full restoration

[john-88]

this is the first post for me on iboat so i would really appreciate any help with info i can get

im restoring a 1988 sunbird spl 174, the previuos owner have painted the out side of a boat with regular paint and a brush. i know , why would he do that ? the boat also have 2 cracks where the engine mounts on the hull . further more i went in the boat and the floor felt kinda funky so i tare part of the floor and guess what the stringers are rot and the foam is soaking wet :facepalm: . and surely the transom is rot

good thing i didnt pay any penny for this boat and i got it free

i took out all the foam the stringers the carpet, i mean everything everything is out. i did cut part of the hull but it shouldnt be a problem i saw bunch of videos that shows how to fix that. i took the boat apart meaning that i separated the top portion of the boat from the bottom portion i did that so i can flip the top, grind and put a layer or 2 of fiberglass cause the fiberglass it already have is yellowish and really dry like it didnt have no rasin on it. im now at the point where i need to grind the surface and start installing new stringers.

my questions are:
1-after i grind, do i need to put a layer of fiberglass before installing new stringers?
2- regarding the top portion of the boat that i separated, is it ok if attach it to the bottom portion of the boat after i install the stringers? or i should attach it back first?
3- how can i remove the paint that the previuos owner had put on the gel coat ?

like i said i would really appreciate any info thanks in advance

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: full restoration

this is the first post for me on iboat so i would really appreciate any help with info i can get

Welcome to Iboats ..

my questions are:
1-after i grind, do i need to put a layer of fiberglass before installing new stringers?

That would depend on how much grinding you did to prep for the new stringers.

2- regarding the top portion of the boat that i separated, is it ok if attach it to the bottom portion of the boat after i install the stringers? or i should attach it back first?

You lost me here .. do you have a molded deck system ? .. I really dont know what your trying to say..

3- how can i remove the paint that the previuos owner had put on the gel coat ?

So you want it back to gelcoat ? or are you planning on repainting ?

Sand it or strip it off. Depending on what finish your going for is going to determine how you remove the paint.

Got pics ?

YD.

 

[74bayliner]

Re: full restoration

YD i think he meant on Question two. When he installs the stringers. is it best to have the boat cap back on or off the boat.
I had the same question and i found my own answer.
Due to the possiblity of the boat flexing when the stringers and bulkheads and floor are all out there is not much support holding the sides of the hull from flexing. It would be a shame to see you glass your stringers and bulkheads in to find out that the boat had flexed now you have a cap that wont go on to the boat!
Some people put tow straps around the boat to keep it from flexing, i find that my boat cap is light enough for 3 people to lift it so if i need it on or off i just gather a few friends or family members.

Hopefully this answers your question

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

yacht dr, sorry to through u off. 74 bayliner got it right. i was wondering if i should put the cap back on before instaling new stringers, but it make sense what 74 bayliner said about streching, i dont want to risk it i this case i have to paint the boat from the out side first since its lighter without the stringers and the cap. then put the cap back on and start with the transom, stringers and then the deck.

yacht dr im going for the gelcoat, please advise..... should i sand it down with a DA or is there material that i can use.

i will be attaching pictures soon

thank u guys for replying back i really appreciate it

 

[Bondo]

Re: full restoration

yacht dr, sorry to through u off. 74 bayliner got it right. i was wondering if i should put the cap back on before instaling new stringers, but it make sense what 74 bayliner said about streching, i dont want to risk it i this case i have to paint the boat from the out side first since its lighter without the stringers and the cap. then put the cap back on and start with the transom, stringers and then the deck.

yacht dr im going for the gelcoat, please advise..... should i sand it down with a DA or is there material that i can use.

i will be attaching pictures soon

thank u guys for replying back i really appreciate it

Ayuh,.... Gel coat is Great if ya Love sandin'....

When shot on the outside of a boat, rather than inside a mold, ya shoot Twice as much as ya need,...
So;s you can sand 1/2 of it off to get it Smooth...

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

thank u for the feedback bond-o, if i have to sand im gona sand. i'd rather do it right and gelcoat is the best thing that why the use it on boats. any info on how the proccess goes. i mean what grid do i use to sand, like a step by step kind info would be really appreciated

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: full restoration

This comes from Yacht Doctor from a post he gave a couple of years ago...

Gelcoat is actually Very ez to apply. IMO way easier then paint.

What you need is for full gel spray...

