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Scott
04-25-2001, 07:37 PM
Tecno and others?
Ok guys I've admitted that I'm new to the boating scene
tho not new to the speed arena. I've build two relatively fast hot rods but this fast boat thing is a little new. Anyway, to the point, I've got the boat upside down in the shop and have started the shanding and finishing of the bottom, Thanks Techno (and others) for the tips on what to use. I settled on West System's 105 epoxy resin and 206 hardner and 3M Marine glass filler for those pesky scratches. I saw a photo or two of what looked like the addition of an additional strip (almost 2X4) glassed down the center of the hull with the comment about the sharp edges and "blueprinting" Am I right and should I do this? I assume it's an aid in the cornering aspect of this relatively flat bottom Baja. I also assume that I would want to use spruce as opposed to pine does any of this make sense or should I have done the 32 Ford my 7 year old wanted me to do?

Techno
04-25-2001, 08:29 PM
A few people here have done this already, hopefully they'll go into more than I can. One person made a mold to add the pad, the 2x4 thing. With a flat on the bottom the boat attains better lift. A straight Vee lets water slip off of it and thats why they put lifting strakes on the bottom to help it get on plane. The pad is kind of like moving the strake right to the bottom

One last on the epoxy. Don't mix large amounts at one time it cures by generating it's own heat and will generate more heat the more you have in a container(faster cure). If you do need a larger amount pour it into a large flat pan like a cookie sheet or roller pan. This will give you more time. If youve done body work it's kind of like bondo this way except you can mix a few OZs. use it and mix more and keep doing this rather than mixing 8 ozs. at one time. You can mix additives with it to produce varing thickness, like peanut butter thickness or honey thickness. This allows bonding things or filling areas or filleting something in place.
The wood thing I don't know. If you add a pad it's really not a structural componant, but the wood should be kiln dried so the epoxy will bond to it.

The hydrostream board has some good articles on different things. I don't remember if theres one on adding a pad though.