1978 Viking rebuild

[tnelsmn]

You did an amazing job! I have been spraying gel, urethane, lacquer and any other finish surface for 40 years and i could not have done it much better! You should be very proud of your work. If you want to make that last without fading you should spray 3 coats of high quality automotive clear on a sanded finish, this will make obtaining a super gloss way easier and give it some UV protection. Some of the nicest work I have ever seen has been done by amature's who's hearts were really in it like yours! congratulations! you are now about to become expert buffing and compounding guys too!

Thank you so much! I had been stressing about the gel for quite some time. I'm glad it went so well. Now working on the wet sanding process. The white is finished with 400 so far, now working on the flake. Sure is a slow process.

I asked because I thought you had some performance trick figured lol. Makes sense though you wont see it. It sure does look amazing this thread has been so much fun to follow

I know no speed secrets haha. Seriously, you'll see once its running and I start trying to dial it in. Thanks, its been fun to build too!

[NWolf]

I'm doing a complete rebuild on my 73 glastron carlson. I'm ordering glass and epoxy and need an estimate on how much I'll need. I only have one stringer and the floor is 30"×10'. Wouldnt mind ordering more than I need but shipping is RIDICULOUS! I figure you probably have a good idea what it took to do each part of yours.

[Merc 2.5]

My checkmate has 1 stringer , I think i ended up gettin 15 yard oz and half csm, and 10 yard of 1708 , and 10 gal of resin. That's what I bought mite be able to get away with less resin I'll end up with left over tho

[tnelsmn]

I'm doing a complete rebuild on my 73 glastron carlson. I'm ordering glass and epoxy and need an estimate on how much I'll need. I only have one stringer and the floor is 30"×10'. Wouldnt mind ordering more than I need but shipping is RIDICULOUS! I figure you probably have a good idea what it took to do each part of yours.

Merc 2.5 made a great recommendation. The only thing I would do different is order 5gal of resin to start. Resin has a shelf life and no need to let 5gal sit at your house while you use the first 5gal. When you get close to the bottom of the pail just order more.

[tnelsmn]

The wet sanding sure is a slow process! I started with 400 on a block and completed the white section. It was somewhat smooth after spraying. I moved onto the flake and 400 just wasn't doing it. The orange peel was much worse over the flake. I then tried 400 on a DA, also very slow. Went to 320 on a DA next, which was better but still very slow. I ended up with 240 on a block and hand sanded until about 50% of the orange peel was knocked down. Then went back to the 320 on a DA and continued from there.

I now have the entire hull done with 320 and moving onto 800 now. I plan to complete 800, 1000, and 1500. Then buff it from there. It's cool to see the flake come alive, for lack of a better term, each time I move to a finer paper. I will be leaving the pad as is sanded with 400. That seems to be the thing to do from what I've read around here.

Pictures don't do it justice. It looks incredible with it wet and the sun shining in the garage. Can't wait to see it buffed!

[DanUmbarger]

I know your pain...I went thru the same process with my flake...ended up with 240 then all the way up to 1500. I would tell you to go with 400 before the 800 because the 800 will not take out the 320 scratches very well...that was my experience anyway. Looks great though.

The wet sanding sure is a slow process! I started with 400 on a block and completed the white section. It was somewhat smooth after spraying. I moved onto the flake and 400 just wasn't doing it. The orange peel was much worse over the flake. I then tried 400 on a DA, also very slow. Went to 320 on a DA next, which was better but still very slow. I ended up with 240 on a block and hand sanded until about 50% of the orange peel was knocked down. Then went back to the 320 on a DA and continued from there.

I now have the entire hull done with 320 and moving onto 800 now. I plan to complete 800, 1000, and 1500. Then buff it from there. It's cool to see the flake come alive, for lack of a better term, each time I move to a finer paper. I will be leaving the pad as is sanded with 400. That seems to be the thing to do from what I've read around here.

I removed all the flake from the rear of the running surface to avoid having a .090" lip at the rear of the hull that could affect how it preforms.

Pictures don't do it justice. It looks incredible with it wet and the sun shining in the garage. Can't wait to see it buffed!

[XstreamVking]

Add a few drops of dawn etc when wet sanding. Does wonders....Floats the debris out of the sanding scratches.

[tnelsmn]

Bottom of the hull is finished!

I wasn't happy with how the aft end of the running surface had flake wrapped onto the bottom. It was a .090" ledge that I thought could affect how it rides. It was ground off and resprayed with more white. Now the blueprinting will be more effective I hope.

