Plastic Classic Forum

bcooke

The makers of West System put out some pretty good 'How-To' pamphlets. You can get what you need here (Chapter 4 covers your specific situation) or you can buy the pamphlet at West Marine and other places for around $3. Highly recommended. Nice pictures. Good information from the people that actuall...

bcooke

You are quite lucky with your choice in women. I had one like that once but she moved on to better things. I did the 5 gallon bucket thing for a season. It worked okay given my general comfort with the idea. I did find myself moored in a swanky marina for a few days and a holding tank would have bee...

bcooke

I don't think anything is required but I have installed them with 4200 and I don't worry if I get a little bit on the threads as well.

No leaks to date.

bcooke

I completely disagree. And do you have a reason for this opinion? Knowing that you don't agree alone doesn't add much to the discussion. The reason for my opinion is widely publicized on this site dozens of times and I really don't think it needs to be reiterated. I, or many others here, can explai...

bcooke

Unless you are building new hulls, polyester is never acceptable. Even then it is only 'good enough'.

bcooke

The best way around this is to seal the wood with resin first. Let it kick, give the piece a quick sanding (and/or scrub with a Scotchbrite pad and water, if [you're] using epoxy, to remove the amine blush), then proceed with your laminate. Why would you want the epoxy kick to the point of being sa...

bcooke

Seriously though, a wet core doesn't really mean imminent failure. The core can continue to function for years even if it is wet. Its going to be a lot more susceptible to the freeze/thaw cycle and eventually it IS going to debond with the skins but that may or may not happen for quite some time. A ...

bcooke

is there a break point where a soft spot on deck moves from the to-do list, to the better get it done now list? When you stroll up to the foredeck and find yourself in the V-berth. The only way to really know how strong a laminate is, is to take it to its breaking point. So the real question is... ...

bcooke

Do you ever get the feeling that you have done all this before?...

Looks good!

bcooke

This is an example of a seacock.

bcooke

Is there any reason why I shouldn't use Stainless instead of bronze ? Dissimilar metal corrosion. The fitting will corrode from the inside and your first indication will be finding your boat underneath your mooring. S.S. is about half the price of bronze and alot easier to find here... Poor choices...

bcooke

I guess - once again it seems that the one thing our old Pearsons have in common is: inconsistency. When Pearson started building Tritons, large scale wharehousing of the needed parts didn't exist and therefore, they had to shop around to get what they needed. That's why there isn't any consistency...

bcooke

I hadn't thought about those long overhangs. Sculling (one oar) I guess wouldn't be a really viable option unless you had a side mount and then it starts getting unnecessarily complicated. how is it going to catch a crab? "Catching a crab" is slang for hitting the water on the backstroke d...

bcooke

The Dremel POS will be going back to HD tomorrow, hopefully to replaced by something more robust (Multimaster?!?). Skilsaw. Cuts like butter just as fast as you want to go. Since its so flimsy and flexible, should I glass another piece of cloth (6 or 10 oz fabric) before I put in the core material?...

bcooke

What would feathering an oar add in a situation like mine? Nothing except being a showoff. It would reduce the impact of catching a crab. Since you are on the 'wrong' side of the oar you wouldn't get swept off the deck but that is still a big stick in the water that is going to run away from you in...

bcooke

Full face is the only way to go.

Unless you have tried supplied air. Then that is the only way to go...

bcooke

If I were going cruising with a wooden toerail, I'd probably either leave it bare (teak) or paint it.

Wusses. Everyone.

bcooke

I was unemployed for eight months until just a few months ago. Tough times. Got lots of work done on the boat though and I still have the credit card debt to prove it. Sailing is probably a better plan. Sailing is cheap compared to ordering massive quantities of supplies online. I would suggest a fe...

bcooke

Speaking of the old polyester versus epoxy debate, -not that there really is any debate- I worked for an organization five years ago that insisted on doing some composite repair work with polyester resin. I jumped up and down and complained to no avail. A few months ago, amid hard economic times, I ...

bcooke

I also just spoke with a friend in the business about it and he tells me that if he were putting a skin on a cabin top he'd do it with mat/roving/mat, and use polyester resin since I'm not building a raceboat. Hmm. He has a point. That is absolutely terrible advice. And that is why I have no faith ...

bcooke

Just thought I would pass along a tidbit I got from a Forespar techie yesterday (answered me by email in the middle of the night surprisingly). I was asking about their preferred lubricant and got this response: You can use any type of waterproof grease you would like to use. Just do not use a spray...

bcooke

yup.

it just depends on which problem is worse - the stuck screw or making the porous surface clean again.

bcooke

I started to remove my prop shaft to re-pack the seal and instead wound up with a new shaft, propeller and yes, a freshly re-packed seal. These things happen.

bcooke

whose owner's complain about having to reef frequently and early.

