Marine Resin at a reasonable price - Georgetown, TX area

[hworff]

I'm restoring a 1983 Cajun Bass Boat - deck, transom, stringers. Repair materials from the internet are reasonable except resin - shipping cost is murder. Prices in the Austin area are crazy. Anybody know a supplier within driving distance for 5 gal pails of resin? Thanks in advance. Herb PM is okay.

 

[Woodonglass]

This question is Asked a LOT here on the Forum. To the best of My knowledge there is not a Retail distributor in your area. I could be wrong so, we'll let this sit and see if some other members come along and post up a distributor. You are correct about the shipping costs. EDIT

 

[hworff]

You are right on (retired Army LTC, Vietnam combat veteran). As my father used to say - "We are going to hell in a hand basket". I restored a 16' Volvo Penta I/O in the mid 70's. Got all materials from some place in San Antonio - very reasonable (before EPA). US Composites.com is very reasonable on materials but shipping on resin is a rip (EPA). I found reasonably priced marine grade plywood through Mc Coys here in Georgetown. They order from Boise Cascade (Houston) -1/2" about $65 & 3/4" about $82. They get deliveries 1 to 2 times a week. If I knew of a good price for resin in San Antonio or Dallas I would do a cost analysis. Thank you ever so much for the reply. Herb

 

[zool]

Just a thought, but if you use a BC exterior plywood instead of marine , you would offset the hazard shipping premium...get the resin shipped to the door, and still have a good build...

 

[GWPSR]

And not for nothing, but there are no added hazmat fees on epoxy from USC, only poly.

 

[kjsAZ]

And not for nothing, but there are no added hazmat fees on epoxy from USC, only poly.

AND Epoxy better protects the encapsulated wood. I can understand using Polyester for stuff one wants to gel-coat as doing it on Epoxy is a lot more work but inside the hull where no-one will ever see it again? If I want or have to protect it from the sun I just paint it... No resin sucking mats either which gives less weight and less work. Simply prime the wood with thinned Epoxy until it is saturated, install with Epoxy PB and glass over it with bi- or tri-axial cloth. It also adheres better to cured Polyester than Polyester does.
Nice side advantage for me is that I can much better control the pot life in the AZ summers. Cool the resin and hardener and use the slowest hardener available. Gives me 30mins working time if I spread it fast. Cured within a few hours. I tried to save money by using Poly on my last boat restore and fortunately only got a gallon to start with. Switched fast back to Epoxy FAST.
Epoxy I can work with in the garage, with Poly I would be outside in the backyard....

 

[hworff]

Stringer drain advice: First. Woodonglass, those are great drawings & advice on stringer & transom build. Re my 1983 Cajun Bass Boat 16' 8" restore. I have 4 stringers, 2 on each side of the keel. There is a half cut (C shape) 3" PVC pipe glassed in over the keel for drainage to the bilge. Front Live Wells also drain to that. There are no drainage holes in the original stringers. The under deck to hull was packed with green foam blocks (I plan on using Dow Blue Board). I would feel better for a way to drain those stringer pockets just in case water gets in. I saw a design somewhere (can't find now) where a notch was cut in the side of the stringer with a half cut PVC pipe (3/4" or 1") sealed in. The boat will be dry stored when not in use. I realize that if enough water gets in the bilge it could flow back under the deck (which will be glass sealed both sides). The original design stopped the deck short of the stringers at the bow so water could get in. The stringers/deck would trap water at the transom, except bilge drain. I can get pics tomorrow if that would help. Any & all advice. Herb

 

[MJVAUGHANS]

I live in Georgetown Texas and in the process of rebuilding a searay currently. I am on my second 5 gallons of resin. I got the first bucket from a fiberglass repair shop in kingsland . I brought an empty bucket and he poured off from his 55 gallon drum. It cost me like $157 I believe out the door. Nice knowledgeable guy named Mike. Lives on site-in town right off the main road(fm 1431 headed toward lake Buchanan. Cannot remember the name of the place though. The second bucket I got from josco in Austin. $163 and it came in a presealed metal 5 gal can. They were both good grade and not melted plastic bottles like the big box junk. Pretty pinkish color and turns golden when you add mekp. I looked around and this was the best I could find locally. I am almost done with my fiberglassing though now. I took very few photos of my work as I went though. I did stringers, floor, new seat boxes, engine cover, seat cushion backs. It started as a winter project but because of our unusually cold winter I could not do the fiberglass work outside, so I was just mad bought losing months of work time so I spent all my time when I could working and not documenting.

 

[hworff]

Here are some pictures of the Cajun stringers.

 

[aspeck]

Don't forget to check out iboats for your repair/rebuilding needs ... and don't forget they have a price match guarantee ...