Marine Epoxy

[Ice Pirates]

Ok so i took the boat out the other day to blow the dust off and maybe do some Brown fishing , the lake had other ideas for me. As we were motoring out in a pretty good chop holding on to the steering wheel for dear life i noticed that the dash was starting to delam and split. To be fair i did know that there was an issue with it and i was gonna have to fix it this summer but was hopeing to get a few trips out before that.....guess not. Anyways the boat is a 16ft starcraft with an open bow so the dash isn't very big but i only wanna do this once. I have a piece of mahogany "laying around" and plan on using that. My question to you all is have any of you used anything other than west system epoxy?? The stuff is extremely expensive and i don't know if i can get the wife to bite on that one. I've seen around a epoxy coating made by aeromarine and it seems to get good reviews. Now depending on how this goes i might also be replacing the motor board on the back of the boat (not the transom) later this year and would like to stick with the same system. Any feed back would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

john 

[Ice Pirates]

....or is there anything out there you would recommend that is a little less expensive and has worked well for you ??

[jigstick]

exactly what part of the dash is coming apart?  Is it possible to replace the dash with a piece of Starboard or something?  As far as epoxy, I would use MarineTex.

[Ice Pirates]

When I first got the boat the dash was completely rotten and the steering wheel was not attached so in my infinite wisdom I used what I had available 3/4 oak ply and automotive epoxy ... so now the ply is coming apart

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[Ice Pirates]

The dash is only about 21 in long and 7 in tall

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[jigstick]

Personally, what I would do is remove your current dash and use it as a mold.  Slather it with a releasing agent, then coat it with a few layers of fiberglass.  Sand it smooth, and cover with gelcoat.  Wet sand that.  Then install your new fiberglass dash.  Shouldnt cost too much, and it will hold up a lot better. 

[Ice Pirates]

Thats a good idea !!...but would it hold up where the steering shaft mounts while white knuckleing it out in the lake ?

[J&J]

Take a look at  System 3 i have used it to build wood strip canoes many times.Its a little cheaper than West you can get it On line or at Woodcraft.

[jigstick]

You could make a new dash out of fresh marine plywood. Coat the whole thing in resin and fiber glass, front and back. So that it is real solid. Would be plenty sturdy for a steering shaft.

[jimski2]

White oak handles the marine environment well and is strong.

[shinintimes]

Try Jamestown distributors they have total boat epoxy resin for $105 a gallon that includes hardener .... good luck with your project !!

[Sk8man]

I think Jamestown distributors also carries the Starboard that is often used to make interior marine cabinets etc. It is very strong and rigid. Not cheap but very durable.

[smallboat]

A couple of things to be aware of for your project.  Very rare to find oak plywood made for exterior use which is why it delaminated.  Oak plywood typically is a cabinet grade plywood with oak veneers on both skins with poplar interior plies and is not made using waterproof or exterior glues between them.  Over time it will absolutely delaminate in a wet environment.  Using a piece of mahogany is a good idea ( I assume it is 3/4" or thicker to handle to stress of the wheel).  Mahogany has been used for many years for both structural and decorative parts of boats.

 

Epoxy is excellent as a glue and coating but it is NOT UV resistant.  If you use epoxy to coat wood exposed to the sun, it must be painted or coated with a spar type of varnish to protect it.  It you don't, the epoxy will break down over time.  Polyester resin, the type of resin typically used to build boat is UV resistant but does not bond as well to wood.

[rolmops]

A few years ago I had a simular project where I needed just a little of epoxy and not a $100 can full. As it turned out,West Marine sells small plastic pouches  of epoxy and hardener . If those are still available you should be able to get what you need for under $20.