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If you compare this photo to the same shot 5 photos back, you can see the surface has improved
dramatically. We'll keep repeating the process until we're happy with the finish !
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We've decided to build a removable hard shell tonneau cover to protect the engine and related parts from
the elements while towing. Normally this could be done with boat canvass stretched over the rear
cockpit and fastened around the cockpit coaming with snaps, but we were after a cleaner look without
any visible fasteners.
(26-AUG-2010)
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Click here to see how the
cover was fabricated.
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Time to finish up the front deck. We needed to build a wide deck beam to bolt the dash
cowl to.
We epoxied a 4-1/2" wide strip of 1/4" marine grade plywood to the bottom of the deck battens.
(02-MAY-2011)
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We laminated three layers of 1/4" marine ply to conform to the deck beam's curvature.
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The pop-up bow light mounts in a plastic housing (at left of photo). The fit wasn't too good, the plastic
was very flimsy and the bolt holes were way too close to the edge, so we fabricated a wood plug from some scrap
wood (middle of photo). We wrapped the plug with Saran Wrap and wetted out three layers of 6 ounce fiberglass
cloth with West System epoxy.
(07-MAY-2011)
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We moved the front mounting hole inboard away from the flange and created a step to receive the mount bolt.
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The shroud was epoxied into the strongback.
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Blocking for the pop-up deck cleats was made from 3/4" marine grade plywood.
(11-MAY-2011)
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Fits like a glove !
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The cleat pops up when you hit the release button.
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To restore some of the deck batten thickness we removed while fairing, we laminated a strip of 1/4" marine grade plywood to the
underside of several battens.
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The battens will be encapsulated before applying the plywood deck.
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Before epoxying the deck, we had to trim the flotation foam billets to clear our new bow light pod.
(11-MAY-2011)
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To ensure adequate ventilation and prevent rot issues, we installed 1-1/2" diameter 1/4" marine grade plywood spacers
between the deck battens and foam bilets.
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Billets are held in position by 1/4-20 stainless steel threaded rods and SS nyloc nuts. To see how
the panels were fabricated, click
here.
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Starboard deck was installed using thickened epoxy and fastened with silicon bronze screws.
(17-MAY-2011)
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The port deck was buttoned down. We're ready for some fairing along the sheer and fiberglass.
(18-MAY-2011)
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With the deck plywood installed, it's time to build up two layers of ten ounce fiberglass cloth to form
a 'shoebox' joint along the sheer. This deck-to-hull joint is used in fiberglass boats and saves a
lot of time as the deck cloth doesn't overlap the hull, only a 3/4" wide strip at the sheer.
(24-MAY-2011)
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The deck's underside will be encapsulated with two coats of West System resin catalyzed with 207 Special Coating
hardener. The flotation billets are getting a few more rounds of body filler to get them ready for
paint. We'll be fiberglassing the deck tomorrow ...
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Fiberglass was trimmed with a utility knife and blocked with coarse sandpaper.
(26-MAY-2011)
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The deck will be primed and painted, so we chose a heavier 10 ounce fiberglass cloth. We'll be sanding with an airfile
which would normally just shred lighter four or six ounce cloth. Width is 39" so we laid it out in three panels.
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We'll let it cure overnight, knock off the high spots and apply three fill coats tomorrow.
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Fill coat # 1 : We blocked out the seams with coarse sandpaper and airfiled the surface with 80 grit sandpaper. The
first round of West System 105 Resin catalyzed with 206 Medium Hardener was applied at 7 PM.
(28-MAY-2011)
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Fill coat # 2 : The second fill coat was applied at 1 AM. Another late night !
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We'll let it cure for a day or two before doing some fairing.
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Fill coat # 3 and 4 : Once the epoxy was fully cured, we airfiled with 80 grit sandpaper and applied the third and fourth fill
coats (7PM and 12AM). We didn't have to do any fairing as the deck panels were very fair to begin with.
(30-MAY-2011)
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One more blocking with the airfile and two more epoxy barrier coats should give us a thick enough substrate to apply urethane
primer-surfacer.
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The deck was airfiled with 80 grit sandpaper followed up with 100 grit on a longboard. Low spots were filled with fairing
compound made from West System Epoxy and 407/410 fillers.
(09-JUN-2011)
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The substrate was cleaned with Final Wipe Wax, Grease and Silicone Remover followed by
DuPont Plas-Stick 2319S Plastic Surface Cleaner Three medium coats of DuPont URO 1107S Urethane
Primer Surfacer were applied with an HVLP spray gun.
Here are some links for these products :
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We'll block and prime the substrate until we're happy with the finish !
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Low spots required very little finishing putty. Surface was prepped for second round of primer surfacer.
(14-JUN-2011)
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Before we spray several rounds of black primer-sealer to the deck and hull, we clearcoated the dash so we can tape the whole
cockpit to prevent overspray.
(16-JUN-2011)
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The dash was blocked and topcoated with three build coats of Nason SelectClear 2K Clearcoat.
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The hull was prepped and sprayed with two rounds of Sherwin-Williams SpectraSeal 2K-urethane black
primer-sealer. The semi-gloss sealer confirms hull fairness prior to paint and provides UV
protection.
Here's a link to the Product Data Sheet :
We'll be finishing up the sheer trim and cockpit coamings over the Winter.
(28-JUN-2011)
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It's going to look nice in Corvette Yellow ...
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We'll let the primer cure for a day before reassembly. Another week should do the trick ...
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