Black Cloud Away?

[RidgeRunner]

No camera today. But I phone..
I hear you Phat. Although my experience with epoxy is limited I like the stuff and would use it when practical. This is a rolled gunnel boat with a splatter type gel coat finish on the topside. This transom is made of 3/4" plywood and they let the deck to hull seam as a but joint with minimal overlap. Consequently, it cracked at the seam. Looked like a very likely source for water intrusion to me, I was happy to be wrong again. LOL!
I need to be able to go back with gel coat. I have heard that amine blush can prevent gelcoat from working with the epoxy, again no real experience trying it personally, and I nearly stroked out buying materials as it is... I have not decided if I intend to match the gel or contrast with a tape line. Decisions, decisions.
The correct way to make the seam was to radius the trailing edge of the transom and wrap the fiberglass over the top of the plywood and down the transom a couple of inches. Fair it out and gel to suit. Builder was scared of the Gulfstream color gel on the hullside and did not want to have to buy more of it, or risk messing up his nice gelcoat job, can't blame him there. My way anyhow, might not be as pretty, but this ain't a pretty boat. For 18 years old this one is doing better than most..
I started glassing at 3:30 yesterday and finished about 7:00. Went with 2 layers of 6 oz tape, and a sacrificial layer of CSM for grinding and fairing on the outside sections. The inside got 4 layers of 6 oz in the corners and some 24 oz woven roven again with CSM as a sacrificial outer layer.

Glassing in temperatures from 96 right before the rains down to 75 as the rains moved through. Humidity 100%. The chart has a few cc's difference in hardener schedule in so many degrees difference. But I am so happy to report that it came out fine. Hardened like it should have with only about $100 worth of material wasted on the first try.

The cloud is moving off gentlemen.. About time too.. Hope it don't find you.

[phatdaddy]

glad it worked out, yea, the downside of epoxy is you have to paint to cover it. & the cost.

have you ever been to fiberglass technologies ( i think) over in the st pete, largo, clearwater area? i used to order stuff from them. decent prices, but very helpful with info & tips. i also used to use Maas epoxies and they had a helpline that was very good. i was doing small $50 - $100 projects and they would talk to me like i was building the ark.

[spareparts]

I had a repair similar to that on my proline, I taped off a 2 inch wide section all teh way around the transom cut out and rolled gel on that area, I left it in its textured finish. It looked pretty good when I was done and I didn't have to worry about matching the gel perfectly

[RidgeRunner]

I like that idea Spare. The topside is light gray. I could just go darker, say charcoal, like the stripes in the boat seats.

I have not had the heart to call Mini-Craft today. Does it really matter anyways?? I am over it, problem solved and I know I will need gel from them so thats when I shall play the card - discount baby..

[spoggy]

I've had one of those little black clouds chained to my ankle for the last 5 years... I feel like Joe Btfsplk from Lil' Abner. If you find out how to ditch it, will you let me know?