gm280 I think I’m leaning more towards epoxy. I’ve done a bit of research but is there a reason that so many people seem to choose polyester?
I wad able to get a fair bit of the deck cut out. I’m sure that the transom will need to be replaced as well. I’m not sure I’m seeing a way to replace it without removing the top cap. Doing so would be pretty challenging for me in regrades to work space. Are there any reasonable alternatives to this?
Here’s a little update video:
Okay, I just watched your video and you are certainly at a point of no return now. But that is a good thing. Yes every piece of rotted wood HAS to be removed. But, once you do get it all removed, then the new structure can start to go in.
The reason so many use polyester is because your boat was originally built using polyester resin. And there for any new structure will attach easily to the glass remaining even after you grind/fair the old fiberglass edges for new wood.
I would do some more testing now that you have the stringers open.take a drill, usually a 1/4" bit works well, and as close to the bottom of the stringer you can drill, drill a few holes into those remaining stringers. But not all the way through them, only in a little bit, maybe half way in.
If you get light colored DRY wood shavings out of them, you are good to go with the rebuild. If you get dark colored and/or wet shavings out of the drill holes, they are also rotted even if they feel solid. And they will certainly need replaced as well. Do the same for the transom at the bottom of it. Same issues apply also. I will be very surprised if the transom in not rotted.
As for replacing the transom without removing the top cap, some boaters have cut the top cap off only at the back transom area to replace it. There are some threads on these forums showing that. You can cut about a couple feet in front of the transom to give yourself plenty of room to replace the transom and then reattach the rear top cap and fair in in perfectly. Not a problem at all.
Hose front console sections can be removed maybe even in one piece. Then you can evaluate if they are rotted or structurally sound. If they are, you can sand them and do whatever you want to do to them before reinstalling them back in place. And if they are rotted, you can easily duplicate them pretty easy out of the boat. Just an idea.
Whatever YOU decide to use, be it epoxy or poly, you have to understand what will work and won't work for even the finishes. If you have plans to go the gel coat route, I would certainly use polyester for all the structural work as well. But that is just me... Keep posting and asking questions. And remember there is no "one way only" to do anything...
