Fiberglass help

Fiberglass help (resolved)

Hello, I'm new to the board in that I have not registered until now but have read many things here before.

I have a problem. I purchased a swim platform and it came from the factory that made the boat. I liked the idea of it being one piece and did not make the old platform and new platform into a step up and down. I how ever went to mount it today and was very disappointed in its fit. I have enclosed a few pics of it so to show my point. I expected more from the Four Winns factory. I paid way too much money for this.

I need to know if I could use something like a dremel to grind away the edge of the platform to fit the boat better. There are so many large gaps. The platform to the boat is 1 7/16". I would think or I should say want the platform against the boat. You can see the large gap at the back in the 3rd pic. Also I need to know what I can do about support under the platform edges. The platform has a wood core but does not go to the edges. It leaves about a 2 1/2" space from the edge of the platform to the wood. I'm afraid if someone steps near the edge that the fiberglass could break. Is there something I could put under it to fill the void? Just putting wood under it to fill the gap would eventually rot away.

If I can use a dremel to fit the platform closer to the boat do I need to do anything to the edge? I mean protecting it from any water getting into the edge? I don't know fiberglass so that's why I asking a possible stupid question.

I any further information is needed please ask me.

Thanks in advance,
Eric

 

more photos please

Forget grinding you need to build and fill and make!!wax the surface of the boat and us a stiff putty to force under just the edge and then take it off carefully and build to that shape !!need more pictures of the whole panel to see what you are trying to do ? or even put a thick putty down and press the panel into it and hold till it goes hard to form the perfect shape you need

 

That bracket is intended to be "fitted" to the work (your boat) and would be typical of a part like this. They seem to have provided more then enough material to remove for a good fit, so make a template and start grinding (in contrast to Tunnel's advice, which will work too). Both methods will work, but grinding to a perfect fit means less laminating effort.

What I see in the photos is the leading edge is to long, which pushes all the other shapes back and up. Once the leading edge is shaped appropriately, you can precisely shape the sides and all the little turns, for a dead bang fit. I dislike the idea of adding laminate to a finished part, but I do like the idea of something inside helping reinforce the contact points, so Tunnel's putty idea will likely be used at some point too.

My point is, the manufacture knew it would need to be fitted, so they kept the wooden structure well clear, of the areas that would likely get ground back. They assume the contact points will be reinforced and common laminating sense employed.

 

Ok, I'm a dummy. I don't understand what tunnel is saying. The idea that they left room to custom fit could be a viable answer except that the nonskid surface is outlined by a smooth boarder of the gel coat, but that's neither here nor there since my question is about custom fitting.

Par, so if I do custom fit the platform will I need to seal the ground edge with anything? I know that fiberglass can absorb water so what will I use? Can I just use 3M 5200? Could I use a gel coat repair kit and put it on the edge or do I just not worry about it because nothing will happen?

Tunnel, is there somewhere you can point me to as an example of what you’re talking about? Something someone is doing or has done or someone’s youtube video? I'm just a bit of a fish out of water here when it comes to fiberglass. I'm a cabinet/furniture builder for the last 33 years. I can do wonders with wood but lost with fiberglass.

Thanks again,
Eric

 

The smooth portion of the forward edge is designed to be trimmed to fit (this way you don't have to patch or match textured areas), as are the sides and other contact spots. Gel coat can be easily fixed or added, but if well fit, the ground away 'glass will be hidden by a bead of caulk.

Your bracket isn't going to absorb moisture at the rate you may be thinking. It is likely you'll need to reinforce the contact points, which will require a build up of laminate on the back side or inside edges of the contact points, which is what Tunnel's was referring to. Can you post an image of the inside of the bracket, maybe with arrows to the contact areas? It may be necessary to make flanges and other stiffeners.

 

Par, I can get more pics tomorrow if the rain holds off. Prediction for 60%. I'm including the only thing I got from Four Winns. The only thing it has is showing an 1/8" gap. So if I take this to within 1/8" should I let it go at that or fill with caulk. It would be nice if there were a rubber type of cove molding that I could attach somehow between the platform and the boat. There is such a thing for woodworking but is plastic and has to have a groove routed in to a depth of about 3/8" to 1/2". There is also aluminum that is screwed down.

I'll flip it over to get an underside shot and put it back up on the boat and get an overall shot.

I really appreciate the communications and information. Eustis Florida is see. I'm originally from Orlando. Had a buddy while I was in the army from Eustis. I retired out 14 years ago. Opened a cabinet shop and had to close after 10 years. We did commercial work. Bad contractor skipped out owing millions to many sub-contractors. Stuck me for $135K, bank closed line of credit then no jobs to bid on. 3 strikes and I was out. Contractor went to Florida and we can't do anything. Florida laws protect him.

