Cap is off

After discovering bubbles in the gelcoat on the bottom I almost gave up on her. I have Patriot Yacht Services coming by to look at the bubbles. Hopefully with his advice it wont be a nightmare. I looked at several V20 center consoles today. All had rotten floors and busted hatch lids. Sellers wanted $1000-$1500 just for the boat alone. All had some stringer rot. One was so bad I offered him $300 and he pretty much told me to leave. So back on my V20. I got her flipped over and back in the garage. At least it will be easier now to work on the bottom. I am going to paint it while its flipped. Interlux VC epoxy, over an eppxy barrier coat. This V keeps getting closer and closer to a death sentance but somehow everytime she wins me back over. Gonna be a brand new boat when I am finished.
 
To fix I would think its not that bad?? You will have to grind all the bubbles then re gel-coat it. But after all you have done and learned I think you can do it!!

Good Luck
 
That performance vc is a great product, painted about 4 coats with 30 minutes between coats and sanded down to my desired finish. Used a2000 for a primer because I had exposed fibers from my hull being in such bad shape. I sprayed a nice thick coat, sprayed with black spray paint, sanded with and orbital sander with 120 grit and then block sanded the low spots until all the black paint was gone. Repeated that process 4 times to get a great fair finish. Probably not necessary to do that many coats below the waterline but if you paint above the waterline with a gloss finish completely necessary.
 
Good info Tartuffe! What Patriot discussed with me for repair is to open EVERY BUBBLE (>1000), sand with 120, give it a good wipe down, then fill with thickened epoxy, fair with 3m underwater epoxy filler, then paint.
 

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Kracker, I am purchasing epoxy resin from US Composites to do the stringers, transom closure, and bracket. I will either use Interprotect 2000E or coat the entire bottom with epoxy for a barrier coat. I should be able to add fillers in to the US Composites epoxy for fairing. Heck even all the paint will be epoxy, Interlux Perfection and VC epoxy. I just hope my wallet can support all this.
 
Looks like just a bad case of gelcoat blisters. Personally I would sand with something a little more aggressive like 80 grit, wipe down, spray several coats of a2000 (4 or 5 coats) since you don't need to sand between coats the more the better and skip the part where you fill with thickened epoxy. I found that thickened epoxy and even epoxy resin with fillers can leave itty-bitty pinholes that are a real pain to fill.

That A2000 is some REALLY thick stuff that will need to be thinned 25% just to begin to get it through a gun with a 1.8 tip and forget the internal filter screen. The nice thing is that is puts down a thick coat to fair that adds a second layer of protection under your performance VC
 
One thing I would research if I do it again is vinylester. I never dreamed I would have gone through 21 gallons on epoxy on this project. I would still use epoxy on some items but my larger layups like the stringers that soaked up gallons in one layup probably could have been done with vinylester at a huge savings.

I overbuilt as well so you can probably get through with half as much. I'm 11 months into this project and almost ready to put the cap back on.
 
tartuffe said:
One thing I would research if I do it again is vinylester. I never dreamed I would have gone through 21 gallons on epoxy on this project. I would still use epoxy on some items but my larger layups like the stringers that soaked up gallons in one layup probably could have been done with vinylester at a huge savings.

I overbuilt as well so you can probably get through with half as much. I'm 11 months into this project and almost ready to put the cap back on.
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Which was my point exactly. Vinlyester is a great product to use. I used oily because I was on a serious budget. Buy vinyl is great for what your doing.
 
I will definately look into it. What resin is good for building a leaning post, livewell, tackle center. And a pilot house center console? Nothing will be mold built its all going to be glass covered Marine ply. I am shooting for an Everglades type console.
 
jasoncooperpcola said:
I will definately look into it. What resin is good for building a leaning post, livewell, tackle center. And a pilot house center console? Nothing will be mold built its all going to be glass covered Marine ply. I am shooting for an Everglades type console.
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And this is when the the long drawn battle begins between Poly,vinyl and epoxy. They all have there ups and downs. Polyester is at the bottom of the list it just doesn't have the ahesion the other 2 have but its cheap!!! Then you have vinylester which has good adhesion but is a little more expensive than poly. I wish now i would have spent the extra money and went with vinyl. Then you have epoxy which of course is the best but is ridiculously expensive!!!!
 
