'78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

There are some things on the hull that have troubled me. There are places where the fiberglass on the hull bottom looks as if the epoxy did not set correctly or had an air bubble there. It goes straight thru all layers, mat roven etc. In a couple of places it goes straight thru to the gel coat. ??? I need to try to get some pics tomorrow. The worst parts are where the hull sits on the trailer bunks.
What could this be? I'm gonna grind all this out because it looks as if either water got to the stringers here or the rotten stringers cuse this????
Just don't know but I'm not gonna let these areas stay there. Looks as if I'll have to fill those areas with csm and build it up to the level of the rest of the hull. I'm still gonna lay at least one layer of glass onto the hull.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Here's a couple pics of those area that I have been concerned about. It looks to me as if the resin was made extra hot at the factory of the glass was not completely saturated with resin. These areas are all over the hull. I just don't like them and have grinded every one of them out.
Many of these were at the stringers or on the wood ribs. I can see where water could flow right thru to the wood.


The first one had one of those bubble that went all the way down to the gel-coat. The second one is an example of the average size. Some were as large as 3 inches long and about 1 inch wide. It might have been ok to leave them alone, but not me. Too OCD.
I'll have to fill them then layer it back up. I'm still gonna add at least one more layer to the entire hull bottom. I'm also gonna paint any areas of the hull that is visible thru hatches with a white bilge paint.
I'm pretty much at a stand still until I get some supllies in. Glass, resin etc.
Money and time now.
If any of yall know what is going on with those bubbles please chime in.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

No thoughts on the bubbles?????

Still finishing up on the sides of the hull where the deck will meet it.

BTW, refering to the hull, does it need to be really flat prior to laying some glass down? I'm thinking if it's not flat then there will be too much resin under the glass i'm laying in the uneven areas. Other than grinding forever maybe I should spread a lite layer of peanut butter mix or a body filler of some sort. Please chime in anyone. These areas are maybe only 1/16 inch deep but seems to me that is alot of resin.

 

[Hydra-sport_Road-kill]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Hey bb, I'm still following your progress and it just about matches mine step for step. I don't have anything to match your bigger bubbles but lots of little air bubbles I find under little raised bumps here and there. So I grind them all down smooth and solid knowing I'm removing more and more of my hull. I got the same concerns about the hull not being smooth as just as you mention. I'm wanting my reinforcement layers to lay smooth and flat with no bubbles. I figure to get the BIG tub of CAB O SIL and go to work. Can I ask you how much resin you figure on needing?

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Hey HS, I really don't know how much resin I'm gonna use o I'll probably just buy around 2 gallons at a time.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

I did a little more sanding today to get the hull flatter. No more grinding or sanding untill I get my Tyvek suits in. I ordered 15 via ebay. Today I got covered with glass and I am itching like crazy, even wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts. No fun. Hopefully they will be here in a couple of days.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

It's been along time since I did any fiberglass work, maybe 15 years and it's still not easy. It has taken me about 10 tries to get the mix of resin where I want it. But, progress is being made. Currently I'm working on building up the low spots. It should take me about 3-4 days at the rate I'm going to get them built up. After that I will build up the transom and build the stringers and ribs. Then it will be time to put at least one complete layer of roving on the entire hull. I can slightly see it coming together now!
My tyvek suits came in and i'm sooo happy with them. No more coming in the house with fiberglass dust all over my clothes! I can just hang them in the workshop and slip back into one when I go back to work. I have 15 of them so that should last thru the entire build and then some.
Not bad for 30 dollars.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

I have been laying fiberglass in the low areas the past few days. Today I added a layer of light weight csm then a heavier csm to the transom. Then it'll be time to start building up the transom. Really no sense in posting pics of this cause you can't tell what I'm doing since the fiberglass is basically clear.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Finished with my first gallon of resin. Today I basically finished the stern end of the boat with fiberglass. Wow, even with the cartridge mask I still have a buzz and starting to get a headache. Maybe time for some new cartridges.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

You MUST protect yourself. If you can smell it, the mask is not working. Get new Cartridges or a better mask.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Without a doubt it was the cartridges. I got new ones today and the mask worked like a charm.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

That's Good News!!!!!

 

[Jon Sob]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Hey bb ..... it sounds like you are moving right along. Photos would be nice so we can see what you see. I may have missed it and you may already know this but I think the resin from Lowes has wax in it so you will need to sand between layers if this is the resin you are using. Just thought I would throw that out there. Keep up the good work.

 

[Hydra-sport_Road-kill]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Without a doubt it was the cartridges. I got new ones today and the mask worked like a charm.

How do you think you used up the cartridges so fast? Do they get used up if you use the 3M respirator with the cartridges during the grinding part or only when you have fumes to absorb?

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

I'm thinking it just got clogged from all the dust from the grinding.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Hey bb ..... it sounds like you are moving right along. Photos would be nice so we can see what you see. I may have missed it and you may already know this but I think the resin from Lowes has wax in it so you will need to sand between layers if this is the resin you are using. Just thought I would throw that out there. Keep up the good work.

Really no reason to take pics right now. You can't really can't anything as the resin is basically clear. You just can't tel whats going on from pics right now. I will post some as soon as I start adding some wood on the transom and stringers/ribs. That will be in approx. two weeks at this rate.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

One question to those that know, When I'm building up the transom and adding the layers of wood, will it be okay to just use the poly resin to bind the wood and each additional layer of glass/wood to the hull, of course using a clamping system, or should I use some small screws at some point to help hold them all together?
The original transom had a screw in each corner to help hold them together but not all the way thru. Just to the first layer of wood.
I seems to me that more would be needed and even the factory method of using screws to the first layer is just too weak. Maybe I'm just being too cautious.
What is yalls opinion?

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

Well, I got about half of the bottom of the hull glassed to where I can start replacing the stringers. But first, I have to get the front half of the hull ready. That shouldn't take but about a week. Then, It will be transom time so I can to the stringers into the transom.

 

[bbodin]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

I managed to get most of the front-bottom of the hull ready, all except the last two-three feet just needs to sanded down some to get rid of some of the deeper grinding marks.
All this while being sick with the flu. Well if I'm miserable, I might as well get a little work done. Not able to work in my real job since I'm in healthcare. They kinda frown upon giving illnesses to my patients. LOL.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: '78 Hydra Sport 168vee Restore Project

If you use Chopped fibers in the resin then you can use it to bond the wood but I'd recommend using mat between the layers OR you could use PL Premium or Plain old Titebond III glue to glue up the layers of wood.