1978 Viking rebuild

**tnelsmn** · 02-16-2019, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Blacknsilvr

Looking good!!! You will be laying core before ya know it. Your work makes me wonder if I short changed on my transom layup though lol!!!!

Thank you. I think I will be able to get some core going down with in a week. I'm no expert at any of this stuff, I'm sure its over kill. But I do plan to hang a 2.5 on it in the future.

Theres a saying amongst welders, "welders can make stuff strong, engineers can make it strong AND light" hahaha I suppose that applies here as well.

**tnelsmn** · 02-17-2019, 08:53 PM

Todays progress...

**tnelsmn** · 02-24-2019, 06:19 PM

I now have a layer of 1708 over the entire hull bottom anywhere I have touched with a grinder. I have 90% of that scuffed with 36 and ready for core. That has been no easy task. Found two small quarter sized spots that ended up very thin after the DA, not sure how that happened, but one more for the list. I think I've said it before on here, but should be laying core this week.

It appears that the factory did the pad area all the way forward first. I plan to duplicate this process with the difference being that I will put the stringers above the core.

**tnelsmn** · 02-27-2019, 08:32 PM

Core! I got the first section laid into the pad. Now my question is, how do I know if its bedded down well enough? My process was, two coats of resin on the core itself, a heavy wet coat of resin on CSM laid into the pad as shown, covered it with some parchment paper then a piece of plywood followed by half a bundle of singles and 200lbs of dumbbells.

I probably should've asked before setting this all in but, is that a tight enough fit to the sides of the pad? I hand block sanded a radius onto the bottom edge of the core so it would sit down well.

I have some small gaps between the core and the hull on the sides as shown. Should I just leave it and let the resin from the 1708 over the top of the core fill it, or should I try and get some cabosil paste in it?

Also ordered up a full set of gauges today. When the time comes I don't want to be waiting on any parts.

Sure feels good getting some material down. Seems like progress will move a bit faster for a while now.

**rjdubiel** · 02-28-2019, 06:54 AM

Don't go crazy with the weight. All you are doing with the weight on top is to push the balsa down and hold it into the cloth. But looks good to me. What weight CSM is it bedded into? What I did to test my way was to lay up on the bench what I was going to put in the boat in a 10 x10 piece of balsa. Glass, balsa, glass in the weight I used in the boat. Then tried to pull it apart, break it in half, bend, twist, then started to hit with a hammer. It's tough stuff! Was some work to destroy the test pannel.

**XstreamVking** · 02-28-2019, 07:14 AM

I have used socks filled with sand for weights for years. They conform and are fairly heavy. Like said, don't use more weight than you need. The core should lay flat and make contact with the glass if wet enough. Try and pry on the edges where it lifted to check adhesion. If good then pack some filler in there and proceed. Using balsa I only put weight where it wanted to lift. (edges) Most of it will stick with no weight. Lay it down and run a dry paint roller over it to squeeze the resin into the grooves and force the air out.

**tnelsmn** · 02-28-2019, 03:39 PM

Copy, easy on the weight. Thanks guys! I think I'll go buy a tube of sand and fill some zip lock bags for the future.

RJ, I'm using 1.5oz mat.

Another question, I'll be putting the center two stringers on the edges of the pad. Do you think I should put these in before laying the rest of the core? That way there's a "stop" for the balsa to rest against so it won't slide down the hull towards the pad area.

I can't thank you guys enough for all the help!

**XstreamVking** · 02-28-2019, 03:56 PM

You will want to glass over the pad core before placing the stringers on it. If it helps make it easier, do it.

**Gmcviper** · 02-28-2019, 04:04 PM

Once you have the core placed brush a coat of resin on the top. It will wick into the cracks and seal the top of the core. If you don't seal the top of the core prior to laying up glass on top it will look properly wet out then the balsa will steal your resin.

**Gmcviper** · 02-28-2019, 04:15 PM

And lay all the core before stringers you shouldn't have an issue with it sliding. For the gap in the core to pad I would recommend mixing milled fiber with resin to the consistency of apple sauce and fill the gap with that.

**oldschoolltv** · 02-28-2019, 05:58 PM

Long before vacuum bagging we used a heavy visqueen wet the glass put the core down then visqueen and filled the boat with water, you could see the balsa gaps slowly fill with resin.

**XstreamVking** · 02-28-2019, 07:14 PM

Old school, That's fn genius....I thought I had heard it all.....

**oldschoolltv** · 02-28-2019, 07:31 PM

Built one of my Fliver boats 35 years ago like this and still have it, one of the strongest ones we ever made.

**Turtleherder** · 03-01-2019, 05:40 PM

Damn that is genius. Now I'm thinking about smaller parts in a tub or horse trough. What about hanging a construction trash bag filled with water over the under side of the deck to press in core?