Hull to Deck staples??

[ktaadnsail]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

This is why I was suggesting you glass over the join, rather than through-bolt.

Sorry, I think we were typing our replies at the same time, so I hadn't read your reply yet. You think that glassing it over will hold ok, rather than a mechanical fastener? I hadn't thought of it that way.

I'm fairly certain that this boat's deck is cored fiberglass. When looking down through the small hatch to the bilge, you can distinctly see the top fiberglass, then a layer of wood, and then the bottom layer of glass. The wood, of course, is wet, and definitely has that "feel" of springy wet core. I'd show a picture, but I have none of the hatch area, and it's too dark out to be messing with the boat cover. I can upload some tomorrow or the next day, if desired.

It's possible to rig up a jig to keep the proper shape to the deck, but I'm not sure how I'd accomplish this, logistics wise. However, the idea makes me nervous without knowing for sure...

Thanks for the advice,
Jack

[ktaadnsail]

I should clarify something I said earlier. I misspoke when I stated that the cabin sole needs recoring. In fact, it is the COCKPIT sole that needs recoring. Sorry for any confusion...

[camaraderie]

I agree with Dawg that you need to reglass where those staples are. You might also consider pop riveting instead of screws/bolts as that was often done in smaller boats and does not leave anything showing.

[sailingdog]

That makes a lot more sense... since cabin soles rarely get wet enough to delaminate.

Originally Posted by ktaadnsail

I should clarify something I said earlier. I misspoke when I stated that the cabin sole needs recoring. In fact, it is the COCKPIT sole that needs recoring. Sorry for any confusion...

I would definitely re-glass the cracked areas at a minimum, and then either pop rivet or through bolt. Screws are a bad idea, since they'll probably cause the same kind of stress cracking the staples did.

The one problem I see with just glassing over the hull-deck join is that the glass would have to make a pretty tight bend, and as such would weaken the glass a fair bit. So you could either use mechanical fasteners along with glassing the join or you could add a strip of foam to thicken the edge of the hull deck join and strengthen it when glassing over it.

[ktaadnsail]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

That makes a lot more sense... since cabin soles rarely get wet enough to delaminate.

I would definitely re-glass the cracked areas at a minimum, and then either pop rivet or through bolt. Screws are a bad idea, since they'll probably cause the same kind of stress cracking the staples did.

The one problem I see with just glassing over the hull-deck join is that the glass would have to make a pretty tight bend, and as such would weaken the glass a fair bit. So you could either use mechanical fasteners along with glassing the join or you could add a strip of foam to thicken the edge of the hull deck join and strengthen it when glassing over it.

That sounds like the way to go - reglass AND through bolt. That way I can use the bolts for the plastic piece of the rub rail, if needed. I'll have to make a decision about the cockpit sole before doing this, however. I'm nervous about taking the whole deck off. I might be able to go at it from the top without TOO much of a ugly mess...

[sailingdog]

If you can see the underside.. look to see where the core material stops, then do the following:

Cut the top skin about an inch in from where the core material stops.

Dig out the core material using a router.

Let the remaining laminate dry very thoroughly—heat lamps and vacuum bagging can help accelerate the process quite a bit.

Get a PVC foam that is the same thickness as the old core material.

Coat the bottom and insides of the cockpit sole with a thin layer thickened epoxy and lay in the foam core material, pressing it firmly into the thickened epoxy. It might be simpler to cut a few narrow strips to do the section under the 1" overhang.

Then coat the top of the foam with a thin layer of thickened epoxy.

Then glass over the "hole", bedding the fiberglass in the thickened epoxy.

Then finish the epoxy by either painting it or gelcoating it. I'd recommend priming the epoxy with Interlux Interprotect 2000E and then painting it with a good non-skid paint, or adding a non-skid additive to the Interprotect 2000E and using that as a non-skid.

I hope this helps.

[ktaadnsail]

I was thinking that I should reuse the bit of sole that I cut out and try to reglass the perimeter, but you're thinking that I should go with all new glass? I could probably do that by cutting away the whole cabin sole, and then it wouldn't look like such a patch job. Only the front half of the cockpit is springy, so I had thought that I would only replace that part of the core.

[sailingdog]

The reason I suggest doing the whole cockpit sole and using all new fiberglass is so that the repair won't look like a patch job. IMHO, it is far easier to disguise a complete replacement, than it is to disguise a partial repair. Trying to match the non-skid is almost impossible, but if you've replaced the whole thing, all the non-skid for the cockpit sole will match. Also, this way, you'll know you got all the rotten core material, where you might miss something doing a partial job and then might need to go back and do it again.

[xort]

Surf this website for ideas on rubrails:
Taco Metals Marine Products
You can order from Jamestown distributors or other dealers of Taco products.

[marcrose]

I used a small drill bit and stainless wire bent and twisted at the bottom. I also used 3m4200 to seal top and sides. I then put on new rub rail.
marc