What layers of fiberglass on the CD 16 cockpit deck?

[Marco Flamingo]

Anybody happen to know the layup schedule for the CD 16 cockpit deck? I'm getting ready to lay fiberglass over my balsa repair and I'm not sure what the original layup was and how to match the thickness. I want to get close enough so that I can just feather the edges with peel ply and make the repair disappear. I might also make a call to C Dory next week for recomendations before I go to Fiberlay for materials.

Mark

[thataway]

Mark,
I don't know the layup for the 16, but in the cockpit floor of the 25 we rebuilt we found that two layers of 1708 cloth was about right for both thickness and strength (we were using Nidacore)

Are you using a pattern for the non skid, or rolling out thickened gel coat. You can often use that to give a hidden joint line.

[Sunbeam]

My thought would be this: If you are using some good quality cloth and resin (say biaxial cloth and epoxy), then likely whatever layup schedule you use will be stronger than original. I'd lay in maybe three layers of biax and see how the level is, and then if it's at all close use fairing compound to make it just right. Obviously you don't want a thick layer of fairing compound though. If you're a bit low after the biax, you could add something like a layer of 10 oz "regular" cloth. Will be easier to fair and take up some space too. If you're really low, then another layer of the biax.

Sometimes I let it cure and then sand and fair (and sand more); other times I lay on the fairing compound while the "real" layup is in the green stage, then only have to sand once. Peel ply is good stuff. I've never used it for a repair where I was "making thickness" though (have always done layup, faired a bit proud, then sanded flat). Okay, now I'm scratching my head to remember where I DID use it? I guess it must have been on something where it was a layer of glass over a firm sub-surface vs. a build-it-up layup. Like say I was glassing over some wood with 10 oz cloth and then Peel ply on top for an easy nice finish.

I think I'd figure I'd never get the level just right using the Peel Ply and so would have to fair and sand anyway, so kind of "wasting" the Peel Ply.

But then too, I can't remember exactly what the area looks like that you are re-glassing here. And maybe you're better than I am at making it come out just right without fairing/sanding.

[Marco Flamingo]

I was hoping to use Peel Ply to eliminate a lot of sanding. My idea is to use a piece of Peel Ply that is 6 or 10 inches wider than the fiberglass. That way I could run a little excess epoxy out under the PP till it tapers to nothing or squeegee it out from under the edge of the PP and wipe it up. The hope was that when I pulled the PP, I would have such a thin ridge that a heavily textured paint would cover the edge with little or no sanding. PP might also make the transitions in the layers of glass less noticeable (since the layup is "backwards" with the largest piece put down first).

I'm sure that I'll have to buy the materials in a larger quantity than I need, so I probably should do a trial run on a piece of plywood.

Mark

[thataway]

You want the repair to be invisible.

Not sure what you mean by "Heavily textured Paint". Kiwi Grip? What non skid do you have on the bottom of the boat currently? Generally many of the factory finish on the floor is rolled out thickened gel coat. If the area is close, to being level, then that is good enough, and you can fair with thickened epoxy. . I have never used Peel ply in this application. Lay up the floor, you can tell how close it is going to be as you go. I use a 4" to 5" disc sander/grinder, with 36 grit if I want to take down any significant glass. Be gentle, it can go fast. (I had several serious grinder/ sanders of several hp, but as I aged, they were more than I was able to comfortably handle. The Milwaukee 6066-6 is an example of a 6 to 9" tool which works very well.

[Marco Flamingo]

I was thinking of using Kiwi Grip, but I'm still researching the price and coverage. A quart only covers 20 sf, so I would need two quarts at $45 per just for the little deck area on the 16. Interdeck non-skid is $35 a quart and will do two coats (not that I really want to paint it twice). I still have an old can of Pettit "Skidless Compound" (i.e., fine sand) that I could just mix in with gray deck paint.

I'm tempted to go the cheapest route because I'll probably end up covering the whole area with something like these cut to fit.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Generic-Unbranded-Black-36-in-x-36-in-Rubber-Anti-Fatigue-Comfort-Mat-KFTRM9191-1/206355967

The problem is that even covered over, I would still know that the repair was visible.

Mark

[Sunbeam]