Plastic Classic Forum

Balsa cuts easily with a sharp utility knife.

When I say "washing" I mean a plain water wash with Scotch-Brite pad to remove potential blush formation. No soap! Just water.

It is not my goal to make a lifestyle of impugning Brightsides, but this paint is dead to me. These are my reasons in a nutshell, since you asked. Specifically I dislike the flow characteristics of Brightsides: it is difficult to apply well and not particularly self-leveling or forgiving no matter t...

Too bad the builder didn't include any detail...;<)

It's gorgeous!

My error: I typed the wrong thing. (note: I've corrected this error in the previous posts as required) 9/16-12 is the correct external thread, not 9/16-24. The external thread is tapped into the wood, not into an epoxy plug. I just used slightly thickened epoxy on the threads when I drove the insert...

The inserts I've used have a 9/16-12 (note: originally this read 9/16-24, which was incorrect) external thread, for which I tap the hole in the wood using the appropriate tool. I set them in epoxy during final installation.

What matters is that the paint you use is good. There are good paints and bad paints under all labels, all monikers, and of all types. There's nothing necessarily special about "marine" paint per se, but these paints do tend to be of higher quality in general. Stay away from cheap paints. ...

That's because such a long threaded insert is unnecessary.

...it's the B27 on Rt 1 in Wiscasset... Ah, yes. I actually just drove by that again on Monday, after passing by her a number of other times during her stay on the road there. The bulkheads I am considering leaving out to are forward of the companionway. They are the first two for the head (port) a...

My choice would be drill and tap, but one could pop-rivet if one preferred that method.

Pete, The inserts I used are by E-Z Lok, 3/8" internal thread size, # 303-6 (9/16-12 external thread [note: originally this read 9/16-24, which was incorrect]). They have become harder to come by in this size--the last time I used them, I actually was using stock that I purchased in 2005--but h...

I'd certainly move the chocks forward. Bow chocks belong close to the stem. If it were me, I'd remount the cleat a bit further aft too. I'd do it because experience tells me it's right and will work better, not because of a supposed optimal angle criterion--but they more or less amount to the same t...

Case wrote:\I think that gasket is supposed to be inside the hull, not the outside.

The whole thing makes a lot more sense if the gasket's inside, doesn't it.

Check the Yanmar instructions and go from there.

Your best bet is probably to follow Yanmar's recommendations and use 5200 for this seal. I don't know the details of a sail drive installation, but it appears that the rubber relies on an adhesive to secure it to the hull--hence the need for an adhesive sealant like 5200. You should remove all the o...

I actually switched to Life-Calk some time ago. I started using it because it came in brown colors (good for bedding wood), and liked its working qualities, so started using the white as well. I haven't used 101 in several years.

To the dumpster with her! Just kidding. Relax--nothing to worry about too much there, and the photos show a very typical situation--and better than most, actually. What you're seeing is the seam of the "false keel"--an add-on piece found on the earlier models with external ballast, like yo...

Use the largest bolt you can fit through the A4 flanges--probably 3/8".

Be careful sanding those flush! That's always the trick.

But the accents will look good when complete.

I think the 130 LP range is an excellent compromise for most sailors--big enough for the light air, small enough to handle the stronger winds without an immediate need to roller reef or change headsails--and also more effective when rolled up to something like a 100% than a larger sail would be. My ...

+ Easier to store Kerosene - this is a big one. It's a liquid and can be stowed, unlike propane which can't be. + Easier to find / refill Kerosene abroad. Your choice of stove and fuel is up to you. Minimizing the number of different fuels on board is a worthy goal, so if you're using kerosene else...

That squared rudder seen in that so-called "Mark II" drawing was never used in production. That whole drawing differs from the original Triton drawings in subtle ways--the waterline is longer, and the shape of the counter is different, particularly at the waterline and directly beneath. Th...

Too bad! Let me guess: that's at one of the cockpit-facing corners where you're sure to see it the most. I think you are right to live with it rather than rebuild the whole hatch. The perfect is the enemy of the good. That's always the risk using plywood in flush applications like that; sanding thro...

4" minimum for settees and seating areas, and thicker for v-berths. Note that headroom clearance in a Triton v-berth gets pretty tight if you use 6" foam for the cushions like I did, but if you're not too tall you can still sit up straight.

I've always liked the Contessa 32. More pictures, please?

...that will come with time... Yes. The idea is that in a fairing mix, the cabosil is just to bring the material to its final desired consistency. Microballoons alone will not ever thicken a mix properly, but once you've mixed in what you think is the right amount, adding a small amount of cabosil ...

Ratio of microballons to cabosil is 27.3 : 6.42

Just kidding. I have no idea; it's completely by eye and feel. Some cabosil is required to make a microballoons mixture properly thixotropic, however.

