The transom repair saga update
 

Finished layering on cloth and epoxy. I had to use a bit of fill to
get the right level where the outdrive sits against it. Did that part
way through and then added more cloth over it. Several thin strips
along the bottom as well to thicken that corner. In this shot I've
sanded it and gotten it ready to try to get some gelcoat on it. To
control the level around the opening I have stapled a small piece of
scrap board at the bottom of the opening. If you look carefully there
is also a couple small screws below that. The heads of the screws are
1/8" above the surface.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jamesgangnc/gelcoat1.jpg

In this shot I have smeared some gelcoat on and covered it with my
"mold". The bottom edge is stapled to a board and you can see I have
a piece of wood holding that against the edge. The clamp holds it
down at the level I set with the scrap board and the screws.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jamesgangnc/gelcoat2.jpg

Results were a little disappointing. I'm definitely going to have to
do a fair bit more filling in. I expected some wrinkles because of
the wax paper but it looks like I did not have enough gelcoat in the
middle of each side. At least from this point I've established a half
way decent bottom edge and enough of a surface level to work the low
spots up to. The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jamesgangnc/gelcoat3.jpg

The transom repair saga update
 

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:53:03 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Results were a little disappointing. I'm definitely going to have to
do a fair bit more filling in. I expected some wrinkles because of
the wax paper but it looks like I did not have enough gelcoat in the
middle of each side. At least from this point I've established a half
way decent bottom edge and enough of a surface level to work the low
spots up to. The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jamesgangnc/gelcoat3.jpg

Ah - the dreaded "slump".

Out of curiosity, did you temperature match the epoxy and the catalyst
for set time before you put it on? Seems like I've seen that happen
before - the gel coat wasn't allowed to set up properly before
application.

That could cause you problems in the future if you didn't - not that
you didn't, I'm just asking. Be sure to rough up the underlayer
before you add more - light with 200 grit wet/dry before the skim coat
will do it I would think.

Looks like a great job though - nicely done over all.

Who cares about the minor whoopsies. :)

--

Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Never drink & derive.

The transom repair saga update
 

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:53:03 -0800 (PST), wrote:

The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

You could rough it up and fill with low density fairing compound,
even bondo if you store out of the water. Sand it flat, apply gel
coat and it should look great. Gel coat is brittle and it will crack
if you get it too thick using as a filler.

The transom repair saga update
 

Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:53:03 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Results were a little disappointing. I'm definitely going to have to
do a fair bit more filling in. I expected some wrinkles because of
the wax paper but it looks like I did not have enough gelcoat in the
middle of each side. At least from this point I've established a half
way decent bottom edge and enough of a surface level to work the low
spots up to. The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jamesgangnc/gelcoat3.jpg

Ah - the dreaded "slump".

Out of curiosity, did you temperature match the epoxy and the catalyst
for set time before you put it on? Seems like I've seen that happen
before - the gel coat wasn't allowed to set up properly before
application.

That could cause you problems in the future if you didn't - not that
you didn't, I'm just asking. Be sure to rough up the underlayer
before you add more - light with 200 grit wet/dry before the skim coat
will do it I would think.

Looks like a great job though - nicely done over all.

Who cares about the minor whoopsies. :)

--

Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Never drink & derive.

If you turn the boat on end with the pointed end facing down, you will
have a nice level area to apply the gelcoat and it won't have any
"slump" at all. ;)

--

Looking to for a good time?

click here to make yourself feel good.

http://tinyurl.com/d3vxvm

The transom repair saga update
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:53:03 -0800 (PST), wrote:

The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

You could rough it up and fill with low density fairing compound,
even bondo if you store out of the water. Sand it flat, apply gel
coat and it should look great. Gel coat is brittle and it will crack
if you get it too thick using as a filler.


Remember to turn the boat so the pointy end is facing towards the earth.

--

Looking to for a good time?

click here to make yourself feel good.

http://tinyurl.com/d3vxvm

The transom repair saga update
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:53:03 -0800 (PST), wrote:

The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

You could rough it up and fill with low density fairing compound,
even bondo if you store out of the water. Sand it flat, apply gel
coat and it should look great. Gel coat is brittle and it will crack
if you get it too thick using as a filler.


I think it's still pretty thin in the problem spots so I'm going to add some
more gelcoat. I want to carry it up a bit further as well. Like wallboard
mud, half of it will probably end us as dust on the floor, yukyuk.

The transom repair saga update
 

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 19:11:34 -0500, "jamesgangnc"
wrote:

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:53:03 -0800 (PST), wrote:

The area where I had the screws to set the level did
come out well and that's the most important point since the outdrive
will sit on that. Next I'll mix up some more gelcoat and trowel it
into the low spots.

You could rough it up and fill with low density fairing compound,
even bondo if you store out of the water. Sand it flat, apply gel
coat and it should look great. Gel coat is brittle and it will crack
if you get it too thick using as a filler.

I think it's still pretty thin in the problem spots so I'm going to add some
more gelcoat. I want to carry it up a bit further as well. Like wallboard
mud, half of it will probably end us as dust on the floor, yukyuk.

Heh...

I know it's kind of too late for this, but did you consider just using
skim coats to build up the area first - like with mud (as in Bondo)?

I've seen it done on boat damage at my dealer's glass shop - it's time
consuming, but you can't argue with the results.

--

"I intend to live forever. So far, so good."

Steven Wright