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Stan the Man
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Mar 2012 : 21:41:38
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Steve T
Sorry to hear of your engine problem but you did at least get your lunch eventually. The experience of being stuck such a short distance from sustenance and tonic water would have done for me I'm afraid! Very kind of someone to tow you back and I hope you get your engine sorted out quickly. Glad that the heater performed well as, although we also went for a pootle last weekend and the weather was reasonable, it was nice to enjoy a cuppa in the front cabin with warm air swirling around. In fact my crew of one stood in front of the forward outlet to defreeze her feet!
Looking forward to the pictures but understand mobility is the current priority.
Regards, Stan |
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Steve T
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 18 Mar 2012 : 20:25:30
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At last! The outboard is booked for a fix and service on Tuesday
Should then be able to get down there at the weekend and try out the heating properly and get all the pictures and details of the parts used.
I will post them as soon as I can.
Cheers
Steve |
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Stan the Man
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 19 Mar 2012 : 20:58:42
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SteveT
Great news, and just in time for the warm weather! Was working on our little boat last Saturday and it was quite cold when we arrived - half an hour of the Propex and I was able to give my wife her coat back.
I'm also out and about this weekend with a quick trip to Stoke Bruerne with our friends from Spain on Thursday and a four-dayer with an old friend from Friday through Monday.
I was most interested to learn of your past involvement in GRP boat building and I'd like to pick your brains sometime about some minor gelcoat repairs our little boat needs. I've had some success with ordinary gelcoat filler but the colour match leaves a lot to be desired - well to be frank there is no colour match. I've been considering a mix-it-yourself kit of resins and pigments from Force4 but would appreciate some tips from you in due course.
Hope everything goes well with the break/fix and that you have some great trips out while the water lasts.
Regards, Stan |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 19 Mar 2012 : 21:09:15
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A spare tube of hardener can be got in yellow and takes the whiteness off gelcoat filler quite well, it doesn't go yellow just a slightly off-white, more like 30+ years old gelcoat.
I think chemical metal uses the yellow stuff, it sets just the same.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Stan the Man
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 19 Mar 2012 : 22:35:59
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df
What a great idea! I'll certainly give that a go. I'm not expecting an "invisible mend" but virgin gelcoat filler is. I suspect, far whiter than the boat was even when new.
Thanks for the tip
Regards. Stan |
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Steve T
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2012 : 10:23:08
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Hi Stan
Really tricky one, matching gelcoat repairs.
If you do them all the time, you get quite used to getting a pretty close match, but you are right, new would be VERY white.
You can get every colour pigment, certainly every RAL and BS4800 shade, and there are "ageing" pigments too, as mentioned.
Like any other colour match even "pretty close" can look poor, hence the fast development of high-build paints over the years.
I spent a long time finding an all-gel boat, rather than a pointed one, but I guess it is personal preference.
If I was sure of the preparation and the materials used I would be happy that paint would last a good 10 seasons, but the slightest problem and it looks very second-hand very quickly.
If you were really concerned about matching (and refused point-blank to have paint) then you can get the gelcoat scanned for shade and have a pigment mixed.
Probably cheaper to find a local boat yard to repair it for you!!
We used to spend a good hour sometimes adding various drops and spots of colours to white base coat to get a decent match beofre repairing a boat. We would smooth a little un-catalysed gel onto the boat to see how the colour looked, then when happy cleaned it all off added the hardener and started the repair.
Like anything else, there is just no substitute for experience |
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Stan the Man
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2012 : 13:47:53
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SteveT
Thanks for your very informative reply.
The areas needing work are not extensive and really only affect the upper deck lip just above the gunwales fender on both sides where fender eyes have pulled out in the past (and the damage badly filled), and the bows, again both sides, from about the pulpit rail forward where there are a few scratches and gouges some 8 to 12 inches long. One of these has also been badly filled and no attempt made to rub down the filler.
As you so rightly say, experience is everything, but I'm fairly confident in being able to apply the repair, smooth off and polish afterwards - it's just that pesky colourmatch. Unlike me, however, my wife has a superb eye for colour so I'll delegate the matching to her. I like your idea of applying tinted but uncatalysed resin to the boat to check the match.
