Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

[BlueGhost93]

Ive been trying to read up on the proper way to seal a wooden boat. I keep seeing like fiberglass cloth being layed down and then west systems 105 epoxy layered over it in a decently thick coating. Is this how a lot of people do it? They then sand smooth and paint it.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

PICS of boat? Lack of info. One picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

Yes, fiberglass can be used with either epoxy resin or polyester resin........ some were just sealed with marine varnish. Marine epoxy was/is the strongest resin to use. I will move this to the restoration section.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

Ive been trying to read up on the proper way to seal a wooden boat. I keep seeing like fiberglass cloth being layed down and then west systems 105 epoxy layered over it in a decently thick coating. Is this how a lot of people do it? They then sand smooth and paint it.

Ayuh,... Is this a 12' rowboat, or a 30' cruiser,..??

Now a days, ya, lots of wooden boats have been glassed,...

But generally speakin', wooden hulls are oiled, not fiberglassed,...
Wood swells when put in water, which seals the hull,...

Fiberglassin' it, changes the way the wood works, 'n not always for the Better,...

 

[BlueGhost93]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

http://www.greg-vassilakos.com/deadrise_workboat/skiff_2.JPG

Similar to this one

 

[Ned L]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

OK, .......Where to begin. ................... In short, glassing a traditionally built wood boat is a quick way to head it toward the end of its life.
That said, sheet plywood construction is a bit of a different story and can be glassed with longevity in mind (plywood is more dimensionally stable than "dimensional lumber" and is ok to glass). It is more successful if done at the time of initial construction because the plywood is cleaner and the resin (polyester or epoxy) will adhere better.
In your situation we still don’t know enough to give you the best answer. The picture of the skiff that you show and say is “similar” could be built in a traditional manner with dimensional lumber OR could be built with sheet plywood. The picture you show IS traditionally built with planked sides and I would Not recommend glassing it.
For the skiff in the picture you posted I would simply recommend a good quality oil based enamel paint inside and out (and antifouling bottom paint on the bottom if you will be keeping her in the water). – If properly maintained with a good coat of paint once a year or so that skiff could outlive you.

 

[BlueGhost93]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

Oh ok so its built from marine ply wood. They glassed and epoxy'd it then painted it. some of the epoxy is worn off the bottom from sliding on and off the trailer otherwise it seems really really solid

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

Oh ok so its built from marine ply wood. They glassed and epoxy'd it then painted it. some of the epoxy is worn off the bottom from sliding on and off the trailer otherwise it seems really really solid

That can be sanded and have more epoxy applied then re-painted.

Here is epoxy which is the strongest and requires paint after you put it on http://www.iboats.com/Low-Viscosity...6639786--session_id.858106992--view_id.342274 and maybe re-enforce the surface with this http://www.iboats.com/MAS-Fiberglas...6639786--session_id.858106992--view_id.341416

 

[Ned L]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

Yep, agreed, sand the worn and surrounding areas down to clean epoxy, and re-glass it. If it has actually worn though the glass to bare wood then I would not use just epoxy but add new glass too.

 

[BlueGhost93]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

Yes I agree. My only question is how to lift the boat up and get under it hehe.... I do have a gantry crane in my front yard I built for working on cars so ill see if I can get that to work. Ill sand it down, and re epoxy and glass it. Right now the glass on the bottom isn't even painted, its just its yellow color like the west systems 105 comes in. So would that layer have been put over the glass?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Correct way to coat/seal a wooden boat?

The motor needs to be removed and the hull needs to be flipped over. You also need to determine if you have epoxy or regular poly resin down there. Epoxy will facilitate the repair regardless but if the current hull is epoxy based then DO NOT use regular fiberglass resin.

Yes you can layer over the old as long as it is still properly adhered to the hull but, sand it first with some 80 grit sandpaper.