Re-gelcoating my deck: Project thread

[minaret]

Yep, that's how it's done right there. Sometimes a porta power is nice too. Always amazed at how often people beat hell out of the boat with prybars and sometimes even delam the glass without ever trying the heat. MAPP gas gets bronze parts off pronto!

[Suijin]

Have been making steady progress stripping the deck.

The hatches came off fairly easily, despite being bedded with 5200, using the "three stiff putty knives" technique. Find a gap, pound one knife through, then just cycle through them with a chisel at the back to keep them free. About 10 minutes per hatch:



The chain plates proved a bit more stubborn. First, there were shelves that needed to be removed to get access to all the bolts, which was irksome. Fortunately they had not been glued so it was just a matter of pulling bungs and screws, although of COURSE it was the hardest to access screw that decided it was going to just strip instead of turn. So it goes.

Herb at Valiant, who has worked there since forever and who I had called to discuss other matters, insisted that the chain plates were not fully bedded in 5200, just caulked at the top. Wasn't going to futz with them so again just pulled out the tire jack and cranked them out. They were stubborn but succumbed to my will. And Herb was not as infallible as usual:



Interestingly, the caulking, while still adhered to the deck all the way through, came off pretty easily using a curved pick to alternately break it free and lever it off the laminate. While the caulk had not failed, it was nice to see that the cutouts were already sealed and in good condition. One less thing to do!



Next up are the stanchions and bow hardware in the anchor locker, then the real challenge, which is the stern area. Every yard has it's "worm", the guy who can fit anywhere into a boat and still manage to get out, even if it's dragged by the feet. When I find him that guy is going down under my propane locker, behind the rudder post, to get the bolts off the pushpit and stern cleats, lol. I would try but at 6'1 and 200 lbs. with an injured knee I'm pretty sure I'd get stuck...

[UNCIVILIZED]

Yep, those knives with the snap off, replacable blades ROCK! And like the feedback you get on them, it's the same with me. WTF is that thing, & how's it gonna help??? It sure don't take long before everyone wants or has one.

For those hidden bolts in the shower, might the addition of an overhead hatch be more practical & useful than a deck plate? That or a low profile dorade box for a solar ventillator. Could be worth thinking on anyway.

Gotta' love ball peen hammers. Stuck s**t gets scared when I reach for one, as it knows I've gone straight past being mad, to using tools powered by intelligence (not emotion). So usually crap what's stuck just flat out gives up. Sure is nice when that happens

BTW, you can often tell one's tool IQ by how little s**t they actually break when taking things aparts. And in your case it shows. Bravo

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Every yard has it's "worm", the guy who can fit anywhere into a boat and still manage to get out, even if it's dragged by the feet.

We call that guy a "bilge rat". Have seen one get stuck good though, and certainly I've done my time...

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Yep, those knives with the snap off, replacable blades ROCK! And like the feedback you get on them, it's the same with me. WTF is that thing, & how's it gonna help??? It sure don't take long before everyone wants or has one.

Everyone at first thinks it's a box cutter. It's not. It's a 5" long flexible razor blade with a million uses. I rarely snap off the ends...I usually need to replace the whole blade by the time the tip is dull.

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

For those hidden bolts in the shower, might the addition of an overhead hatch be more practical & useful than a deck plate? That or a low profile dorade box for a solar ventillator. Could be worth thinking on anyway.

The dorade that was in the head proper is being relocated aft and the coachroof opening is going to get a Vetus vent. The shower stall is forward of that, and adding a hatch in the shower would not give access to the bolts for the handrail. There's already a deck plate there, it's just not big enough to reach where I need access to. I'm replacing the teak handrails with stainless; less maintenance, and one of the rails had a crack in it.

The dorade box is teak, and it sits nested on a moulded "plinth" on the deck. I had thought about cutting that out and reglassing the deck flush and smooth, but it spans a bulkhead and it would be an epic amount of work, so it's staying as is. It may look a tad funny but not that bad. The related issue is how to build a base for the relocated dorade box. Considering just glassing a plywood plinth onto the deck which should be pretty straightforward. Other option is to leave it off entirely, which would leave just one dorade on the deck. Wondering if that would look funny.

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

BTW, you can often tell one's tool IQ by how little s**t they actually break when taking things aparts. And in your case it shows. Bravo

Except when it comes to slotted screwdrivers. They should come imprinted with "Use me, abuse me, have your way with me!" on them.

My tool IQ was tested yesterday removing the big foredeck hatch frame. Old Lewmar Superhatch, with the hinges bolted through the deck with 4", 1/4" slotted bolts. On the underside, the backing plates were on a slopped flange, so tightening down the nuts had bent the bolts about 30 degrees. Nuts came off but could not turn the bolts with an impact driver or anything else, between the bend and the 5200. Had to cut them flush to the plates and pound up and out with a drift. PITA.

So Thursday morning I decided to replace my cracking aluminum traveller bridge
with a new stainless one. The original could have been repaired and repainted but with it off and the great quote that Dan the fabricator threw at me for one in stainless I opted for that route.



I walk into the shop Friday morning and BANG, all the parts are made and almost ready to tack together fitted on the boat. Holy cow. No wonder the quote was reasonable, I think he had the materials laying around, lol.

Dan does the most beautiful stainless work I've seen with gorgeous, seamless welds:



Yeah, it's going to take more work to keep pretty than the old painted one, but what the heck.

[UNCIVILIZED]

SWEET stainless work. Marry him!
We can fab' you a gorgeous new bridge to go with the stainless ends, out of the wood(s) of your choice, & carbon fiber. Custom colored titanium, & stainless bits are extra. $ for MAPP gas, to make the straw colors in the metal.

