Re: 1961 Glasspar G-3 gets a new Transom...
The floor is in.
I don't have 'in progress' photos, since I had a lot of epoxy on my hands (well, on my gloves)... But it was a pretty normal installation.
First, I cut it to size, And dry fit it to make sure it was correct. Once I had a decent fit, I beveled the edges so the glass cloth will lay over them etter, and so it looks a little better when it's all done. Then, I flipped the floor over, and spread a good thick coat of unthickened epoxy on the bottom. For those who wonder how much resin it takes to do a job like this, the ply is about 43" x 48", and it took 20 ounces of mixed epoxy to coat it well.
Then, I mixed up a big batch of thickened epoxy. It was 30 oz. before adding filler- I added about 4 cups or so of Cabosil to it, until it was good and thick, about the thickness of peanut butter- Still sticky, but thick enough to 'stand' on it's own without sagging. Then, I put it in a big ziplock bag, and cut the corner off. I used it like a pastry bag to squeeze a generous bead of the mix onto the tops of the stringers, probably about 3/8" or so.
Next, I CAREFULLY dropped the floor panel in place. I used stainless screws in a few places to hold the plywood in place. I like to use stainless deck screws- They are smaller in diameter than wood screws, and they don't require predrilling. Also, the shape of the heads allows them to sink below the surface of the wood, so the hole can be sealed off with epoxy. They are fast, and easy.
If there is enough filler material, it should squeeze out of the joints as you tighten the screws down. Once it cures, it'll be STRONG. The screws may add a bit to the strength- But aren't really that important beyond being a method of clamping things together.
Then, I filled the gap between the floor and transom, as well as the gap between the new and existing floor. Before laying the floor, I beveled the edges where they would meet, so I had some room for filler. Once it's sanded, then painted, You'll be hard pressed to see where the old floor ends and the new begins.
Tomorrow, The floor will get a layer of 10 oz. glass cloth on it, then this job is basically done! I'm a little behind schedule, but not too bad...
-Andrew
