Stress cracks and filling holes

Yamtt125 · #1 01-20-2006, 07:43 PM

I'm in the process of filling in all of the old screw holes on my 20'. How do i get rid of the cracks around some of the wholes, and what should I do about the hole in which the glass rises up around the edges. There are also many chips around the fish box. Here are some pics to help. Any advise will be very helpfull. Thanks
-andrew

TUGBOAT · #2 01-23-2006, 10:39 AM

DRILL ! Yamtt , Drill small holes at the end of each Crack,scribe the cracks V shape.Fill. The bigger holes You just counter sink,Some You may have to drill the holes one size bigger to get Good Wood.Fill.Also when You drill a new hole for Anything Counter sink the hole ! That way When You put the screw in It will not raise/break the upper level of glass & make new Stress cracks.
Scream'n Reels' [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

FELLOW-SHIP · #3 01-23-2006, 11:54 AM

Boy of Boy your stress cracks are giving me Stress. My question is there any lamination left between the upper layer of glass where those stress cracks are and the bottom fiberglass layer??? If these are laminated sections of your boat then just cosmetic repairing of stress cracks Just Would Not Cut It. You would have to re core the middle layer first and then deal with the outer wall of the boat. Maybe some one that knows these arrears on the 20’ better than me could comment if this is just glass or is there balsa or plywood lamination in there as well.

FellowShip

My motto: Just for the grins [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Yamtt125 · #4 01-27-2006, 04:11 PM

Fellow:
There is lamination left in the holes on the console, but i'm not sure about the holes that were drilled for the rub rail....some of them are pretty bad. I'm also thinking about adding something to the top of the console so i can flush mount the electronics. If I did this, i would also put another layer or two of new glass all around the console...especially the bottom because that area is weaker. Do I still need to fill the wholes, and fix the cracks if i plan to glass the whole thing again?
-Andrew

FELLOW-SHIP · #5 01-27-2006, 05:00 PM

Ha Yamtt;

As far as the center consol any lamination in that should be plywood and my guess not seeing your boat that should be all right. I had several holes in my center consol that held gages for a twin configuration. When I did my boat I set it up for a single so a lot of big holes needed to be filled in with material before using glass. I cut holes out of plywood and seated them in the big holes with epoxy and then build up to a even and smooth level with the remaining gel coat. I then painted the entire CC. As for the cap with the rub rail removed. I removed my cap from the hull and re did the lamination of the flat area that you might stand on and mount rod holders by flipping it over removing the balsa core and replaced used plywood. As for the screw holes that hold the cap, hull, and rub rail together if they are to big now would be a great time to repair them so when you re screw everything together it will not work the old screws out. On screw holes that don’t show much damage you probably would not have to do anything with them IF the rub rail will hide all the imperfections but it they have spider cracks I would hone them out to look like a snow cone and then fill in with epoxy. If the lamination on the top of the cap is soft you will need to replace it best way is like I did by removing cap form the boat and flip it over and work it from the inside our. If it is not to bad then you probably could just fill in from the top with our removing the cap. Go buy or go one line and get the booklets from “the west system” and use them for your guide I read them things several times before I started by project.

FellowShip

_______________________________________________

My motto: Just for the Grins [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Yamtt125 · #6 01-30-2006, 12:36 PM

FELLOW...
How easily did you remove the cap when after the rivets were taken out?....also how heavy was it?

TUGBOAT · #7 01-30-2006, 11:25 PM

Yep, Thats what I did,Removed the cap, filled all the screw holes,even layed an extra layer of glass on the inside of the gunnel so the New screws would have a Bite.The 20'MA has a Plywood "center" The cap is not all that heavy , But I used an over head rail/pulley . 4-Guys should be able to lift when ALL the screws , rivets ,bolts are out!(Important) [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Finster · #8 01-30-2006, 11:34 PM

Yeah, I've had the cap off on a 23 with three guys, four would be better. It's a very easy job.
The nice thing too about taking it off is you can easily recore soft spots, fix misplaced rod-holders, and any other retarded gobble d gook that been acquired over the years, from the back side.

Trayder · #9 01-30-2006, 11:46 PM

Yamtt125-

I am pretty sure you have a 20 sportfish, like mine, and there really is not a deck cap like the 23 or the 20 Master Angler.

You would have to remove the inner liner to get underneath the deck cap and the deck as they are one piece.

Still possible but a bit more of an undertaking moreso depending on how well it is afixed to the stringers.

Yamtt125 · #10 01-31-2006, 12:37 AM

I thought u guys meant the whole liner....i might remove the whole liner so i could fix the holes easier, and easily put the tank under the deck...on my 71, the tank was put under the console and its not as big as i'd like it. It wouls also create alot more storage room under the console.
-andrew