Here We Go Again

[strick]

Still slow going. I took the old transom core and used it for a template to make the new transom.



It will consist of 2-3/4 inch pieces or marine ply. I'm using vinyl ester on this project mostly because the price of epoxy has increased dramatically since doing my last project. I Put down a layer of 1708 on the inside of the cleaned out transom and let it get tacky. Next I moved over to the the new core and put a layer of 1708 on one of the two transom cores. I smeared a good ammount of vinylester mixed with milled glass fibers and cabosil over the surface and layed the other 3/4 inch core on top of the first.



This should provide a good bond between the two. I put a some 1- 1/2 inch screws in the core to get it to suck together.





I had to cut a bevel in the new core to get it to sit in as close to the edge of the corners of the transom as possible.



Here it is ready to be installed.



The 1708 that I layed on the inside skin of the transom was still tacky which is what I wanted so I then smeared a good amount of vinylester/cabosil/milled fibers paste over that
and I also made a bed of this paste around the sides and bottom of the transom for the new core to sit into.



To get the new core to bind tightly with the outer skin I used 2x4's and long carriage bolts to suck it all together. The plastic sandwich wrap will prevent the 2x4 from sticking
to the sealed core.




Here is my sandwich job. It's nice and straight. I'll let it set up and cure before I finish the inside of the transom.



Next I cut some foam to extend the stringers back



It was kind of a pain getting them to fit right . I had to do a lot of cutting and rasping. But they fit OK. Nothing fancy here. They will get cabosiled in place and glassed over.



Thats it for now.

strick

[71kidcasper]

Strick, You are doing a fantastic job. I'm sure that this project will turn our great. I wish I lived on the left coast so I could get a birds eye view. Do all the 69's drain the deck as yours does? I didn't know they used that configuration on the floor drains. All the ones that I have seen go through the deck not into the aft seats.

[NoDoze]

My 69' Seafari had the same drain config.
Strick, I was wondering what you used to seperate the top cap from the hull sides? I beleive you mentioned it was glassed to the hull, like mine is? I thought just running a cut-off wheel shallow along the inside corner might do it.
Also, I noticed you've left the boat on the trailer. Ive read several times that the hull might go floppy, or may not be square on the trailer after removing the cap, and its given me pause before I take that step. Any issues in that regard?

[strick]

Leverette- Fiberglass work can be a complicated or as simple as you want to make it. I like to keep it simple so I use three kinds of fiberglass material.

1. 1808 gets used with epoxy because it is stitched together instead of glued together so the thick epoxy penetrates the material better. You can still use 1708 with epoxy it just wont wet as easier.

2. 1708. I'm using all 1708 on this project because I'm using vinyl ester and it wets the 1708 easily.

3.3/4 ounce mat for finish work or as a first layer over a mold.
The 1708 or 1808 is used for structural work to give strength.

cabosil is some very nasty lightweight airborn material made out of silica. It is mixed with your resin to make a paste for adhearing two parts together. You must use a mask when mixing it.

71kidcasper- I think only the mosley boats had that drain configuration.

NoDoze- There were two places on my boat were the top cap/liner insert was glassed to the hull. Under the anchor locker in the bow and at the transom. I used a combination of the saw saw and the die grinder to get thru it. The hull should maintain it's shape as long as the stringers are intact. Trailer or not.

strick

[yachtjim]

Strick, I have always been told you need to use epoxy when bonding to existing fiberglass structures, like bonding your new transom to the existing transom skin. Since this is all I have ever known I have never tried using vinylester for repir jobs, only for new parts. What do you know about this? Have you used vinylester for repairs before?

[strick]

I used to think the same way but apparently we were wrong. It's true that the epoxy gives a stronger bond but the vinylester is pleanty strong. The problem comes in when you try to use epoxy on part of the project and then vinylester on another...you have to be careful not to vinylester over an area that you already epoxied...I did not want to have to worry about that. I think it's best to stay with one type of resin on a project. This is my first time using vinylester. I've always used epoxy. Other then the fumes I like working with it as it wet's out the material well. Theres also the cost of the two... my supplier wants $450 for a 7 gallon kit of epoxy versus $160 for a 5 gallon kit of vinylester. Thats $64/gallon of epoxy versus $32/gallon for vinylester. Thats probably the reason as to why you see all the Pro repair shops using vinylester. So I guess well see how the vinlyester works on this project. Your boat came out cherry BTW nice job

strick

[71kidcasper]

I realize that you are already well into your project, but you can get a 6.6 gallon kit of epoxy from US Composites for $209.00 plus shipping. I just recieved that exact kit on thursday shipping weight was 66 pounds.

Your project is turning out great. I need to figure out how to post pictures so I can show mine as well.