Favorite Epoxy/Resin Fillet Fairing gel coat combo

[fallguy]

If the rotten area is small, I'd be inclined to put the door back on and let it dry out for a month. Isn't the box covering the door? Or is the old access panel the new door?

 

[Munson]

Fairing Question, I am using west system fairing.The video on YouTube says after sanding, Apply several layers of epoxy. The tube of 407 says sand and place a barrier coat.Are they one in the same? Or can I skip to primer? Thanks

 

[Munson]

If the rotten area is small, I'd be inclined to put the door back on and let it dry out for a month. Isn't the box covering the door? Or is the old access panel the new door?

It was the bottom of the old access panel I removed

 

[missinginaction]

Fairing Question,I am using west system fairing.The video on YouTube says after sanding,Apply several layers of epoxy.The tube of 407 says sand and place a barrier coat.Are they one in the same?Or can I skip to primer?Thanks

The idea Munson is to insure that the plywood you're using is completely sealed. You need a thickness of resin to achieve a waterproof coating. If you put down a couple of coats of resin before you laid down the fiberglass cloth and then filled the weave with 2 or 3 additional coats I'd say you're ready to paint. Don't skimp on the resin. You want to do this once and be done with it.

 

[Munson]

No.

Rotten wood in an access panel really must be removed. Take a few snapshots and we'll see if we can help. If it has a gasket and such, there may be some way to remove only the rotten core and repair it. Git rot is not really the answer.

Git rot is something you can use on a small piece of wood that is problematic to remove, is dry, and gets painted or sealed. I have used it or cpes in the past on dry rot of a small portion of ply hull with a gunwhale above where the only alternative was to remove the plies of the hull under the gunwhale and replace with thickened resin, etc. But the repair area was literally like 1/2 sqin and dry.It is not meant for a rotten door core. And, your core is likely wet. GitRot won't displace the water. And the rot will continue.

16 years ago I used git rot on my transom

The idea Munson is to insure that the plywood you're using is completely sealed. You need a thickness of resin to achieve a waterproof coating. If you put down a couple of coats of resin before you laid down the fiberglass cloth and then filled the weave with 2 or 3 additional coats I'd say you're ready to paint. Don't skimp on the resin. You want to do this once and be done with it.

The idea Munson is to insure that the plywood you're using is completely sealed. You need a thickness of resin to achieve a waterproof coating. If you put down a couple of coats of resin before you laid down the fiberglass cloth and then filled the weave with 2 or 3 additional coats I'd say you're ready to paint. Don't skimp on the resin. You want to do this once and be done with it.

I laid down a few coats before glass...But I sanded it smooth and noticed it did not Penetrate too deep(okoume African wood)unless it was the cool temps that prevented it from penetrating.I guess I’ll sand and epoxy again then sand before primer.This feels like a long road trip to a destination you have not traveled before.The first time feels like forever to the destination and the return trip feels like 1/2 the time.Thanks again

 

[missinginaction]

16 years ago I used git rot on my transom


I laid down a few coats before glass...But I sanded it smooth and noticed it did not Penetrate too deep(okoume African wood)unless it was the cool temps that prevented it from penetrating.I guess I’ll sand and epoxy again then sand before primer.This feels like a long road trip to a destination you have not traveled before.The first time feels like forever to the destination and the return trip feels like 1/2 the time.Thanks again

Don't worry about the penetration. Epoxy doesn't have to soak in much. West is rather thick compared to System Three General Purpose or MAS Low Viscosity but you'll be fine with it. The film thickness is what's giving you the water resistance. The reason for the paint is that epoxy is not UV resistant. Unprotected, it will break down in a year or two in the tropics. It might hold up longer up here in New York. Never the less it needs paint.

 

[Munson]

Don't worry about the penetration. Epoxy doesn't have to soak in much. West is rather thick compared to System Three General Purpose or MAS Low Viscosity but you'll be fine with it. The film thickness is what's giving you the water resistance. The reason for the paint is that epoxy is not UV resistant. Unprotected, it will break down in a year or two in the tropics. It might hold up longer up here in New York. Never the less it needs paint.

I guess the 407 has micro balloons and these balloons absorb moisture?that is why they suggest the epoxy?If I would have known this I would have left my epoxy out in the cold weather and laid it on thick, then sanded the epoxy smooth like I did the 1st round.I remember when I was building fishing poles the epoxy would run if it was warmed up first and would gel when colder.I was going to try and pull a fast one and skip it but it’s not worth it.The fairing clogged up my sandpaper every 4 minutes like clockwork

 

[missinginaction]

Micro balloons are just hollow glass spheres that serve as a fairing material that makes sanding easier. They wouldn't absorb moisture as they are mixed with the epoxy. I can see that you want to be done with this. Understandable. Just keep following the manufacturers directions. Patience is the word. You need to give the resins and paints time to cure.

 

[Munson]

Micro balloons are just hollow glass spheres that serve as a fairing material that makes sanding easier. They wouldn't absorb moisture as they are mixed with the epoxy. I can see that you want to be done with this. Understandable. Just keep following the manufacturers directions. Patience is the word. You need to give the resins and paints time to cure.

Thank You, you always pull me back to patience.I started a coat of resin.I read on another thread that microballoons retain water.I respect your knowledge,I will put down a few neat coats before the primer.And again Thank you!

 

[missinginaction]

You'll be OK Munson.

 

[Munson]

I have primed/then sanded...it went well till I laid down the paint(roll and tip)I had numerous debris embedded in the paint.I think this is where I let Mother Nature wear down the imperfections over the years.

 

[Munson]

I have primed/then sanded...it went well till I laid down the paint(roll and tip)I had numerous debris embedded in the paint.I think this is where I let Mother Nature wear down the imperfections over the years.

My Gel coat surrounding the box is dull so time will make both the box and gel coat look as one.

 

[Munson]

No.

Rotten wood in an access panel really must be removed. Take a few snapshots and we'll see if we can help. If it has a gasket and such, there may be some way to remove only the rotten core and repair it. Git rot is not really the answer.

Git rot is something you can use on a small piece of wood that is problematic to remove, is dry, and gets painted or sealed. I have used it or cpes in the past on dry rot of a small portion of ply hull with a gunwhale above where the only alternative was to remove the plies of the hull under the gunwhale and replace with thickened resin, etc. But the repair area was literally like 1/2 sqin and dry.It is not meant for a rotten door core. And, your core is likely wet. GitRot won't displace the water. And the rot will continue.

 

[Munson]

It looks like the wood delaminated from the glass and the wood is dry rot.The new box is to be mounted to the side walls of the opening , that will compress the wood to the glass.Can I just seal the exposed wood with epoxy?

 

[missinginaction]

The photo you have there shows the end grain. How far back into the original opening does that rotted wood extend? If it's just a support for the opening that only extends a few inches back, remove it. You could replace it with ply (all sealed up - three coats of resin and bedded where the screws penetrate). You might also consider replacing it with a thin piece of aluminum bar stock which will never rot. If it goes way back and is essentially part of the boat I'd still remove the portion of the rotted ply that is within an inch or two of the box opening. You can then install a new piece of wood or aluminum. If you use wood you can thicken some resin and glue it in, for aluminum I'd use a sealent like Sika 291 and some machine screws.