Given the preponderance of metal sailing tubes in my neck of the woods, unlike your own, boatyards handling fibre glass repairs are few and far between and, as always, cost is an issue. I do not expect a thirty year old hull to look pristine and, to be honest, given the current scratches, gouges and bodged filling, it could not, to my eye, look much worse!
You could, of course, offer to spend some of your leisure time fixing me up - only joking!
Best of luck for the O/B repair and hope you get a decent weekend afloat.
Regards, Stan |
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Steve T
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2012 : 19:57:39
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Hi Stan
I would suggest starting with small areas, start with just a little white gel, and get a very small tube of pigment - try a dark brown.
Using a lolly stick add a little brown (just dip the stick in the brown about 15mm and let any big drips fall back into the brown container)and mix thouroughly. Keep repeating adding just a little each time. Don't get carried away, it will still look white for a while, then will suddenly be too dark. Adding more white will just cost money, once it is too dark start again!
Once you think you are pretty close, brush a thin coat onto a small area, about 50mm square near where your repair is to be, then call "her-who-must-be-obeyed" to see how close you are.
If it needs darkening a bit more, add as small a bit of brown as you can, stir and try again.
You will need plenty of lolly sticks (don't dip in the brown with a mixing one or vice versa), plenty of acetone and cloth.
Once you have approval, clean off the testers with acetone and then you can catalyse the remaining mix - about 1.5cc per 100grams of gel.
Stir well, and away you go.
With a little practice and some masking tape you will be able to "cast" the repair to the right shape.
If the repair is deep, the gel will shrink and it will need a second fill. I would suggest you key the bottom of the repairs with coarse sandpaper, a "dremil" type tool, or the tip of a 2 or 3 mm drill bit. Wash with acetone to make sure it is dust free, and allow the acetone to evaporate fully before putting the gel on.
Let the gel fully cure before sanding, it makes an unholy mess sanding rubbery gel
You will get better and better - and there will be mistakes - live with them, you can always sand the whole repair out and try again - nothing is irreversible
Here endeth the first lesson - next week, vacuum forming with pre-preg carbon fibres. Just kidding. |
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Stan the Man
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2012 : 20:58:08
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SteveT
You're a star - thank you so much for the blow-by-blow account. You've inspired me to have a go and I'll try a small area on the desk lip first and see how I get on.
Regards, Stan |
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Steve T
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2012 : 12:26:12
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I know we are slightly off-topic, but hey-ho!
You may not have many GRP boat builders in your area, but a drive around the industrial estates on a Saturday morning looking for empty barrels of resin and gel will tell you where people are using the materials, or try Yell.com to find out where the fibreglass guys are.
Try not to buy from the usual wholesalers - their prices are crazy.
A Saturday morning visit to your local laminator will usually catch the senior guys there, who are normally happy to swap the very small amounts you need for a few beer tokens!
Once you have bought a few bits and pieces, their advice usually comes free!
Good luck!
By the way, engine was lifted off my boat yesterday and is being serviced and sorted today.
We hope to be back on the water Saturday, so piccies of the heating install should be availble next week.
It looks good from the limited time I have had aboard so far, but full report and parts details to come with the images.
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Steve T
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2012 : 22:49:21
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OK - bit miffed!!
Guy who told me engine was off and being done was a little economical with the truth.
Just happened to get a work call to a site near my mooring so dropped in unannounced to see nothing had been done.
Now missing the best weather of the year this weekend and having to settle for a garden BBQ.
Needless to say, a few strong words of Anglo-Saxon seemed to sharpen the mind of the chap in question, so should all be done for Wednesday.
Will be "popping in" Tuesday to see how things are going.
Helping with a re-floating salvage operation next Saturday and was hoping to go by boat and make a weekend of it. I will not be a happy chappy if I have to drive a bl*%dy van there and back
It is right outside a pub - having to drive home afterwards is an unpalatable option, when the preferred alternative is a lot of beer and a night aboard a warm boat! |
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Experience fitting a Propex?
