Plastic Classic Forum

Vinylester resin is a type of modified polyester. Draw your own conclusions from there.

That said, vinylester has better adhesive properties than polyester. But not in the same league as epoxy.

Jamestown's biax is often Certainteed brand, though the last reel I got had no branding information visible. It is, however, indistinguishable from Certainteed in terms of appearance and performance.

Keep it simple, cheap, straightforward, etc. Strapping and dimensional lumber, nothing fancy.

Once you've opened the area, just remove all the core and start fresh. In other areas, you might try a series of 1/2" test holes to determine the core's condition before you open up a large area, if you don't want to do the entire area. Wide chisels and 5-in-1 tools are good for digging out exi...

All biax tapes and fabrics that have mat attached feature stitched mats with no binders.

Does your wife know you're calling in-law family obligations "unnecessary"? :<)

Your secret is safe with us...

If there's room for two clamps, go ahead and use them. I don't mean to suggest it's bad practice where room allows. However, the fact remains that most tailpieces and hose barbs manufactured today and that are commonly used on boats do not technically have enough bearing surface to accept two clamps...

Just as a point of surpreme pickiness: Double-clamping is fine sometimes, as long as the pipe nipple/barb to which the hose is clamped is long enough to properly support two clamps. Most are not: barbed fittings have gotten shorter over the years, and most newer ones aren't long enough for two clamp...

I'm not suggesting it makes it OK, but the forward lower (or aft lower) shroud is less important than the upper shrouds in the overall rigging scheme. I doubt the chainplate you show is about to suddenly fail, but all the signs are there that point to a need to evaluate carefully the rigging attachm...

This thread isn't talking about a major structural change or re-engineering: it's talking about augmenting an existing hull-deck joint with additional reinforcement designed mainly to make the existing joint more waterproof, and with the added result of extra strength above and beyond what already e...

Which stay does the chainplate pictured above belong to?

I've never had an epoxy failure using West System epoxy. Coincidentally, I have never tried to make a batch work if I had the slightest doubt about its proper mixture. It's always better to set aside a suspect mixture. I have had two suspect cases involving epoxy in my checkered past, both on my own...

Actually, looking again at the photo of your chainplate, it does appear that it might have pulled slightly upward, given the paint line visible beneath. Over-tensioning of rigging is an all-too common problem, and may well have led to that. But the fact that the piece has pulled slightly up suggests...

I'm not very familiar with sailboat hardware so this is all foreign to me. Are these all operated electronically? http://lh3.ggpht.com/_cQeQsTRLtIk/S1Ei-NBBjSI/AAAAAAAACmU/QjyfvefdrNQ/s720/IMG_0878.jpg No, that's a bonding wire. That sort of seacock requires a wrench to turn. You can buy specific s...

You're asking for repair detail that is really going beyond the bounds of forum advice. Frankly, either the inside or outside layup you suggest is more than adequate for the task alone. I see no reason to do both, though if you want to I guess you can, but it's wasteful to do so. If I had to choose ...

Everyone's got to figure out their own way forward. Mixing shop-made putties can only be learned by doing it and by knowing enough basic information to determine which materials to use for which job or desired characteristic. Both West System and System Three offer excellent epoxy manuals that will ...

The machine screws are only there because your boat's builder used them to hold the joint together during construction while whatever adhesive is in there cured. The original hull-deck joint adhesive might be a mastic, a 5200-type material, or polyester-wetted mat. It's the adhesive (whatever it is)...

FWIW, I have tried several times to like System Three's "Quik-Fair" to no avail. Despite these efforts, I simply despise it--texture, workability, sandability, mixability, and even smell (though that's unimportant, but when talking trash, go for it)--and recently threw out nearly unused co...

Agreed. Too often, we see so-called solutions that are far more complex than the supposed problem they aim to remedy.

We have two names in mind, and are in the process of choosing one. The frontrunner is one that has no meaning outside my family, but has special meaning to me. If it's even a real word, it's basically unheard of and uncommon.. This just about guarantees the uniqueness that I like, but I'm not yet su...

There are no magic spells to make the process faster or easier, which is why no one's chiming in with great ideas. As you have seen, the descriptions are pretty much the same wherever you read them; now it's just a matter of doing it and working out the nuances aboard your own boat. You're never goi...

My setup has changed a bit since the information posted at the link above. I'll look for some better pictures, but for now I posted a couple that I could easily find. It's not the end-all system, but it works the way I like it to work: easily, effectively, and securly. There have been other discussi...

I don't know why anyone would ever use roller reefing today. It was a bad idea that worked poorly even back in the day when it was in vogue and the systems were new.

Convert to slab reefing and be happy!

christopher wrote:No idea about the megaphone... No idea why it's aimed at the cockpit.. One of many mysteries :)

Clearly it's to keep recalcitrant crew in line and on their toes, particularly during anchoring or docking operations in a tight harbor. ;<)

Does the absence of pictures of these grease-filled horrors mean that you didn't take pictures to share with us? I suggest kerosene or diesel for cleaning; gasoline is great only if you hope someday to be featured on The Darwin awards. Light applications of appropriate winch grease and light oil (fo...