I use shop-made epoxy/microballoons/cabosil mix for most of the fairing. Microballoons will leave pinholes when sanded, so once you have all the fairing and filling complete, to prepare for primer you should apply a fine fairing compound as needed (such as the excellent one manufactured by Alexseal)...

Tom Young wrote:I need a new head.

So does this guy.

The Landing School is well-respected industry-wide. I can't really touch on the other parts of the question, except to more or less second Dave's general sentiments. There is surplus of underemployed, skilled workers out there at the moment, which I imagine might make breaking into the field harder ...

Figment wrote:(King of the Dredge!!!!!)

Undisputed.

You can always mask the back side of the door. Other than that, care in applying the varnish to those areas susceptible to running and migrating to the bottom side is your best bet. I also typically run the dry upper part of the varnish brush along the hidden bottom edge to try and remove any drips ...

I'm going with T/L 29.

I filled heaps of 3/16" or so holes in bright, shiny steel using polyester resin and 'glass back in about 1967. Many failed in the ensuing 20 years. This was on a black car body. Do y'all think that epoxy fillers would have survived? Probably, assuming proper surface preparation, etc. Remember...

I spoke to Pettit, and they recommneded a slight scuffing of the tie-coat primer with 220 prior to application of their easypoxy product - not sure if you had done this through your use of the product, as you noted poor adhesion to the topcoat. They also recommended thinning with 97 epoxy thinner -...

Mill a countersink at each hole location to hold the epoxy over a wider area (this is probably what you meant by "tapered", so you're on the right track). Mill these holes shortly before you plan to fill with epoxy, and abrade them if possible to ensure bright white metal; aluminum will ox...

Great boat, instant and enduring classics. I logged many hours on one during several enjoyable years a while back.

And the old ones can be just as competitive as the new ones, given the chance.

Vermiculite?

Mike,

No photos of your (cough...cough) "primer" coat color? ;<)

Using a basic concept penned by someone else, I made up these retractable lazy jacks and am very happy with them.

Retractable Lazy Jacks

They are harder to describe than they are to set up and use, so if it isn't clear let me know how to clarify.

Some people's egos know no bounds.

I am guessing the red stuff was purported to be easier to tap because it is much, much less dense and hard than the green.

I have no problems tapping the green, nor G-10 for that matter.

Rachel wrote:
Tim wrote: Cleary crashedtoys.com or QCSA Auto Auctions aren't much good at estimating length.
Come on, Tim. You know that true "old salts" always go by the waterline length ;^)

Of course. I'm sure that's it... :<)

(crashedtoys just screams salty, doesn't it.)

An important distinction that I don't think came through clearly above: G-10 is an epoxy-based fiberglass laminate. It's factory-produced to extremely high and consistent standards. Very, very good, hard, dense, heavy, expensive stuff, and overkill for many applications. Note that the polyester pref...

It's a Triton. To say she's rough would be drastically understating the problem.

Cleary crashedtoys.com or QCSA Auto Auctions aren't much good at estimating length.

Send the snow to us in Maine, please. It's pathetic here: we've seen not a flake from these big storms.

Did I mention it's pathetic here?

Everyone,

There's some good and thorough information here, but I think we've now covered it all as usefully as it can be covered.

Most boats stink because all those lockers, bilge spaces, and hidden areas are full of funky gunky gunk and funk. Dirt attracts moisture, which attracts salt (well, OK, not in fresh water lakes like where you are), which attracts dirt and moisture...on and on. Even without the salt from an oceanic e...

Brand of hose isn't that important, Type of hose is. Underwater through hull fittings should be equipped with hardwall reinforced hose. There are several different types and brands--too many to cover here. Any supplier's catalog or website will show the numerous varieties for your general researchin...

Thanks for posting your vintage photos. Sounds like there are a lot of interesting stories surrounding that boat.

You can use unscored core for deck areas, but be aware that the sheets won't conform as naturally to the curvature of the deck mold, and you may require additional efforts to ensure that the core is thoroughly and well bonded in all areas. Balsa is a good core material--it has some of the best physi...

Mat and roving is old technology. It works, but don't bother. it's labor-intensive, creates a rough surface, and a very resin-rich laminate (i.e. weak for its weight). Today, we have stitched fabrics that incorporate the mat right into the backing, such as 1708 biaxial cloth (45°x45°), 1808 biaxial ...

I've done it both ways. In multiple recoring efforts, I have only reused skins once and will never do so again. It's a false economy and can lead to issues throughout the process as well. Use all epoxy resin and plan on new skins. (Or don't, but that's my suggestion.) Things to consider about re-usi...

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