Everything was wet sanded to 800, the pad was taken to 400 and left with a cross hatch pattern. The plan was originally to take it all to 1500, but the buffer and compound was able to take out the 800 scratches, so thats all the farther sanding went. The entire bottom, excluding the pad, was then buffed in three stages using 3M Perfect-It Gelcoat compounds; heavy, medium+wax, and light+wax. It was then finished with Race Glaze by hand. I was planning to treat the bottom with a ceramic coating once it was buffed but decided to leave it with the wax that was in the last two stages of compound for this season. I will do the ceramic over next winter.

Before flipping the hull over the underside of the splash well was tabbed into the transom with 2" CSM and 4" 1708, this way gravity was on my side. Also had to crawl up into the bow and bolt in the bow eye, bit of a tight squeeze, good thing I have long arms.

The boat was was flipped agin and is supported by a plate bolted in the transom with the bow sitting on some lumbar on saw horses. I will be getting the trailer fit and finished tomorrow. Then she will be back on the trailer for good.

Overall the gel isn't perfect, there's some imperfections in spots. It was my first time spraying it so that is to be expected. But considering its the bottom of a boat it looks great.

[DanUmbarger]

Looks great....don't beat yourself up with the imperfections. I have them on mine too...you have too look at it in different angles to even see the spots. Mine was caused from not wanting to sand thru the clear into the flake...I stopped too early but better safe than sorry I thought. Next one I'll spray even more clear on the deck. You've done excellent work on it.

[tnelsmn]

Looks great....don't beat yourself up with the imperfections. I have them on mine too...you have too look at it in different angles to even see the spots. Mine was caused from not wanting to sand thru the clear into the flake...I stopped too early but better safe than sorry I thought. Next one I'll spray even more clear on the deck. You've done excellent work on it.

That is the exact reason for some of the spots on mine. Didn't want to break through to the flake. Also need to know when to stop sanding considering its the underside of a boat. I'm a perfectionist so I see them, but it will never be noticeable outside in the sun/water.

[Merc 2.5]

That is the exact reason for some of the spots on mine. Didn't want to break through to the flake. Also need to know when to stop sanding considering its the underside of a boat. I'm a perfectionist so I see them, but it will never be noticeable outside in the sun/water.

Perfectionists is to say the least. For a 1st time build man u knocked it out of the park. Very detailed , just all round great thread ,build etc. Somethin to be very proud of for sure. So u think this summer or next?

[tnelsmn]

Thank you!

I think I can pull it off before winter. Any hope of new interior, carpet, and such is gone before getting it wet. That stuff will all be on hold until next winter. I have the original seats that are in great shape and will be fine for this season. I hope to have the deck finished in 4-6 weeks, then its just rigging. Honestly might reach the point where I leave the wires extra long and just get it in the water this year, then make it all nice next winter. We'll see how the next few weeks go.

[Merc 2.5]

Thank you!

I think I can pull it off before winter. Any hope of new interior, carpet, and such is gone before getting it wet. That stuff will all be on hold until next winter. I have the original seats that are in great shape and will be fine for this season. I hope to have the deck finished in 4-6 weeks, then its just rigging. Honestly might reach the point where I leave the wires extra long and just get it in the water this year, then make it all nice next winter. We'll see how the next few weeks go.

That sounds like great plan , cant wait to see her float

[LakeFever]

Thank you!

I think I can pull it off before winter. Any hope of new interior, carpet, and such is gone before getting it wet. That stuff will all be on hold until next winter. 1.I have the original seats that are in great shape and will be fine for this season. I hope to have the deck finished in 4-6 weeks, then its just rigging. Honestly might reach the point where I leave the wires extra long and just get it in the water this year, then make it all nice next winter. We'll see how the next few weeks go.

We do a lot of wiring and its every bit as quick to do it right once so this is not a spot I would advise rushing, or thinking your rushing. Run some PVC conduit down the side tucked up while your rigging the cap and a pull string ( fish wire ) and each time you pull wire through pull another pull wire through and leave it until needed. You could even put a bend at the rear and position this carefully to get the wires all closer to their final destination. I just cringe at the thought of you rushing anything now being such a mint build so far, take it mint all the way one and done imo. Seats or whatever ya sure throw em in five mins to change em out but wiring and rigging? Better to do it right once

[NWolf]

How wide is the pad on that thing? I have to add a pad to mine and would like to match a proven design.