Help, I started the repairs to hatch covers

[steelheader13]

I cut the skin of the underside of the floor hatch covers (1985 CC- fish box and other floor hatches). *

I knew the wood was rotted, but was surprised at the amount of water it held. *Some of the wood was okay and certainly a biatch to get off, other wood (6"x6" squares made up these hatches) was like wet sawdust and came right off.

My question is how "clean" do I have to get this surface before re-resining and putting on my new wood and overcoating with fiberglass cloth and resin???

Here is where I am at now and this last bit of wood is a real mutha. *

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/steelheader13/th9/P1010182.jpg


Am I good here, or do I need to keep sanding, I only have a pad sander so it is slow, or a chisel.

Franco, anyone????
*

[Airslot]

I think I'd head to the local discount store, or a friend, and get a 4.5" angle grinder w/ some 36 grit discs and get down to some better material.

Airslot

[steelheader13]

I went back to it and chiseled and sanded until I was down to just fiberglass. *

Very little residue left. *Will post full pics of job soon. *

Anyone else itchy ??

[macojoe]

if it was me, I be bolting a 3/4 piece of starboard on there and be done!!

What ever you do, you ned to cut your wood and cover with resin to seal it up, then fiberglass it in.
Maybe even leave a drain hole in the corners so that water will not get traped in it again?

[steelheader13]

I am using 3/4" sandeply from the Home Depot. Very strong, but I do know that it will probably absorb water in the future. The other wood was 22 years old I think. I am going to cut the edges of the new stuff at a 45 degree angle.

I will coat it with resin, lay in place, then resin again, cover with fiberglass cloth (rough matte) reapply resin.

Might do two layers of cloth with resin between and on top of??

Do I need to clean up the entire underside of this hatch (corners and edges) or is the center area enough.

No use of grinder. Wish I did.

[shicks007]

Steel,

I would paint the underside of the hatches when you are finished, or gelcoat, this should seal the bottom from anynore water intrusion. It looks like your on the right track for a quality job.

[steelheader13]

Any adice for the edges and corners??

Do I need to get them down to glass?
Or is the surface I have exposed enough?

Will gelcoat when finished.

[rb437]

I did the same job on my gas tank cover a few years ago. I used a heavy coat of resin between the wood and the hatch (with lots of weight on it to eliminate any air). Then I coated all exposed wood with more resin. My thinking was that I could do without the thin layer of fiberglass covering the wood because the wood itself would be strong enough. So far after 4 years, it looks like I was right. The hatch is still very solid.

[steelheader13]

Thanks for the advice. I will post a thread with before-during- and after shots soon.

[Franco]

Hey Steel, I have a grinder and some discs you can use to grind it down, I'd cut the plywood into 6x6 squares and glue them all down with resin before laying on the cloth and more resin. email me if you need the grinder, leaving wed for 5 days, let me know

[steelheader13]

I rented a grinder on Sunday ($14) and made real short work of it.

I did not re-do it in small squares, but it is really coming along nicely. Look for a new post in the future detailing the repair.

Thanks for your advice and swift kick.