balloons. I added a little cabosil but it was still pretty thin so it took a while to get used to but worked good on the horizontal surfaces. The next day I targeted the tabbing on vertical parts of the hull and so used the same ratio of poly to balloons but used more cabosil til I had a consistency of about whipped cream. It worked good. Now, lots of sanding.

 

[Chris51280]

make sure to use wax in it as well. I forgot and made sanding not so much fun

 

[steve_h7]

make sure to use wax in it as well. I forgot and made sanding not so much fun

lol,.. too late now but I've got lots and lots of belts for my sander. I was saving the wax for the last gel coat layer.

 

[kcassells]

Steve,
Try mixing a smaller amount of resin ...say 6 oz and add only the micro balloons to the texture you need. You should be able to work it and sand it easier. No cabosil this time. See what you think.

 

[ACon977]

Maybe foreseen as a dumb question.. but what are Micro Balloons?

Love the look of your seat bases! You're cruising along!

 

[steve_h7]

Steve,
Try mixing a smaller amount of resin ...say 6 oz and add only the micro balloons to the texture you need. You should be able to work it and sand it easier. No cabosil this time. See what you think.

I might have to wait for my next boat build because hopefully I'm done with the fairing. I should have probably ordered more of the balloons because I was afraid if I just kept adding them I'd run out... but I still have another quart of them so if I need more I'll try skipping the cabosil and just add more balloons.

 

[steve_h7]

Maybe foreseen as a dumb question.. but what are Micro Balloons?

Love the look of your seat bases! You're cruising along!

Thanks Austin!
I've seen them called balloons but I guess they're "microspheres"?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BR2KQC2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[kcassells]

Maybe foreseen as a dumb question.. but what are Micro Balloons?

Love the look of your seat bases! You're cruising along! [/QUOTE

Aerosil-Cabosil​

[SIZE=-2]

(Fumed Silica) ( Aer-o-sil 200 )​

[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]

Thickening agent for epoxies, polyesters, and urethanes. Thicken resins to your own taste by adding varying amounts. Ideal for making adhesives and putties for gluing wood, fiberglass, stone, concrete, etc. However, adding this product will make the cured resin much more difficult to sand

.​

[/SIZE]

3M Glass Bubbles​

[SIZE=-1]

These hollow glass microspheres can be added to any epoxy and polyester resin. These bubbles will make a lightweight, easy sanding putty for minor surface filling of cracks, holes, etc. (Color: White)​

[/SIZE]

Phenolic Microballoons [SIZE=-1](BJO-0930) These red/purple color phenolic spheres when mixed with epoxy resins will create a low density paste compound which will sand easily and improve strength/flexibility of the cured resin. Better for large gap filling.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]Cat No.[/SIZE][/SIZE] [SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]Size[/SIZE][/SIZE] [SIZE=-1][SIZE=-2]Net Wt[/SIZE][SIZE=-1].[/SIZE][/SIZE] [SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]Price[/SIZE][/SIZE]

 

[ACon977]

Hmm interesting, thanks you two! So basically Cabosil but hollow and so easier to sand, but probably not as strong. fair enough!

 

[steve_h7]

Hmm interesting, thanks you two! So basically Cabosil but hollow and so easier to sand, but probably not as strong. fair enough!

Yes, they have a warning on it to not use it when your resin/epoxy is used in a "glue". But it's consistency is identical to Cabosil.

 

[steve_h7]

Steve,
Try mixing a smaller amount of resin ...say 6 oz and add only the micro balloons to the texture you need. You should be able to work it and sand it easier. No cabosil this time. See what you think.

Just wanted to say that this worked great.
I (of course) found some more spots that really needed some fairing so I mixed 6 oz of resin and used about the same amount of the micro ballons to make a mixture about like cake frosting. It was perfect and sanded much easier. Note too that the micro spheres increase the volume of the mixture unlike cabosil that doesn't seem to do anything but thicken the mix. But the spheres actually increase the amount you have to work with. :thumb: Thanks Kevin!

 

[kcassells]

Ah Good! Yea I forgot about the volume increase. It makes the glue expand so 3 oz. turns into 9 oz.:joyous: