Plastic Classic Forum

Ryan

For those of you that have done an Awlgrip roll and tip job in less than perfect environments, was some amount of dust in the topcoats just something that you had to live with? I just finished my second topcoat on the deck, and was positively obsessive about cleaning the boat before applying the sec...

Ryan

Keep in mind that a solar panel alone usually won't output at 12V, it is typically more like 15VDC-18VDC. The combo you are proposing really requires that you use a controller to charge the batteries from the panel. The controller will regulate the panel's output and keep the battery in good health....

Ryan

With in-boards most of us don't have that luxury... Don't those rubber donuts you can put in your driveline (flex coupling) isolate them electrically as well as reducing jarring when you shift from forward to reverse or vice-versa? You'll still need to take into account that the common stainless st...

Ryan

Unless you are attempting to put together some sort of lighting protection system, there is no need to add anything in contact with the water.

Keep in mind that unless you lift your outboard out of the water, it will connect your negative to the water anyway.

Ryan

8AWG is more than enough for a 12' round trip wire run on a 20A circuit. Keep in mind that the starter will draw more than 20A for a short time, but even so, 8 AWG will put you in better standing that factory sized wire for any 15HP outboard I have ever seen.

Ryan

Isolated thru hulls do not need to be bonded to the boats negative buss for corrosion purposes. The key word is isolated. For corrosion to occur, the thru hull fittings need to be electrically connected to something else. Keep in mind that this connection can be facilitated by bilge water, water in ...

Ryan

You find lots of opinions on how far to take this project, but I can unequivocally say that in every instance I have completely rewired a boat, I have NEVER regretted the time, money or effort involved. If you have the sort of personality that will always wonder about the parts of the system you did...

Ryan

The 3 panels are rated at 37 amps each but I won't load any one of them beyond 25 amps max; would you fuse the run to the panels at 30 (under-fused) or 40 (10% over-fused) amps? Choose your wire size depending on the loads you intend to supply, and then choose your fuse size to protect the wire. Th...

Ryan

To each his own, but you can indeed fuse the starter wire, I'm living proof! :) Regardless, it isn't required, so take your pick.

Ryan

You need the fuse for the run to the panels (within 7" of the battery). The ABYC code does not require a fuse from the battery to the starter (but my preference is to fuse EVERY wire at the battery).

Ryan

The prices quoted above seem to be in line with what I have seen in the southeast ($200-$300 per foot). While it sounds outrageous at first, I think you'll find that if you do all the prep and application steps required to have a quality finished product (at least with LPU paint), the price will mag...

Ryan

Hello All looking for advice on the best way to wire 4 - 6 V ,GC 2 ( 220 AH +/_ each ) for the house only. I plan on locating them (2) in the old unused ice box and (2) below where the oven used to be. This I think would kind of balance the weight side to side and keep them relitively low in the bo...

Ryan

As far as dewaxing solvents, my suggestion is to use whatever solvent is recommended by the paint system you plan to use. It has been said many times by many folks here, in the grand scheme of a full paint job, the recommended solvents are cheap, cheap, and cheap. It would be a shame to save a few b...

Ryan

Thanks for the tips Zach. I am pretty close to a fair surface now (not much repair work had to be done) so I am hoping for a little fairing as possible. It will take what it will take though, so thanks again for the info!

Ryan

Thanks for the info Dave. Would you say that the next coat can be laid down just as soon as the previous one is dry enough to not be disturbed by the roller?

Ryan

For those of you that have rolled 545 primer, have any of you put down multiple coats inside the recoat window to minimize sanding as opposed to sanding between each coat? Any do's or don'ts associated with this method, other than watching the recoat times? Any info is appreciated. I am getting read...

Ryan

Ryan, when you say fuse the battery wires, are you talking about the primary 4 Ga feed from the batteries to the 3 way switch? If so, what size fuse would you use, it seems it would have to be pretty large (200 amp?) to allow juice to get to the starter without melting the fuse. If you are just tal...

Ryan

You're correct, you would just switch to "both" or "combine" to charge the start battery, but it is not something that would need to be done often as the start battery loses very little amp-hours from starting and the shore power charger would take care of it when at the dock. Fo...

Ryan

Make sure the wire runs from the batteries are fused at the batteries, not at the charger, panel, etc. As far as the isolator, that is a personal decision, but they are cheap insurance against stray current corrosion which can be quite fast acting. FWIW, I would wire the alternator directly to the h...

Ryan

I agree with Brian regarding the use of epoxy. After my own research and correspondence with folks on this board regarding resins and repairs, I would only use epoxy. Vinylester has some attractive qualities for the production boat builder and busy yards, primarily price and ease of use. However, it...

Ryan

Wichard Marine also sells these type of fittings.

http://www.wichard.com/menu-U_bolts-020 ... 00-me.html

Ryan

Ryan

FWIW, I am in the same water and after several conversations with the Interlux rep, he has convinced me to use Ultra hard bottom paint. Typical haul outs here are several years apart, nothing keeps the slime away, and with the hard paint, I can scrub it while in the water. Will Pyxis be at Big Water...

Ryan

Use the core material (foam, balsa, etc). Assuming that you properly prep all deck penetrations, I cannot think of one single advantage to a solid layup in the deck areas. It is heavier, costs more, is slower to complete and is not any stronger than a properly cored lamination. As far as resins go, ...

Ryan

When adding a decorative veneer to a plywood panel on a boat, what type of glue do you use? Epoxy would be my natural choise, but it seems that it would be hard to get thin veneer to lay down smoothly with epoxy, since a roller or scraper would force most of the epoxy out of the joint. I have used T...

