1979 26' Commander gas & H2O tank replacement & ?

Mikeopsycho

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WOG, that does look interesting. You think that would be a good choice for wall covering? It'd be nice to see the product for real. I like the wide rolls. I bet this is kinda like the vinyl they use on house sundecks. I'll save the link and contact them. Thanks for the link.
 

Mikeopsycho

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Thanks WOG, I appreciate it, you've got a mind like a steel trap! :) It does look like a great product for deck surfacing, but it might be too thick and to textured for wall covering....I'm not sure. Decker83 mentioned Nautolex, I'll see what I can find out about it. I'm gonna have to get something pretty soon, I need to re-cover the walls before the boat interior goes back in.
 

kcassells

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Thanks WOG, I appreciate it, you've got a mind like a steel trap! :) It does look like a great product for deck surfacing, but it might be too thick and to textured for wall covering....I'm not sure. Decker83 mentioned Nautolex, I'll see what I can find out about it. I'm gonna have to get something pretty soon, I need to re-cover the walls before the boat interior goes back in.

here's a quickie video of soft back vinyl install. Seems to be alot of different materials you can use.;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljSTNSWDe48
 

Mikeopsycho

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Thanks kcassells. The video shows replacing a headliner, which is something I might do if I can't get the existing one clean. I don't think headliner material would work on the walls, but the video does give me some ideas. I emailed a company that sells all kinds of material for boats and RVs asking for some suggestions. It'll be interesting to see what that say.
 

kcassells

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Cool when ya get it shoot it out to me. I'm trying to make the cuddy area for an easy clean. It's not a LUXURY LINER like yours, a fishing and dreaming boat. It's crazy how a few more feet and height can make a boat into an apartment.
Geez you are kickin some good arse on dat boat.
 

Mikeopsycho

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Will do kcassells. Luxury liner...that's funny! :laugh: She's a pretty basic old vessel, but you're right, every foot on a boat adds a huge amount of space.
 

Mikeopsycho

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Got a bit done the last couple of days. I decided to haul everything back into the boat for another dry fit, this time with the wall in place. One last check to see if it all fit OK. I had to trim about 3/8" off the bottom of the wall to make it fit, my floor ended up slightly higher than the original was, due to glassing the bottom side and re-capping the stringers.



When I went to put a couple screws in to hold things together, I was very pleased that I had bagged and tagged 90% of the screws when I took things apart, made trying to remember/guess what the correct size screw should be used a non-issue. :)



I re-ground as required with 60 grit, sanded the deck surface where I'm working, vacuumed and wiped down with acetone.

I got the filleting finished, and I PB'd the piece around the tank fill/vents and screwed it down with 5200 coated s/s screws.



I cut and laid out first a layer of 1708 that runs about 5" up the hull and covers the entire deck inside the stowage space, topped with CSM that runs a couple inches past the 1708. The reason I used 1708 for the first layer is because I'm running short of CSM, and I had a bit too much 1708 than I could use, so there ya go. I set the pieces aside and applied a heavy coat of resin to the area.





While I was waiting for the resin to tack up I mixed a bit of thickened resin and filled all the nicks and gouges I had put in the surface of the dinette base with the grinder.

Once the resin tacked I laid up the 1708 and CSM, followed with a coat of un-waxed gelcoat, then a coat of waxed gelcoat.

 

Mikeopsycho

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Thanks clampman :pound:. I got the base set in place and PB'd fillets at the bottom and along the hull yesterday, all ready for glassing.
 

Mikeopsycho

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I'm thinking about tabbing the base to the main deck and to the hull with just CSM in order to keep things smooth for a nice gelcoat finish. Would this be strong enough? I can use 1708 to tab the front end to the main deck, which will be inside a hanging locker, and 1708 where the base meets the hull under the dinette benches, these areas wont show.
 

Woodonglass

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I'd recommend a 1st layer of 1708 followed by 2 layers of CSM to hide the grain of the 1708. CSM has little to no structural strength so you really need the fabric for your tabbing. Or you could use CSM and 6oz fabric if you have some. Doesn't take much but CSM is not adequate for tabbing the deck to the hull sides. JMHO!

This is from my link on Decks...


"To fabricate your deck you first fill any voids in the plywood and low spots with Peanut Butter or what we call PB especially in the edges and sand smooth. Then coat top and bottom surfaces with a good coat of resin. Once it Tacks up lay a layer of CSM on the Bottom of the Deck wood and let it cure. Now install the deck wood. There should be a minimum of 1/4" gap between the deck and hull sides. Fill this gap with PB and cove the fillet. Then Tab this fillet with a 6 - 8" piece of 1708 Biaxial Cloth. When applying 1708 biaxial cloth I recommend placing the CSM side down. This allows the CSM to react with the Styrene in the Resin and bond much better. Once this Tacks up, install your first full layer of CSM on the deck running it 3" past the 1708 tabbing. Once this tacks up install another layer of CSM and extend it 3" past the previous one. Finally you can install one more layer of CSM (optional and not really needed) or substitute a layer of 6 oz Cloth ( gives a smooth finished look and a bit more additional strength). If you want a bit of a textured finish you could use a woven roving and then apply 2-3 coats of gelcoat. The texture/pattern of the woven roving will show thru the gelcoat and give a bit of texture to your deck. The Deck is finished."
 
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Mikeopsycho

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Okey dokey, thanks WOG :), that's what I'll do, tab with 1708 and cover with two layers CSM. I'll get at 'er right now.
 

Mikeopsycho

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I ground the V-berth step down area with 60 grit, as well as any lumps and bumps in my filleting. I vacuumed everything and wiped down with acetone, then applied a coat of resin to the raised dinette platform,



I tabbed with 1708, then applied two layers of CSM,



Then I rolled on three coats of gelcoat, the last one waxed,



I also tabbed, glassed and gelcoated the front edge of the platform to the deck of the forward hanging locker, and I applied gelcoat to the V-berth step.



It's a bit of a drizzly day today, damp and cool. I had a heater going in the boat all day and I'll leave it on overnight.

I'll trim the excess off the edges and around the openings of the platform tomorrow. The front will be covered with whatever I end up putting on the walls.
 

Mikeopsycho

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Thanks fella's. I am pleased with how she`s coming along :whoo:. I`ve only got enough CSM left for a single layer on the rest of the deck, so I`m off to town today to get more. I`ll do some prep work this afternoon and hopefully get the rest of the glassing done tomorrow.
 

Mikeopsycho

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I got re-supplied and started getting ready for the final deck glassing job. Did some final 60 grit grinding, vacuumed, and cut and laid out all my 1708 and CSM pieces. Drew up a plot plan of where the pieces go, then took everything off layer by layer, labeled each piece, and set them aside in groupings. Still need to sand the surface and acetone, but it's raining today, :rain: pretty damp out, not a great day for laying fiberglass.

There's a butt joint in the 3/4" plywood running across the deck, port to starboard, that I had glued with titibond 3 and biscuits. Should I put a layer of 1708 here, or are two layers of CSM adequate? There is no bellow deck support here, because there's only 1/4" max clearance between the gas tank and the deck boards. The span between stringers is 30". I can see no flex at all when I walk on it. What do you fiberglass guru's think? :confused:
 
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