Infusion Plan

The extra 3 inches of support really stiffened up the deck. It doesn't look like it but the center supports are slightly higher than side flanges to keep rain from puddling.

 

Have you got any plans for all that space under the deck? Are you going to run any wire chases? Fuel tanks? Hatches with compartments?

 

Some brackets that I can zip tie the harness for sure.

I have been toying with the idea of dropping a long box at least 60" or so in between the stringers and actually have it project up about 16" above the deck. It would be glassed to the deck and waterproof so not a way for water to get into hull, not even a drain hole!!

I don't know, it seems like a big of waste of space but I don't like a bunch of junk on the boat anyway, everything has a spot. The box would be nice for snorkel equipment, barbq's and tents etc

 

Big *** fuel tank under that deck I hope... Mine are built into the hulls of my boat... Just a light extra layer of glass using an ethanol proof vinyl ester resin over the existing epoxy laminate....

 

If I had a boat your size, I think I would do that too but I have never used more than 10 gallons -if even that- in a day out in the back country. It's more important for me to be light as I skim across 4" deep water

Im going with a 24 gallon deck mount and its going in a semi-open cabinet under the seat. I want everything easy to switch out if there is ever the need. Even the idea of storage bothers me, it usually winds up full of wet ropes, rags and crap. So prob going to waste that space.

 

Just in case anyone out there is going to try plexus here is a quick update-

I was able to peel plexus off one of the fiberglass angles I purchased. The angle was not sanded like the ones I attached to my stringers and I did not use clamping pressure but in more tests with glass (peelply) to glass (peelply) also with no clamping pressure, other than a squeeze and gravity, you can not get pieces apart without destroying the glass.

So not taking any chances, I made a thick mix of resin, silica, wood flour and glass fibers and filled in between the angles and taped over that and finished with peelply, I will bond to that just in case the plexus and the angle bond is not so good.

 

There was probably some residual mold release left from manufacturing on the angles you bought Jorge...?

 

Hi Jorge - I agree with Groper, the only reason the plexus won't stick is if there is a release agent. Plexus will stick to smooth surfaces if they are clean. Are you cleaning with acetone? Plus are you squrting out about 1/2 cup before you apply to job? The first bit is not mixed well and you need to watch the mixer until its well mixed before you put it on the job? Acetone cleaning with clean rag then a quick rough up with 40 grit on orbital seems to work for us, fibreglass, steel and aluminium... Cheers Peter s

 

Could be, I will do another test with acetone and sanding and post the results.

 

ok, I am in the fairing stage.

I liked Fram's approach, he laid down caulk like beads of fairing compound using a ziplock bag and sanded those lines fair to use as guides for his knife.

Then he applied 3 coats of fairing between the guides before even starting to sand. We used to use the same technique when plastering really messed up walls.

So I am about to start doing this but I had an epiphany and tried using the Plexus to layout the guide beads and it works really well and sands beautifully.

No mixing, no mess, I can run a lot of bead in a really short time, does anyone see any reason I wouldn't use this stuff?

 

-long term water stability (as a glue it will work eternally, but as a fairing compound?)
-price
-shore hardness

 

Herman,

just as bead guide lines, two tubes would do the entire boat.
As for hardness, it seems the fairing compound sands easier than this stuff ... don't know about water stability though ...

 

If you mix different fairing materials, it might show up in the final paint job, especially if one of them isn't designed for fairing. There might also be adhesion problems between the paint and Plexus.

I'm surprised the adhesive sands easily.

Also, I don't know how well it would work with two different 'sandabilities'. It would be like wood with soft sapwood in between hard, dense rings, It's difficult to sand without the rings showing through the paint.

 

That would suck if the paint didn't adhere I would have a ribbed boat lol!! I better call Plexus and ask them before I try, I believe I read it's paintable ...

Here is a close-up of a sanded glob (60 grit on a sanding board) I knocked down all the ridges

Just by looking and feeling, I believe the finish would be about the same, have to find out if it will adhere, thanks.

 

My question was on paint adhesion -

Yes it will. Just no oil based paint. Thanks!

Steve Leslie
Senior Technical Service Representative
ITW Polymers Adhesives North America
30 Endicott St., Danvers, MA 01923
Ph: 978-646-5605 | Customer Service: 800-626-7226 | Tech Service: 800-933-8266
www.itwadhesives.com