1. repair as needed. prep with 80-120 grit.
2. mask and tape.
3. acetone wipedown.
4. Mix Gel ( Im assuming white..this is NOT for dark colors !! ) with approx 20% Patch Aid and About 10% acetone.
5. Mix MEKP catalyst about 1.5-2 % ( depending on the gel.. ).
6. Start spraying ( H.F. 2 qt pressure pots work just fine ).
7. Spray 2 medium coats then Flush gun with acetone.
8. Mix more gel and spray 2 wet coats.
9. clean gun. have a beer.
10. Get a Big magic marker and goto town ( kids love this part ) . just scribble all over. then a damp acetone rag to Smear it around making a good guide coat for sanding. ( you can use dykem or etc instead but this is cheap and fun for kids marking smily faces on the boat ) .
11. Block or DA sand with 320 or 400 depending on how well the gel layed down. ( Dont sand all the guide coat off .. just about 90% ).
12. wetsand with 600 untill the rest of the guide coat is gone..then again lighty with 1200 grit wet.
13. Buff till its done.

 

[Ski1491]

Re: full restoration

Woodonglass,

Been meaning to ask is the percntage of MEKP (1.5 -2%) based on just the gelcoat quantity or the total amount of liquid including the patchaid and acetone? Thanks in advance

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

woodonglass this defenitely answered all the question i had regarding my gelcoat restoration, i was really nervous and now know it sounds like a piece of cake =) i really appreciate ur help and yacht doctor's help =)

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: full restoration

yacht dr, sorry to through u off. 74 bayliner got it right. i was wondering if i should put the cap back on before instaling new stringers

Nope..there is no reason for that..

, but it make sense what 74 bayliner said about streching

I dont know of fiberglass doing such things as streching ..your hullsides are not going to move in contrast to your bottom where you would be installing stringers/bulks/transom..

, i dont want to risk it i this case i have to paint the boat from the out side first since its lighter without the stringers and the cap. then put the cap back on and start with the transom, stringers and then the deck.

So you want to Gel the bottom before you start installing stringers/bulks/transom ?

yacht dr im going for the gelcoat, please advise..... should i sand it down with a DA or is there material that i can use.

Where is your location ?

Yes..pics please ..

YD.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: full restoration

Yacht Dr, is a Gelcoat GURU, Personally I think he Gelcoated his House!!!!

He thinks is easy I think it's hard. I guess it's all what you have experience with and he has the experience. If you have the right equipment, pay attention to his directions, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

woodonglass i know what u mean. im planning to buy all the tools required. hopefully that makes my job easy

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: full restoration

Pay close attention to YD's instructions, especially about flushing the gun with acetone. You only have about 20-30 mins before the gelcoat starts to set up and the gun must be flushed before that happens or it will be permanently ruined. The HF gun he mentioned is here...

http://www.harborfreight.com/professional-hvlp-spray-gun-kit-93305.html
It comes with a 1.4 mm tip and that's gunna be to small. You'll need to find a 2.5mm tip. Gelcoat is very viscous and will have problems flowing thought a 1.4mm tip.

This one I believe will work on that gun.

http://www.amazon.com/NEEDLE-NOZZLE-G6600-SERIES-SPRAY/dp/B003FYNBO0

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

woodonglass thank for the tip. i got couple of questions, what did he mean by "meduim coats"? and in step 8 what did he mean by "wet coats"?

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: full restoration

woodonglass thank for the tip. i got couple of questions, what did he mean by "meduim coats"? and in step 8 what did he mean by "wet coats"?

I might want to answer that question ..

Medium coat means not to spray a full wet coat LOL ..

Lets see.. how do I explain this gel thingy for ya...

Ok..lets say your painting a room inside your house with a roller and some latex paint..

The first coat on your walls are NOT sopping wet roller application..your kinda just coating it to start to build a base of sorts. .. after your first 2-3 coats of just moderate thickness then you go for the full blown wet 1/2" roller juuust enough to make sure you dont run it.

Gel is NOT paint. Gel is not for beginners on spray guns.

I never suggested Gel in this thread ! .. you did ..

I hope you realize that the cost involved to Just apply the gel is going to be more then the boat hull itself ..

I mean..an 88' fiberglass tub ( 25 year old fiberglass tub ) is a dime a dozen.

Again..I Never suggested a full strip down and application of gelcoat..

Please address post #10 ..

Really need them pics mate.

YD.

PS. I will help you on a gel application once the former questions are completely answered.

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration

 

[john-88]

Re: full restoration





yachr dr. i hope thoe are good enough , if u need more details please point them out to me
please advice on what need to be done. if u say its too costy to strip done the gel coat tell me what to do... by the way my dad owed a body shop back in the day i used to help him so i know how to deal with spraying from a gun but im assuming that spraying gelcoat would harder