Recoreing and laying fiberglass

[SeaBoy]

I am recoreing a 1982 Albin 40 trawler and need help. I removed the top skin on the bow, probably 5ft x2.5ft. Can I epoxy new core down then epoxy the old skin on top, then bevel where the seams are and lay 1708 on those beveled edges? Then a new 1708 layer over everything? Otherwise I will build up 8 new layers of 1708 to match the original 1/4” thickness of the skin. See bellow picture

 

[Comodave]

Yes you could do that. One of the main things is to glass over the cut joint and you have that covered. I use 1708 quite a bit.

 

[SeaBoy]

Awesome. Thank you! Is there an extreme downside to this?

 

[Slowmo]

There are many youtube videos on patching decks. I've replaced the core in a large hatch but not the deck itself. But I don't see an issue keeping the original skin and fairing the joint. You probably need to build up the joint a bit then sand it flush. One thing to think about is how you match the original anti-skid texture so that the patch isn't obvious.

 

[SeaBoy]

This is a teak deck removal project. It’s all stripped off. I’ll be adding the non skid after I’ve laid 1 layer of 6oz glass around everything.

 

[Comodave]

I used Kiwigrip on our last boats decks and really liked it. It is water based so it is easy to apply and cleanup. Very tough and easy to repair if ever needed.

 

[SeaBoy]

I’m struggling with how to fair in the new gel coat to the old gel coat around the new nonskid. Any tips?

 

[Comodave]

If you use a nonskid paint like Kiwigrip then you just sand all the new glass flat and tape on the gel coat and paint up to the tape and then remove the tape. Another advantage of Kiwigrip is that it will hide minor imperfections in the glass work you do. So you don’t have to make it perfect before painting. Check out Boatworks Today web site. Lots of great articles on fiberglass repair. You can join for $3 per month to have access to all of them. Well worth it IMO. No affiliation.

 

[SeaBoy]

So my problem is, is that I have screw holes from the teak planks on the deck and screw holes 1” up the bulkhead around the cabin from the teak trim. I am epoxying the holes. Then fairing them. How do I paint on gel coat and have it blend nicely to the old gel coat so that you don’t see a seam from the tape? Can I used a buffing compound to fair the seam?

 

[Comodave]

What I did on our last boat because of the damage to the gel coat on the cabin side was to take the Kiwigrip up the cabin side far enough to cover the damage. So fill the screw holes and then just move the seam between the gel coat and nonskid paint up on the cabin side enough to cover the work. When you fill the screw holes I would take a countersink and countersink the screw holes. It will clean them up and get rid of any loose glass and give better adhesion for the filler. By having some nonskid paint on the cabin side it will give you some scuff protection.