Thanks again,
Eric

 

You should be able to get a perfect fit, no gaps, if you play with it long enough. There's really no sense in doing a half assed job of it. Chew off a little, test fit, chew off a little more, test, repeat until you've got it. Sounds easy, but you cuss a fair bit before it's over.

Assuming the mounting is straight forward, this trimming is purely an aesthetic consideration. If these edges also are load bearing, you'll be doing your boat a great service to get a really good fit.

 

Ok here are more pictures of the platform both on the boat and upside down. The one photo has the dimensions from the edge to the wood core. As you can see there is a place on the right side of the picture where the platform is upside down that has an extra piece of wood core for the screws to mount the supports. The ladder locker is only a single core thick. The single core thickness is 1 inch. They sent me 1" screws but will have to get some 3/4" so I don't go through the gel coat. As you can see the distance of the back edge to the core is large. I have 8 bolts to put through the top of the deck and through the boat. With that distance that puts me at about 4 1/4" into the platform. That would look so "amateurish". That is to keep an even spacing all along the back edge. It would look worse if it was zig zagged.

I have an email, because I sent photos, out to the Four Winns factory. It went out today and I am waiting on what they say about it.

The thickness of the fiberglass without wood core is .3" exact. I used a micrometer to measure.

Thanks,
Eric

 

Thats more like it !! well done !!
This is an addon on top of the older smaller swim plateform ??
What instructions were you given how to attach to the boat ???.
Obviously its got to be really strong because of the over hang out the back and the leverage would be considerable thats for sure !!specially with a couple of adults standing on the very tail edge !!
Stainless steel Bolts and penny washers would be the order of the day !!Practical but very unsightly . As a stick down its a major and the gaps round the outside like i had suggested would have to be filled right out to the edge and the whole platform mated to the exsisting platform and wouls need to be sealed to keep water out 100% over time any air space couls get smelly . . Its a big job even for a professional shop but for a diy person ! wow !!. lots grinding to get back to a bare glass to get a really good bond every where and lots glass and lots of everything . have you asked a glass shop ?? interesting to see what Fourwinns answer is!!

 

Tunnels, yes this is a add on. It sets on top of the existing platform which is small, only 18" in depth. You can see the boats existing platform in a few of the pics on the left and right side. The only instructions I have from the factory is in the pdf file a few posts up. I had to contact the factory for that because it didn't even come with it.

 

Ok been and seen the pdf !! so its a bolt down and just sits there wow good idea but the fit could be better thats for sure . if you can find a filler in a tube thats close to the same color Mask very neatly and where you are going to fill and pump a bead of filler along just back a little and gradually over a time build it up till it fills the gap layer by layer . it shoulds be made with closer tolerances and possibly was when there mould was new but over time has gradually been ground down to what you have now .

 

I don't see a real big problem mounting this platform, though yes, it will require a good bit of fitting, if you want it to look nice.

This of course assumes you're comfortable picking up compound shapes and transferring them to the platform for trimming. This is easier said then done, but not out of reach for the DIY'er.

Again, hang it on the back of the boat and transfer the shapes, a little at a time, then test fit. You'll mount and unmount this puppy several times before getting it just right. Take it slow and nibble at it until you're where you need to be.

I wouldn't worry about fillers, unless you screw something up and need to fill a gap.

 

Par, no fitting this is not any problem for me. As I said in a few posts back. I do cabinets and furniture. This is no different that routing a counter top or a cabinet to a wall. Transfer the lines here with a set of calipers and rock and roll. I have all the patience in the world for wood but little for people. I'll just have to use that towards fiberglass. There will still be the gaps on the sides and the gap between the boats platform and the new platform. I don't like having to see the bolt's heads since they will have to be sitting out about 4 1/2" from the back of the bolt. That just will look bad. I wish I could recess the heads to make it look neater.

Still no word from Four winns. I'm at work and took 5 minutes out to check this and see if they wrote me back since they haven't called me back.

Thanks,
Eric

 

You could recess the bolts if you like, though this means sinking them into the laminate, which will require reinforcement on the inside to make up for the loses in laminate thickness.

Conversely, you could laminate the platform to the boat, which would eliminate the need for fasteners and create a smooth, seamless look too. This would be a good bit more work and you'd have to make some gel coat touch ups or paint the area, to have the seamless look.

 

Well finally heard from Four Winns. I have a direct email and number and not having to go into a central cue. The person I spoke with liked the photos to show the problem. He says that no this does not even look right. He will look into things if something was done whatever. After reading my email he said that it sounded like I understood that this would not be a perfect fit. I said yes I understood that after all they don't have my boat there to fit it to and also the years they offered this model production style a extended platform was not even offered.

Well I'll wait and see what will happen. I know it now I should have just hit this forum up for so newbee help and built it myself. Ok who's up for info help on an arch? I'd like to make one if first the boat is found possibly strong enough where it will mount. That's a subject for another day.

Eric