The basics on fiberglass

[Deimus]

I thought I was going to get away with no fiberglass work on my project, but I was wrong. I need to glass in new bases for my seats that are now being reupholstered.

It is basicsally a rectangle about four inches high glassed to the bottom of the boat.

I have never done fiberglass work bedfore but I guess I'll be learning now. any help or things to watch out for would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mdude]

Re: The basics on fiberglass

The way I understand it, you can apply epoxy to polyester based fiberglass but you can't use polyester to repair epoxy. For my wooden boat project, I've been using MAS epoxy because of it not having any VOCs. That means I don't have to wear a respirator when I mix the stuff up. Frankly, I was really blown away at the adhesive properties of epoxy when I first started using it and I think it will serve your needs here too.

Epoxy has a rather slow cure time. That basically means you have loads of working time. Also, it doesn't require peices to be joined to have a really tight fit. They can be pretty sloppy and the epoxy will work great!

So get your rectangles mocked in, plot and fair any curvatures required. On your boat's interior hull, use a disc grinder to scuff up the area that surrounds the rectangles so that you won't be gluing up mold, rot or dirt. ...or anything else that is undesirable. Mix up some epoxy and glue your seat bottoms in. While the epoxy is still "green" you can cut fiberglass cloth in strips and lay them into the wet or soft, not fully cured, epoxy. Then mix up some more epoxy to "wet out" the strips. It should all bond really, really well.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: The basics on fiberglass

Deimus, I recommend you fiberglass 2x2 lumber (the length of the seat bases) to your hull and screw the seat bases to the 2x2. It will be plenty strong, and sometimes the seat bases are made of plastic, and don't glass well. Also, you wont have to cut the vinyl where it is under the base.

Use a grinder or sander to rough up the area where the 2x2s will sit, and some area inside them for the cloth to bed. Screw the 2X2s into the floor. Now mix up some polyester resin and use two layers of cloth or one layer of roving over the top of the 2X2s, covering the screw heads and down the inside to the floor. Paint the entire 2X2 with the resin to protect it. I would use pressure treated lumber, that is dryed thoroughly.

 

[Deimus]

Re: The basics on fiberglass

thanks for the info. this is a pretty small boat so the internal flooring is minimal. in fact where the outer mount would be it is on the hull only. so I think screwing them down would be catastrophic.

The MAS epoxy seems like it would do the trick. how much do I need? does it go along way or should I get more than I need?

(not my boat but the same. my new digital camera is on it's way. early christmas for me.)

 

[Chris1956]

Re: The basics on fiberglass

Deimus, You got yourself an mid 70's Avenger Mach I there. I have the same boat with a Merc 1500, and a 3/8 aluminum plate across the transom. I used to have seats like yours, which makes me think they are the original styling. The original color on my Avenger was metalflake blue-green. I had it painted white like yours. You will need to glass in those seats, or they will move around. Don't ask how I know this. As you said, you will not be able to screw the seat supports that are near the gunwales.Oh yeah, the foam floatation under the floor and in the bow do not float the boat if it fills with water. Don't ask how I know that either.

 

[croSSed]

Re: The basics on fiberglass

Deimus, You got yourself an mid 70's Avenger Mach I there. I have the same boat with a Merc 1500, and a 3/8 aluminum plate across the transom. I used to have seats like yours, which makes me think they are the original styling. The original color on my Avenger was metalflake blue-green. I had it painted white like yours. You will need to glass in those seats, or they will move around. Don't ask how I know this. As you said, you will not be able to screw the seat supports that are near the gunwales.Oh yeah, the foam floatation under the floor and in the bow do not float the boat if it fills with water. Don't ask how I know that either.

LOL!!! Funny. Cool, too. I have an Avenger Mach II that I am needed to restore. I am VERY interested in your experience as you walk through this. I've posted about this project here before, but it has ground to a screeching halt; no money. I need to sell my other boat to have cash to do the project. My Avenger needs new transom, floor, and (maybe, but hopefully not) stringers. The gelcoat on the red metalflake striping is toast; I think I'm going to mask the whole boat off except for these stripes, sand them down, and paint them with single stage urethane, solid color red. The rest of the boat has grey and black metalflake pinstripes (which look good) and white. The interior is in good shape, so I don't need to do anything with that. Keep posting about your project. BTW, I saw that boat for sale on eBay. Is that where you bought it? Do you live in Louisville?

TG

 

[Deimus]

Re: The basics on fiberglass

no I didn't buy mine onj E-bay, I bought it local. I actually looked all over the internet for one and then found my boat 4 blocks from my house. lol

I did steal that picture from ebay though. I will take pictures of my project next week. my new camera is supposed to be in on wed. so what better way to try it out.

I do not have any thing as far as floatation stuuff in the front of my boat. I have a '68 avenger with a red band 1000. same color as the one pictured.

any advise on what kind of stuff i should buy?