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Carter Powell
05-30-2002, 04:55 PM
This is always a hot topic and I am sure there are many people out there with many great ideas on how to repair boats using many methods. I have done a ton of repair work thru the years and my last restoration is close to being finished and will share it with everyone very soon. The one thing that I have learned from a friend in the aerospace business is how much stronger epoxy impregnated fabric is than polyester resin. Epoxy also has the abliity to cling to cured polyester without letting go the way that polyester resin can do. So if you are going to repair something that needs to stay together, consider the epoxy.

Best wishes, Carter Powell

H2Onut
05-30-2002, 05:35 PM
AMEN Brother....

EPOXY RULES , there is NO other choice.

Pete 88 Venus
05-30-2002, 10:26 PM
For the amount required for my project I really could not afford or justify the price of West or any other big brand epoxy. I realise how much stronger it is but I still couldn't do it. I suppose I am going with the next best thing though. I got some vinyl ester resin, it's made by http://www.ashchem.com/ and is used on many HP boats. I am gonna scuff all the cured laminates I will be trying to adhere to, real, real good and hope it holds up and doesn't let go.

baddjonny
06-01-2002, 09:05 AM
Gentelmen you all know that 90% of all the old boats were built with polyester resin soo your repair bond is only as strong as the surface your bonding to. So why waste money on epoxie except on a new buildup.
jon b

Carter Powell
06-01-2002, 09:53 AM
Polyester vs. Epoxy. Baddjonny, I hear what you are saying. If it is something that is not a structural member poly is probably OK. But if you are spending the time and effort to repair something that has to be a structural component like a transom brace or a knee or the complete bonding of the deck to the hull, consider this!
When you re-bond poly to poly you will always have a non integrated seam of an older material to a new one. I have seen poly let go many times under shear or flex conditions on many different types of repairs. I do also know that epoxy is a non integrated seam when bonded to poly but by its very nature it sticks better with its non unitized seam that the poly ever would in its original form.
Most epoxy resins also have a much greater flex zone, about 200% greater than most poly resins. If it is a structural member and you don't want to worry aboaut it use the epoxy.

Best wishes, Carter