Seems to me that ABYC frowns upon that location near an engine. Not really. There are numerous specific situations detailed in applicable ABYC standards in which electrical wiring runs or connections are required to be certain distances from other installations or in certain positions because of sp...

I think it's quite possible the later boats are noticeably lighter than the earlier ones. Certainly my experience has been that the hull thickness is less on later boats than earlier, which ought to correspond with a reduction in weight. #624 probably has aluminum ports of the same design as mine (e...

How about using a piece of UHMW sized to fit your rabbet as your "form"? Epoxy won't stick to it, and it's smooth and clean.

For this response, I'm assuming you have what I'd call the "normal" Triton opening ports. But there were 2 or 3 different styles over the early years, so yours may be different. Still, I'd guess the basic process should be the same. First, remove the opening portion containing the glass by...

I enjoyed your photos from the original post. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

The Vetus control, which is a single lever for both functions, will not work with your A4, nor will most modern single-lever controls, for the reasons listed above. My boat has a diesel, and therefore works with the Vetus control. I think you're best off sticking with the big mechanical lever for yo...

admin wrote:Admin deleted a post here that failed to comply with rule #3.

ABYC H-4 is the standard that covers cockpit drainage. The details and calculations get complicated, so I've included the applicable formulae and charts from the two relevant pages of the ABYC standards. If you really want to calculate the ABYC ideal for your boat, here's the info. But a pair of 1-1...

Are you still running the Atomic 4? Be aware that it is a challenge to cable-operate the transmission lever on that engine, since it was designed for mechanical activation. At a minimum, you need a large, heavy-duty cable, and most of the modern shift levers aren't designed for this cable either. Yo...

I have the same problem with my el-cheapo (and overworked and underloved yet still effective enough for what it is) Delta 12" planer. It's an annoying problem to say the least, but Ive just been dealing with it the same way you have: whatever it takes to hold the handle in place. It doesn't rat...

Try a thin, stiff blade at the seam and gentle tapping with a hammer. Don't hit the coupling hard while it's attached to the transmission, ever, but some gentle persuasion may be needed to break that corroded seal between the transmission flange and the shaft coupling--but only after you try a bette...

I can't stand polyurethane glues (like Gorilla). Some people seem to love them, but I've never had a good experience. They are foamy junk as far as I'm concerned. Still, in the example above (about which I know nothing other than what's written above), the glue failure probably isn't the fault of th...

Ripping out molded liners is great if you have plans to put in something cosmetic to cover the raw laminate beneath. I'm no fan of molded liners. However, that's really not what the original poster was asking about.. It sounded to me like he wanted to remove the liner and not put anything back--just...

Unless there's something really special about those existing doors, another option is to build new doors, using several narrower boards to reduce or eliminate potential warping, or using a frame-and-panel design to allow for the movement of the boards. This would probably take less time than spendin...

Beware that beneath that liner it might look something like this. These molded interior liners are secured with who-knows-what sort of globs of gunk, which is extremely difficult if not impossible/impractical to remove to a smooth surface suitable for painting and liveability. I know I'd never be wi...

In any boat, but particularly a small boat, it's always a balancing act and series of compromises to fit in every necessity that exists in one's own particular case. It's all about setting priorities, and then making everything else work around whatever is the most important. There's no single right...

FWIW, Lubriplate is nothing like OMC Triple-Guard. I don't know what's in either one, but they're not remotely similar.

The length you need will depend on the thickness of your hull and whatever backing plate you have beneath the seacock flange. 4" is probably way too long: the last time I installed seacocks on a Triton I used 3" bolts, which were well over-long, as seen below. The backing plate shown here ...

I'm not sure it's the right choice for your windlass or not, but I have had (and continue to have) great general success in many areas of the boat using a container of blue water proof grease that I originally bought long ago for use on some large outboards I had at the time. Based on what I see of ...

mobilchuckje wrote:Does this seem like a reasonable approach?...How dry should I be keeping this area.

Seems reasonable to me. And a little water isn't going to hurt anything there.

sail_fix wrote: Whether you go with Marlon or Bronze is mostly a matter of... argumentative choice.
Just pick one or the other, depending on whether you fear electrolysis more than you do (reinforced) "plastic."

What if one fears neither electrolysis nor (reinforced) "plastic"?

How's your Cutless bearing? Sloppy Cutless bearings, which are usually the direct result of improper engine alignment that has led to undue wear on the bearing, are often the most symptomatic cause of pronounced shaft vibration/wobble/etc. The firm engine mounting, poor access, and short shaft lengt...

If one is relying on batteries to emergency-pump any boat, then a mistake has been made in safety preparation: manual pumps should always be the crisis pump of choice. Electric pumps are for convenience only, not for crisis management. What you don't see in the pictures above is that the bilge slope...

LPU paint is not to be trifled with. That might be why the product cans state so clearly "for professional use only". As with all things, the true danger ultimately comes down to the extent and regularity of exposure to any harmful substance. Painting one boat, whatever the respirator, is ...

Two notes: 1. Whether or not a sabre saw chips out the top veneer depends largely on operator technique and proper blade selection. Choose a fine blade to minimize or eliminate this problem. For that matter, there are also downward-cutting blades available that reverse the teeth, though I don't much...

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