Something that can be completely glassed in one session and then bolted or screwed to the boat is a good candidate for vinylester; pilot house, tackle station

You can start a project with epoxy and come back within 24 hours without having to sand and you will still get a chemical bond. Vinylester requires sanding to get a good bond. Basically if sanding is easy than vinylester but if its an area where strength is critical (bracket) epoxy. Not that vinylester won't work but epoxy is much more forgiving of applicator error.

Real good example is if I was replacing my transom from the inside again I would try vinylester on my next go around but if I had to replace it from the outside as in cut the skin off then I would use epoxy.
 
Got to do a little sanding on the bottom paint today. It is much easier on a flipped hull. Got about half of the port(?) side done. The entire keel is still covered with bottom paint. And it is the worst. My plan to tackle the keel is 40 grit paper and a big fan. This paint is 3/16" thick in spots. I have been chiseling off the thickest and sanding. I just wonder how much weight I am removing. Not to mention all the gel coat damage I have uncovered.
 
So far the wood chisel is the best tool for removing this paint. Takes quite a bit of elbow grease but its coming off! Working the keel now. Got the bulk off both sides and just have around the strakes left.
 
Question. My cap has a section by the helm on each side where it steps out about three inches and is about thirty inches tall and about thirty six inches long. Is this to allow clearance for the curve in the hull? I want to remove it.
 
jasoncooperpcola said:
V20 got wet today! I have a massive leak in the roof.
I have not touched it since I bought my kayak. And also mud riding.
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I just reread this entire thread..what an amazing journey...Jason yer gonna have a helluva boat when ya get done...the gel blisters you found are exactly like I found on my '84...had a feelin the guy comin out to look would be high...the pilot FRONT on the center console looks like a way to go to me...protection w/out excessive weight..and whatever ya wanna enclose after that, can be done w/canvas & eisenglass(removable)...goin' way back in the thread; swooping the bracket up and putting the tabs on the stern of the boat seems to me the best solution...I expect lots of thought since those thoughts were posted...I keep thinkin about twins on a V20 and cannot add it up...Spareparts pointed out never expect ONE of a pair of twins to plane the boat up in case the other has failed...if it does, it's PROPPED IMPROPERLY...this made sense after he explained twins are propped to work as twins...JMHO, but a big HP single w/a 15-25 HP kicker w/steering link to main engine for get-home if ever needed...I also think the get-home motor should have its own fuel supply in case the main fuel supply is disabled or contaminated...

One other thing...age old difference of opinion; you mentioned buying Marine grade ply...I think you can save yourself some moiney and buy regular plywood for coring...the whole idea is to isolate (seal off) what ever core material whether wood or foam from getting wet at all...if all your glass work is done right, you really shouldn't need Marine Grade...

Keep the great pix comin'!!
 
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Thanks Reel! I know what I want her to be. Its just having the time and money to do it. Working two jobs and going to school does not leave alot of time. I have been fishing at night. I am about to lose my ATV due to my bank being crooks. So I will work on the boat while saving cash for another quad.

I am still undecided on my outboard situation. More than likely the V20 will become a mothership for kayaks in bluewater fishing. I watched a guy at school work on a Reef Runner. What an idiot. His foam was wet so he tore the floor out and all the foam. He then decided computer packaging foam was ok to use. I wont even go into all the details. He would not listen to any advice. I do not want my build to be like that!
 
Here's another pretty cool idea for a console design.

ForumRunner_20130716_175703.jpg
 
Well my buddy needed to borrow my boat trailer. So the 18 Fish has been sitting on it. Got it unloaded and was checking tire pressure and the right front tire moved a bit when I put the air chuck on it. Pulled the cap and nut and the bearing fell onto the ground in pieces. Checked the others and all the seals are eat up by rusted spindles. So I need 2 axles, 4 hubs, 4 springs, and a couple new cross members because they are rusted out. Also need a new tonque .
 
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