Friends did one for my Dad's Cal 29 that had the marina guy speechless. Guess they'd not seen what happens when America's Cup fabricators get bored, & have access to a full shop, gratis. Dad was afraid to mount it, though it was too pretty, & that the rain might "hurt" it.

[Suijin]

Almost done with getting the hardware off. The stanchions have proven the most troublesome because of accessing the nuts underneath...cover panels that cannot be fully removed due to cabinetry trim that I'm unwilling to remove, but have managed to get at all of them non-destructively with some finagling.

Soon will get to grinding off the non-skid, then crack repairs and final prep sanding and cleaning. I will to leave potting all the holes and countersinking until after the new gel is down.

Looking forward, I'm on the fence about Griptex vs. kiwi grip. Need to go review some threads on that here.

[Suijin]

Almost have the deck stripped. Almost. Just the genoa tracks.

Out of curiosity took a moisture meter to the deck today. I was pretty sure that the whole deck was dry, although there was one area that I was concerned with, one of the feet of one of the dorade guards. Screws came out too easily, over drilled the holes to get a pick in there and yep, it was wet.

Moisture meter helped define the area:



Dotted line, about 6" in diameter, defines "low red" which in my experience using this type of meter means "wet but not rotten". Center of the area was high red, i.e. a soaking mess. So the burning question is, is this worth cutting open and fixing? It's just forward of the companionway hatch "turtle shell", on the coach roof. Is there another approach to fixing it than cutting it open? Cutting it out and replacing the core is pretty straightforward, i's the layup and fairing that are time consuming. However, since the old gelcoat nonskid is getting sanded off, now is the time to do it.

DaBond is now my best friend. I've discovered the secret to this stuff is to break the 5200 seal under something, somewhere, with a putty knife, squirt it with the stuff, and cover it with plastic kitchen wrap. Let it marinate for a day or two, and voila.

This collar around the partners presented what I thought would be a real challenge. Could only get the knife under it at one spot without tearing up the deck. Used the above treatment, and when I got back to it in two days and started to drive the knife under it at one end the whole thing just popped off. It's all about the fumes!

Picture is after some quick clean up; most of the 5200 came off on the collar, and it was edge to edge and fully covering the bottom face.



The pedestal was a bear too but finally gave it up. I was incredibly relieved to find no corrosion on the base at all. Yacht Specialties pedestals are notorious for corrosion in the control lever collar, and at the base. You can't get parts for these at all, so if the base goes you have to cut it off and have a new one fabricated. Mine is mounted with aluminum bolts and I suspect that is why it's in fine shape. It was repainted at some point and it's just about to start failing so it will get a new dress coat.



However, the pedestal top plate with the ears that hold the helm guard is toast. Peeling paint and bad corrosion, so it's going in the trash. Since the old helm guard looks like swiss cheese from so many holes being drilled in it for changes of electronics, and I'm changing out the electronics at the helm my self, just going to get a new bar and stainless top plate from Navpod, and go with the 1.25" bar. But I'll have to get new SnapIt cupholders.

[alctel]

I think I have to do my deck this year .

Interested in what you do about those wet spots

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Almost have the deck stripped. Almost. Just the genoa tracks.

Out of curiosity took a moisture meter to the deck today. I was pretty sure that the whole deck was dry, although there was one area that I was concerned with, one of the feet of one of the dorade guards. Screws came out too easily, over drilled the holes to get a pick in there and yep, it was wet.

Moisture meter helped define the area:



Dotted line, about 6" in diameter, defines "low red" which in my experience using this type of meter means "wet but not rotten". Center of the area was high red, i.e. a soaking mess. So the burning question is, is this worth cutting open and fixing? It's just forward of the companionway hatch "turtle shell", on the coach roof. Is there another approach to fixing it than cutting it open? Cutting it out and replacing the core is pretty straightforward, i's the layup and fairing that are time consuming. However, since the old gelcoat nonskid is getting sanded off, now is the time to do it.

Anyone have a comment on the above and my options? I don't want to open up the deck for a small wet spot if either it will eventually dry out on its own (moisture eventually absorbed/dissapated into surrounding wood) or there are other less invasive options for remediation. Could use some feedback from those who are the familiar with the longer term implications of small spots like this.

[Fiveslide]

If you repair that small bit of wet core now, it definitely will not turn into a larger problem later. It will be easier to do it now since you're refinishing the entire deck, you won't have the trouble of matching and blending gel coat later on a repaired portion.

You're doing a nice job, I'd hate to see a thread about cutting it up in the future.

[minaret]

I see 4" hole saw through the top skin, decore and recore, stick the original top skin back down, grind and glass a 5" circle, and bob's yer uncle.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by minaret

I see 4" hole saw through the top skin, decore and recore, stick the original top skin back down, grind and glass a 5" circle, and bob's yer uncle.

That's the direction I was headed but concerned about getting the top skin back down without air underneath. But I guess a bit of air is better than rotten wood lol.

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Heat AND pressure is the best in my experience. If you can easily rig a jig with heavy clamps and turn the screws as you heat, really helps when trying to protect parts.

The da bond is doing diddly on the dodger feet. Can't get to the middle.

**pulls out the torch**

Desireable results were obtained in the past when using a heat gun on the putty knife first. Good luck with your project.

[De.windhoos]

Originally Posted by Suijin

That's the direction I was headed but concerned about getting the top skin back down without air underneath. But I guess a bit of air is better than rotten wood lol.

Spread thickened epoxy (peanut butter) on the core before putting the skin back. At least that's what I would do.