Konrad

Poll-it-up, gents...

Thanks Ken. Mick, the checking was a result of me running just a wee bit short on fiberglass fabric during the original build 9 years ago. I had 3 spots about 2 ft square each that check over time. That first photo shows the worst of it. So, here I am, 9 years later.. Buying cloth by the single sqaure yard in the automotive aisle of the local hardware store at $8.00 a yard to do what shoulda been done the first time around. :-X I used West Systems epoxy with the fiberglass. 105 resin and 206 hardener. Colloidal sillica used as a thickening agent when necessary for fairing.

Actually, yes I did get your email. Give me tonight and I'll see what I can come up with. And another thing: That signature line of mine with the misspelled word? I copied and pasted that text directly from your original post, so that's all you, bub. ;D

Never seen this stuff before. I was wondering if a guy could use this for ply sail edges in lieu of double sided tape or duct tape? http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Marine/Home/Products/Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECIE20S4K7_nid=GSQZ3MRHLVgsQH8HT14PGTgl83NHNGBDBVbl Saw it in a JD Catatalog.

"Ray Machete Doodness Junior" I like it.. ;D

Hey Ray.. No one's posting, and I'm bored. If I'm going to be quoting you in my signature line, I better know how to pronounce that last name of yours. Is the "ch" hard or soft? (this is about as off-topic as it gets) ;D

Lots left to do, but it's coming together.

Well there you go. I have a brother in law like that. >

As most here know, I've been giving my Vacationer a facelift for the last two months or so, after being locked up in storage for some unused years. I don't think I'm going to beat the winter and get on the water this fall, but it's really starting to come together and it's looking good. When I built that boat back in '99, I was a full time construction worker. And I mean construction worker. Since then, I've moved on to being a construction inspector (a desk job). And I gotta tell you, boatbuilding is WORK. On Saturdays like yesterday, I messed around for about 4-5 hours with the boat. And I'm not exactly "sore" from it. But I'm tired. Climbing up and down the stepladder to get in and out two dozen times, pushing, pulling, stretching, lifting, etc... I don't recall feeling this back when I built it (and of course I was also only 31 then). I wonder how many calories a guy can burn doing this..? ;D Did I mention that it's really starting to look good again?

Remember my post about foam brushes a day or two ago? If someone with more experience than I is itching to write an article, I think it would be great if someone wrote up a small review of different brushes and their applications. (And maybe care/storage as well) This is an area where I simply don't have a lot of experience. I've got years of experience with heavy & light framing, installing cabinets and countertops and the like. But actual finish work like you do in a cabinet shop is something I've never done. So when looking at all of those different brushes on the shelf, I'm always a little unsure of what's best for a particular application. You can spend a small fortune on brushes, so knowing would be great.

I've been wondering about using double sided carpet tape instead of duct tape. It worked very well on the plastic material that my Ulta Sails are, but don't know how it would adhere to polyethelene tarp. Anyone know?

Found these in 15 mil 8oz weight. Pretty hard to beat 60 bucks for a 20x20 8oz tarp. http://www.tarps.com/white.htm

Cat hair is a better thickening agent than colloidal sillica. And the Doodness Factor cannot be beat. And I should know.

Like these? http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,1178.html

Well that's a very interesting reply. I've been buying (apparently) the cheap-o ones. I've attempted to spread epoxy with them, but it soaks into the foam and the epoxy goes off by thermo-mass and makes the foam brush pretty freakin' hot..! Hamilton marine... I'll look them up.

What are foam brushes good for? (seriously)

Dremel tool with cutting disk?

It's been a lot of years since I messed with one, but I think I simply replaced the whole assembly as well. It was money well spent to avoid what you've been going through.

Hmm, never thought about drains before. Mostly because I just use a sponge and it seems to clean up well for me. I could just do a regular piece of nice ply with 1x's on either side of the joiner, I suppose. Never thought of that before either. Hmm.... And you can't beat the pragmatic approach of the Dri-dek. Nothing wrong with that. But the ply... Hmmm..... I'm getting a vision of.... I think I have an idea... More to come.

Yeah, I was thinking it would just lay in there so it could be lifted out.

It's official: My facelift project of my Vacationer has brought the boat back to just-built condition. YAY..!! I have posted a few photos on my blog. It sure is amazing what $50.00 of Interlux, some new spar varnish, and new sealant will do for a used boat. Now, the fun part. Going above and beyond the original build. First project is simple enough: Doing something with the floor of the cockpit. I've been thinking about getting a couple of cedar 2x4's and making some kind of spaced lattice floor something-or-other, but I really don't have anything solid in my head yet. The main challenge is that the Vacationer has that danged bottom panel joiner (1x4) going across the cockpit floor side-to-side. So I have to have something that accommodates that 3/4" obstruction. Ideas welcome. Photos welcome. Here's a "before" shot, so look past the dirt and the old paint, it looks much better now. I'm posting the photo so you Weekender owners can see the 1x4 joiner that I have to work around.

You know, looking at that boat... and that 40 hp outboard... That thing's probably going to fly. You better install some "Oh-sh*t" grab bars.

Frank, you can delete your salvaged post of my blog if you want.

Well now comes the fun part: Maintaining it. (Ok, maybe that's not the FUNNEST part) But don't be afraid to take a random orbit sander to it with some 80 grit. I went through a box of 30 of those in the last 8 weeks on my Vacationer.

New and Improved.. Now with a few photos.