Ryan

I don't know about other brands, but I use West, and the fast (and slow for that matter) hardener turns a darker and darker reddish color as it ages.

Ryan

While not being able to answer for Tim by any stretch of the imagination, I'd guess you'll find that most of that work was done with West System Epoxy and 1708 biax. It is a popular and common combo around these parts!

Ryan

If you check out Tim's restoration logs, you'll see multiple examples of fixing holes like you are describing. At a quick glance, Circe, Hattie Mae and the Dufour project all have these taken care of. Holes from speakers, old insturments and various hardware are a common theme.

Ryan

My personal experience is that I have yet to complete a wiring project that wasn't made immensly easier by starting anew. My first question to you wold be "what is the condition of the current wiring"? If you are satisfied with what you have, then by all means just add a panel. But if you ...

Ryan

You could always replace the buss bar with a Blue Sea Systems 2302 or similar. You get the large studs for the negative cable and plenty of #8 terminal screws for individual circuits.

Ryan

Typically, if you have a cored hull, you either have to remove the core at the install spot and replace with solid glass, or install a good old fashioned thru hull xducer.

Ryan

My first question would be the same as Tim's, mainly how discharged were the batteries? Is it possible that the engine ran long enough to top up the batteries, and the regulator fell into maintenance mode?

If it is indeed related to alternator temperature, you may have a bad voltage regulator.

Ryan

My opinions mimic yours, and have often asked the same question. I have also found the newer units with color displays are, with a little practice, excellent at helping determine bottom compositon for potential anchoring spots.

Ryan

Tim wrote: those who ought to know better are equally or more susceptible to making foolish mistakes.

This may be my new favorite quote as well as a source of solace during my own "what was I thinking" moments. Thanks Tim!

Ryan

Ryan

I have a bulkhead that I want to replace. It is 53" wide and there isn't anyway I can shorten it. It is made from 1/2" thick teak veneered plywood. What is everyone's opinion as to the best way to join two pieces that make up a structural item like this? One side will be plainly visible fr...

Ryan

BS Smith wrote: Would say Rachel sets the charm school standard for voicing alternative views in the squeakiest clean manner.

Absolutley!

Ryan

I agree with Case. As the OP, I cringed when I saw the discussions start heading toward a debate on what wood is better than another, who is right and whatnot. A lot of folks here have a lot of knowledge in particular subject matters and as such can take posts on those subjects more personally than ...

Ryan

Originally it was teak plywood and globs of resin/sawdust. If it really was teak veneer plywood then it was an extremely poor choice. The core layers for most teak veneer plywood is poplar, one of the most rot prone woods known to man. Ipe is an excellent choice for this application, so is teak Glu...

Ryan

Case I have also used the GP03 sheets (3/4") for seacock backing plates, it is great stuff. Using it was my original plan, but given the size of the block it is still pretty darn steep. I even have a large supply of GP03 in 1/4" thickness, but that is a LOT of laminating to get a 8" b...

Ryan

I am replacing a sizable block of wood that sits at the forward end of the bilge and extends up to the bottom of the cabin sole under the compression post. Originally it was teak plywood and globs of resin/sawdust. I'd like to use something like G10 or GP03 fiberglass, but the size of the block (app...

Ryan

Thanks everyone for the efforts! I havne't run across the label v-joint. I'll do some searching with that term as well. Thanks again!

Ryan

Ryan

Thanks Rachel. I have done the search many different ways, but I have yet to come up with any solid leads on a product that I can actually buy without becoming a wholesaler, distributor, etc. I really like the way it looks as well. It is currently used on the cabin ceilings behind shelving and to my...

Ryan

I am looking for a source for v-grooved paneling. What I am referring to is very similar to the standard bead board, but with a v shaped groove instead of the standard beads. What I am replacing is measures 1-3/4" between grooves and 5/16" thick. The grooves are 3/16" deep. I am looki...

Ryan

Balance

The Victron BMV-602 would be a good monitor to take a look at for what you seem to need.

Ryan

Ryan

The local marine here in NE GA/SW SC had them for around $80 at one point. They had a ton of them built for a massive haul out when the lake dropped and only ended up using and fraction of them. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll forward you their info.

Ryan

Ryan

The main reason for connecting the AC and DC ground is to provide protection in the event that the AC hot line shorts to the DC side of the charger (an internal fault on the charger). Should this happen, then the boat's DC system is energized with AC power and if the grounds are not connected, the A...

Ryan

Jeff I understand exactly what you are saying and I see no elitism in the tone of you message. Most of the "warnings" per say that you have read posters write about your upcoming project are just that. A lot of folks here have seen too many boats sent to the scrap yard by owners with great...

Ryan

Jeff I think you will find that basically anything you run into can be fixed. Like Oscar said, the question of whether it is worth it to fix can only be answered by the individual. There is a definite line where the cost of fixing an old boat surpasses the actual market value, but I suspect most eve...

Ryan

As to the Interdeck, you could read the directions :) That would be WAY to easy!! Actually, I did read them and like Jason says, it doesn't require a primer. On the other hand, real life experiences sometimes seem to contrast with those "suggestions" and I didn't want to miss out on somet...

Ryan

I am trying to get everything worked out for a roll and tip Awlgrip job in the near future. I have two questions (for now at least) for those of you that have done this. First, I will be painting the hull and deck with snow white topcoats and prime with 545 primer. With that in mind, should I use th...

Ryan

No scanner at home, so this photo is the best i can do. Good luck!

Ryan

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