That would definitely be a Triton then. :-)
(though I would disqualify the Triton for long term/ ocean cruising on other grounds)

bcooke

That 'article' is also Appendix C in Larry Pardey's Book, Details of Classic Boat Construction (a great book). There was some discussion of it here

bcooke

it appears there is one cable running from the radio to the masthead antenna. Yes. That's the coaxial cable. It is made up of a conducting wire in the center and a braided shield around it. Is it common to run a cable then assemble the ends? Sadly, yes. For my application is a handheld sufficient o...

bcooke

When I removed my settees to apply my insulation I went ahead and took them all out right to that mini bulkhead at the aft end of the cabin area. I was going to maximize my storage space too but decided the extra work wasn't worth the effort. There is maybe six inches at the deep point and the deep ...

bcooke

ah... never mind...

bcooke

Unless anyone here has done the laboratory testing then disputing the article would be sort of pointless wouldn't it? I am also pretty sure this has been the prevailing theory for quite some time among people that actually know what they are talking about. If it were true, I could see a case being m...

bcooke

The original certainly could be spruce. My first thought is that Doug fir would be an excellent choice.

bcooke

In 25 years of industrial maintenance, I've seen hundreds of broken fasteners. Many broke just under the head, and some had disastrous results. A torque wrench is your friend. In 25 years of aircraft/marine/automotive maintenance I have rarely seen a properly installed properly engineered, bolt fai...

bcooke

That's my problem, many different opinions as to what I have now. Then you need to be more critical of who you solicit opinions from. :-) The world is full of stupid, half baked opinions. Most of them originate over the Internet. Seriously, ask around for a (real) wooden boat guy or quality woodwor...

bcooke

but there is always the slim chance they could break, some how work out, and leave a hole in your hull. A slim, slim, SLIM chance. I would say you have a much greater chance of being swallowed whole by Moby Dick's nephew. It would take a tremendous impact to break the bolt. It would take an act of ...

bcooke

Sitka is a very strong wood for its weight. It doesn't measure up to the better hardwoods though. It wouldn't be my first choice on a heavy displacement boat.

Are you thinking varnish or paint?

Sticking with what is already there is usually a safe choice.

bcooke

A gooey two part sealant would probably work as a bandaid. They make stuff that seals automotive fuel tanks and is sold at NAPA. Not sure about the health implications but there won't be much contact with the water so I imagine it would be okay. I know that stuff (can't remember name) gets rave revi...

bcooke

C'mon 'bcooke'; that's something like $4k worth of boaty toys begging to be played with!

Yep. Currently the most expensive storage table in the county. Its on the list. The very very long list.

bcooke

I have never sailed on a boat with a windvane and am anxious to experience it someday.

You know where my boat is. I can leave the box of parts under the bow waiting for your expert installation skills.

Just don't screw it up. :-P

bcooke

I know of a few guys who have made the conversion then gone back..

Me too. Great concept. Still working out the details.

bcooke

I had a hard time using a saber saw with a fine tooth blade on some acrylic recently. I found it almost impossible to go slow enough not to heat up the plastic and have it melt itself back together behind the cut. Really really slow. A hand operated hacksaw might be the best approach. I don't work w...

bcooke

Love it. Function is its own form of beauty.

Makes me want to take my own brand new Monitor out of the box in the basement (where it is getting used as an auxiliarly storage bench) and get it installed this spring :-)

bcooke

had two choices.... let it cure and get a crew cut.

I would definitely shave before I washed my hair with acetone. Yech.

Then again, people often refer to me as a trendsetter...

bcooke

Based on what I have just read from the manufacturer's website I am not so sure about using Smooth-on in composite structural repairs. The company markets a whole bunch of products and several epoxies but most of them are geared towards mold making. (and yes, bow making) The Smooth-On physical prope...

bcooke

Any boat is better than no boat.

What was the sandpaper question for?

bcooke

Leave it. Just don't use it again. It really isn't necessary unless you are dealing with worn out threads or cheap fittings with bad tolerances. Decent fittings don't need tape. Maybe in your house plumbing or if you have high pressure steam lines on your boat but its never used by real mechanics on...

bcooke

I had it done in a batch along with a couple other sail projects but I think the itemized estimate was somewhere around $200 to have my jib switched from hank to furler.

bcooke

So why would Robert be needing sandpaper if he sold his boat?...

bcooke

When I start thinking the disk isn't cutting as well as it should, I change it. If I start having to lean into the material to make the paper cut, I change it. If I start wondering about whether I should change it, I change it. I don't know if the lower grits wear out faster. I do know that they fee...

bcooke

Junk it.

Waterlift.

Outlet on the counter (below the transom).

bcooke

Remind us as to whether your boat has internal or external ballast.

bcooke

Rachel- :-)

Plastic Classic Forum

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Re: Filling Seacock Holes

Re: Convince me to keep holding tank.

Re: Thread Sealant for Marelon

Re: Tiny bubbles.....

Re: Tiny bubbles.....

Re: Tiny bubbles.....

Re: Small area of rotted core

Re: Small area of rotted core

Re: Work on the Cockpit of Aeolus

Re: Bronze V.S. Stainless

Re: Bronze V.S. Stainless

Re: Masthead fitting for a Triton?

Re: Finely, A Workable Rowing Station (I Hope)

Re: Recore Question (and photos!)

Re: Finely, A Workable Rowing Station (I Hope)

Re: Project Cal25

Re: Greetings

Re: Hirilondë moves to Wickford

Re: Time to recore

Re: Time to recore

Marelon seacock maintenance

Re: Removing recalcitrant screws

Re: PYI or Pack?

Re: Crusers guide to boat speed?

Re: what type of wood glue?

Re: Planning to Drop the Mast - Cal25

Re: Settees...

Re: Atomic 4 not-starting question (Complete with symptoms!)

Re: Sanding 10 Years of Bottom Paint!