Advice needed on material for major repairs

[mcdc1224]

Working on a stringer repair and need some advice. The boat has issues the inboard engine stringer up thru the gas tank area. The engine stringer is wet and has dark samples from the very bottom. The end of the gas area that meets the engine stringer is shot. The plan was to replace the gas area with wood and VE and then cut the cap on the engine side stringer, remove the wood and pour Sea Cast. The transom checks fine.The ER has gel coat so the plan was the recoat with gel since I already have it. I was told to drop the VE plan and go with epoxy since the VE will only have a mech. bond and epoxy will have a chem and a mech bond. I am not against going with epoxy so what would I top coat it with to match the rest of the ER or will VE be fine? This is a newer Sea Ray made with VE.
Thanks!!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Don't think I understand how Epoxy provides a "Mechanical Bond" over VE resin. Who "Told" you this?? Was it the vendor selling the resin?

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

It was a boat yard. I decided to have them look it over since it was so much to replace They are really stating that VE will only have a Mechanical Bond where as epoxy will have both and is stronge and the VE may or may not hold up? I was thinking that most repairs are with PE or VE and have held up fine in the past years, if properly applied. Since this repair requires the complete removal of everything in the ER along with the fuel tank on this 280, I wanted to see what you guys thought. Thanks!!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Well I am not a pro, but we do have several here on the forum and from what they say, I have come to understand that VE is some pretty good stuff. Epoxy is stronger and does adhere better to wood however the differences are not that significant and the price is. Based on what I have learned from my research and the knowledge gleaned from the forum, I see no reason not to use the VE. Hang on and I'm sure some of the pro's will come along and put in their 2? worth. You might PM ondarvr he has a lot of experience with epoxy and poly resin.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Not sure why they are stuck on epoxy only.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

because they want you to buy materials from them and they make more money on epoxy

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

What would the best way to Laminate the two plywood panels together for the fuel strinnger area with VE.......Sea Rays answer was to just staple them together with nothing else between them

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

go to lowes, pick up some titebond III to glue your plywood together.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Thanks for the help!!

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

What type of paint should I use over epoxy resin in the engine room that has factory gel coat. Thanks

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

What kinda boat do you have ? Pics ?

Just the stringers are gone ?

YD.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Its a 04 280 Sea Ray. The inboard engine stringer on the port side shows signs of some wet wood and some dark wood on the bottom toward the fuel tank about half way forward. The stringer section that is next to the fuel tank (2 feet by 6 feet) was bad and has been removed. The plan was to replace the fuel section stringer with ply and VE glass and then to cut the cap on the engine side and pour sea cast. I wanted to use VE since sea cast and nida bond require am ester and not epoxy and then to re gel the ER. I was concerned about the VE bond since the boat yard said to use epoxy only and have had many votes for both the VE and epoxy camps. I am not against using the epoxy.......if I do I will need to figure out how and what to finish coat with to match the factory gel. I will try to post some pics. Thanks

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Here are some Pic's

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Well lets get a few things straight here..

Epoxy will not give you both a mech. and a chem. bond ..it will only be a mechanical bond.
VE resin is what they call a modified epoxy and will hold and stick Very well to a properly prepped surface ( I wouldnt myself use it Over epoxy though .. just me ).

You can use VE for everything that your doing ( like Woody said ).

You can gel over VE too .

As far as a pour in stringer with nida or something like that .. well I've never done it so I cant comment on that part.

There could be a few reasons why the Yard is suggesting epoxy only. I know yards that will only do it in epoxy just for the sake of overkill. Also some peeps cant handle PE fumes and prefer epoxy for this reason alone. Or it could be that pot life of epoxy is longer thus giving them more working time. Who knows why..but I doubt its because they want to stick a higher price tag on the job.

YD.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Thanks for everyones advice!! Sounds like I can use the VE with no worries or spend the extra $ and use epoxy......just use a two part poly as a top coat

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

YD, Why would you pick epoxy instead of the VE.........just wondering. If i do go with epoxy, what type of glass will i need to use for the layup. Thanks

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

YD, Why would you pick epoxy instead of the VE.........just wondering. If i do go with epoxy, what type of glass will i need to use for the layup. Thanks

I wouldn't use epoxy myself.

YD.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Thanks YD and Woody, I miss understood when you said you would not use it over epoxy. I will stick to my plan to use VE as suggested.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Have to switch plans I guess. Since the middle stringer being replaced is backed with foam, a thin glass sheet between it and the stringer………… VE needing air to cure.
Option 1. Epoxy the inside section of ply to the foam section and bulk heads, stop and then use VE with 1708 with mat to finish?
Option 2. Start with Epoxy and use epoxy for all repairs. 1708 stitched mat with the last layer being powder mat or veil to match the other panels topped with two part poly paint to match?
Do you guys have an epoxy brand you like that is better than the other. I have heard some do not like west because of it becoming brittle after cure.

 

[mcdc1224]

Re: Advice needed on material for major repairs

Just found out from Sea Ray the boat is made with VE...........any issues with using new VE on old cured VE?