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Author Topic:   Fiberglass mat - extra resin topcoat?

tjxtreme posted 05-19-2009 02:50 PM ET (US)
I'm doing some fairly significant fiberglass work on my newly acquired 1978 13 foot Whaler. The two main reference articles on repair have been of great help, and I have modeled my repairs off them. I laid the third layer of fiberglass mat, and made sure it was fully saturated with resin. I then sanded it down to even it out a bit, and some of the glass fibers are beginning to show. My (probably faulty) logic tells me that since the fibers were fully saturated with resin, there is no risk of water ingress.
Should I sand below the surface and apply a top coat of resin, or just sand it level and move on?
Thanks,
Andrew
PS Prep work, and some light investigation revealed that the boat used to be called "tinker tot." It was also registered in FL, MS, and TX before I brought it to LA.

pglein posted 05-19-2009 03:16 PM ET (US)
You shouldn't sand the fiberglass at all. You should cover it with gelcoat.
Ablewis posted 05-19-2009 09:35 PM ET (US)
I would be inclined to add one more top coat of resin, sand lightly, and then move on to the gelcoat. I think you might see the fibers through the gelcoat.
Andy
R T M posted 05-19-2009 09:54 PM ET (US)
Of course you have to sand or grind fiberglass. I think both of you guys need to read the book, 'Fiberglass Boat Building for Amateurs' by Ken Hankinson. There is a world of info there that can`t be covered here.
rich/Binkie
alert1703 posted 05-20-2009 10:46 PM ET (US)
If its just a cosmetic patch, not structural, I would use epoxy and west systems 404 filler over the top of the mat to fill any voids, sand it dowm smooth and move on. Thats what I recently did to my 25' outrage.

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Author	Topic: Fiberglass mat - extra resin topcoat?
tjxtreme	posted 05-19-2009 02:50 PM ET (US) I'm doing some fairly significant fiberglass work on my newly acquired 1978 13 foot Whaler. The two main reference articles on repair have been of great help, and I have modeled my repairs off them. I laid the third layer of fiberglass mat, and made sure it was fully saturated with resin. I then sanded it down to even it out a bit, and some of the glass fibers are beginning to show. My (probably faulty) logic tells me that since the fibers were fully saturated with resin, there is no risk of water ingress. Should I sand below the surface and apply a top coat of resin, or just sand it level and move on? Thanks, Andrew PS Prep work, and some light investigation revealed that the boat used to be called "tinker tot." It was also registered in FL, MS, and TX before I brought it to LA.
pglein	posted 05-19-2009 03:16 PM ET (US) You shouldn't sand the fiberglass at all. You should cover it with gelcoat.
Ablewis	posted 05-19-2009 09:35 PM ET (US) I would be inclined to add one more top coat of resin, sand lightly, and then move on to the gelcoat. I think you might see the fibers through the gelcoat. Andy
R T M	posted 05-19-2009 09:54 PM ET (US) Of course you have to sand or grind fiberglass. I think both of you guys need to read the book, 'Fiberglass Boat Building for Amateurs' by Ken Hankinson. There is a world of info there that can`t be covered here. rich/Binkie
alert1703	posted 05-20-2009 10:46 PM ET (US) If its just a cosmetic patch, not structural, I would use epoxy and west systems 404 filler over the top of the mat to fill any voids, sand it dowm smooth and move on. Thats what I recently did to my 25' outrage.