1974 Ebbtide Restoration - SPLASHED

[tpenfield]

It us hard to tell. The white stuff would not be good in a bilge or to use with resin.b the pink stuff might be ok, but you would have to make sure it is closed cell urethane foam. There will be not structural benefits from using that foam. I'd go the extra distance and get the pour-in type.

 

[mercurymang]

It us hard to tell. The white stuff would not be good in a bilge or to use with resin.b the pink stuff might be ok, but you would have to make sure it is closed cell urethane foam. There will be not structural benefits from using that foam. I'd go the extra distance and get the pour-in type.

Thanks

 

[mercurymang]

Well I have not posted in a while but I have been quite busy and need to post up some pics. I got the to hull foamed and my floor is installed and tabbed in. and am getting close to wrapping things up.
If you recall, early in the thread, I had to cut up the bow section to get it out. I am now in the process of reassembling it. I built a jig and sanded the backside of the pieces near where they will meet down and secured them together. On the top side I put masking tape to keep the resin from leaking through. Then I just cut up some mat and apply it to the backside. It's working pretty well.
On the topside, I am left will a small recession where the pieces meet. Can I just use fairing compound to fill that in?
I'm thinking of using easypoxy with the roll and tip method to the repaired section.
Does this sound correct?

 

[mercurymang]

Here's the pics of the bow section after removal. I had to cut it out in four sections to remove. There was a lot of PB under it so all I could do was cut around those parts. You can see in the front where I lost quite a bit of meat.

[

[

I don't really think it will be too hard but I don't plan on making it perfect either. Just want to get it done and have it structurally sound. I'm trying to keep all the old seams together but have found that it's not as easy as I would have hoped.

[

[

[

 

[mercurymang]

[

[

[

[

[

[

[

 

[mercurymang]

Any advice on the repair work. I think I have it down but just wondering if there are any tricks that would be helpful. What would be the best thing to repaint it with besides gelcoat?

 

[Woodonglass]

Check your PM

 

[jbcurt00]

I apologize, I didn't get the message until late. Hope all goes well.

 

[mercurymang]

I going to try to wrap up the repair work on the bow section today. I'm afraid it's not going to be the most attractive refab on iboat but I'll do my best. When I flip it over and get all the tape off, I'm sure I'll have lots of low/high sections. Should I build it up as much as possible with fiberglass and then fair it out or can I just use the fairing comp only. Also, can I use bond-o or is that not acceptable for marine applications?

 

[jbcurt00]

No bondo, ESP below the waterline

I'd wait and see how bad the highs and lows are. Fill and fair the minor ones. Be prepared for some work though, ask Decker and Trooper about the fill and fair stage...

but try to remember: IT IS THE BOTTOM of the boat, the fish won't care and anybody that notices while its on the trailer didn't offer to help do the work, so.........................

 

[GT1000000]

Progress is looking good, Mang!
As far as refinishing, gel coat is tough and durable, but paint is my friend......My reasons for that are ease of application, quality materials have good build and wear properties, plus I won't mind having to repaint, maybe change colors, in a few years, and I won't feel so bad about covering up all that hard work of applying gel...
Definitely ZERO bondo below the water line...stuff acts like a sponge when it becomes submerged in water...
And Like JC mentioned, fish ain't gonna care what it looks like, all they want is the shade...

 

[mercurymang]

Hey thanks JB and GT. The piece I need to repair is that bow section in the previous pictures. It's sits up in the bow of the boat sandwiched between the hull and the cap. Shouldn't see to much water. I was thinking maybe, instead of bondo, i should mix up some pb with q-cells. Would that be better/.?

Also. GT can you tell me what paint you would recommend.

Edit, this area will see foot traffic so I guess whatever I put in there needs to stand up to that. Another thought I had would be just to cover it in marine carpet. Not sure that I like that idea too much but it would be alot easier.

 

[GT1000000]

PB with micro-balloons is supposed to be really good as a fairing material since it is fairly easy to sand...

There are so many good quality marine paints out there...their biggest drawback is that they can get quite pricey...and depending on the actual finish you are after, some will only get a nice smooth and glossy finish if sprayed...others can be rolled and tipped with excellent results, while others can be brushed on and then wet sanded and polished...

Believe it or not, a tough industrial type enamel coating, like Rustoleum, is inexpensive, easy to apply and recover in the future, and come in a fair assortment of colors...
For areas where traction is a must, you can add different types of grit, such as crushed walnuts or sand.

On areas that are not subject to constant wear, such as the outside of the hull, some very high quality [read costly] epoxy based paints, such as Dupont Marine Imron or Sherwin Williams Marine Coatings, others such as Awlgrip, Interlux, and PPG...acrylic and alkyd based enamels are also used...Rustoleum is used quite often throughout the forum here with fairly good results...

Most high end yachts and ships are painted and live their lives in the water...of course they need to maintained and repainted every so often, but it is the coating of choice on large sea vessels...much more cost effective than trying to gel coat a hull the size of a football field, or larger...

Many companies like Hatteras, Chris Craft and Bertram have used paint systems almost exclusively on their NOT inexpensive boats...some of the reasons they state include higher UV resistance, less maintenance, longer life spans and easier touch ups...

I personally can't speak to any one specific brand of paint since I have dealt with many brands over the years and find that the one major factor affecting the paints overall performance is prep and application...done correctly and according to the manufacturers recommendations, most any quality coating will give more than satisfactory results...

 

[mercurymang]

Great info. Thanks GT. I bought a bucket of q-cells when I started the project but haven't had a need for them yet. Looks as though I have found it. I kind of like the rustoleum idea so I'll look into that. I really don't care if it's perfect and I like the idea of a roll on application since I don't have any spray equipment. And to be honest, at this point I'm trying to cut cost and just get it done.

 

[mercurymang]

So I need to replace my tow eyes as they are shot (see picture below). I want to replace them with this style

I cant seem to find the right size anywhere. I looked on iboats but did see it there. I pulled attwoods spec sheet and I did not even see it listed. Who is the best source for this part?

 

[GT1000000]

Check here...go 2 marine
The original ones you have are made by Attwood, I believe...

 

[Woodonglass]

There's a bunch of em here...http://www.ebay.com/bhp/boat-bow-eye?_trksid=p2045573.m2388 Didja get my PM's??

 

[mercurymang]

Thanks for the links guys. I eventually found what I "think" i was looking for. I ordered one of the Atwood types and one of the Sea dog types. Whichever is a better fit, I'll get two more of and return the other one.

Wood, I did get your pm's and thought I replied. Let me know if you don't see my responses.

 

[Woodonglass]

Nada, in my In Box.

 

[mercurymang]

Nada, in my In Box.

Anything yet?