boat rennovation

[Gill-T]

My project this past spring '08. Take off those air intakes.....and look for wasp nests.....could have been dissasterous.

Goal was to change the "cheesey" light blue, for a darker flag blue. Redo rotten rope rubrail. Name boat. Remove marine carpet in back of boat floor and apply a non-slip paint.

paint stripe was sanded with a finishing sander and cleaned with clean rags/acetone

paint was applied with a roller/brush tip method

finished stripe still taped and rubrail off still.

[muskybob]

BIG difference Gill-T. Lookin good.

[MANIAC]

Lookin nice!!! Some day mine will get a cosmetic makeover.

[Diversion]

Holy smokes Chad, that looks GREAT

What paint did you use?

[Gill-T]

Interlux paint. Order from Jamestownoutfitters.com......plenty of helpful tips on the site also. Adam, with paint already on your boat's stripe, you don't have to prime, just sand with #220 on a finish sander.......(no rotary or belt sanders), clean, and paint. It will come out more professional if you apply lite coats with a paint gun, but I don't own one so went with applying with a roller and follow up with a fine badger hair brush. Works better with two people because the paint sets up quick. Three coats. From a distance it looks factory, but up close you will be able to tell.

[dcso]

did you fix the spider cracks in the gel coat? if so was it difficult?

ted

[W.W.IV.]

Yes sir, there's nothing like having your own boat to work on. Its looking good.

[Gill-T]

I have not fixed the spider cracks yet. That will be a project in the future. I have to figure out the cause before fixing otherwise they will come back. The cracks were there when I bought the boat four years ago. My best guess is cracks probagated around some of the screws in the rubrail during installation. Then years of bumping up against boat bumpers caused the cracks to spread on the upper skin. Maybe someone can chime in with a suggestion for a repair that will match the fininsh of a 1988. :?

[seasquirrel]

Very nice. What a difference

[dcso]

i didn't mean to pick out the cracks it looks great !!!! i have a few spider cracks to repair myself i also have some gel coat isssues on the starbord side due to dock rash!

ted

[big easy]

Chad I like the color, looks real nice.Very nice job.

If your going to repair stress cracks in the gel coat,you will have to grind them out,all the way down to the laminate,and lay in some pieces of mat saturated with resin.A small tool like a Dremel will do a decent job of grinding out the gel coat.Get some 3/4 or 1-1/2 ounce mat and tear some off,and place it,in the prepared area.

Catalyze up some no wax resin,and wet out the mat with it.A small throw away paint brush,or plumbers acid brush works well for this purpose.Make sure you get any air out of the mat,when you lay it in.

Don't brush mat like you do with paint,as it will just slide the fibers all over the place,instead,use a dabbing motion,to push the mat into the repair and to get all the air out.

If they are truly stress cracks,you will have to do it this way or similar to this way or they absolutely will return.You might be able to get away with filling Very very minor spider cracks,but even they will most likely return.

As for matching the color,you can come very close to the factory,colors,especially whites or pastels,by mixing colorant in with the gel coat.the colorant comes in 2oz bottles,so if you wanted a white on the beige side you could mix in some caramel colorant etc.

Try http://www.mertons.com he has everything you could possibly need to build or repair a fiberglass boat,all types of Polyester,Vinylester,Dions,and Epoxy resins,all types of glass fabrics,paints ,fasteners,putties,etc etc.

He ships everwhere,and very fast.His pricing is also better than most others.He also has a working knowledge of boat building,and can give you valuable info.

And finally,don't buy resin from places like Home Depot or chain stores.It's usually a poor quality resin,and probably has been sitting on the shelf for a long time.Resin has a shelf life,and they just don't move anywhere near enough of it to give you a quality product.

Their prices are also astronomically high,and they have no idea on how to use it.

[Gill-T]

Thanks John, My boat was next to yours at Boat Doctors. You selling the Bayliner?

[dcso]

big easy

if i got some pic's for you could ou give me some pointers on the spider crack I have ? would'nt be till this weekend

thanks

ted

[CT3057]

WOW! Nice job. Just a couple quick questions. I have a '86 Bayliner Trophy and was thinking of doing the same as you did. How much experiance do you have with fiberglass and gelcoats? How about painting, much experience? my gelcoat has a few nicks above the waterline that I want to address as well. How long did your project actually take you. Thanks

[big easy]

Chad,

Yup,I'll be selling the Trophy some time this coming spring.I'm going to sell it with the kicker,riggers,electronics etc.It's a 230hp 305 with a cobra drive,and a 9.9 Yammie high thrust kicker.

I figure I'll tow the SeaCraft up around the end of April,and get any bugs worked out of it,then sell the Trophy.

Is yours stored at the Boat Docs,or do you take it home for the winter?

Ted,I'll help if i can with your spider cracks,feel free to send me some pictures,or send me a pm,and i'll give you my phone number.It may be easier to explain stuff that way.

[Gill-T]

John, my boat is at deer camp. I got few more projects to get done, so I want it close in case I get bored this winter. I 'm probably going to convert the ice box space to a lure tray compartment so I don't have to keep running into the cuddy when I have a "freak-out I got to change my whole spread this ain't working" moment. Did you come up with a name for the new boat yet? I am still angling for the name "Red Ass"......I just want to see a red boat named red ass driving around just to see the shock value. CT3057, painting the boat stripe is easy. Fair any holes with Marine-tex putty, sand with #220, clean, clean, clean, paint, sand, clean, clean, paint, sand if needed, clean, clean, paint. You don't wax a painted surface, it will have it's own shine. Works better with two people. One applying the paint with a roller and one following behind immediately feathering the paint in with a fine badger hair brush.