On to Coating and Matting. (as well as sanding!)
Now have at least finished all the stripping.
Then did the ‘bright light in the hull bit’ to look for areas that needed patching.
The major problem area was in the bow and that did not receive the light as it is a totally blanked off compartment. However, it was obvious from the outside anyway so, could I assume it was the only leak?
Decided to put a fine matt over the whole hull, not deck, just to be sure of best chance of success. I can imagine what will be said here if it still leaks after all this!
I had ordered some supplies ready for the next stage and drew up a plan view of the boat to help think through layout of electrics and other items.
Made my usual mistakes about size.
Some fittings purchased too small………However, never too large now that’s interesting.
Some materials purchased too large. Now have a life’s worth of Resin……(when does it ‘go off’ by?) Also have a lounge floors worth of t
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matting!
Also Sandpaper. Now there is a mine field. So now I know a bit more about that and which way the numbers work! When I forgot to put the mask on, I had some of the crispest 'bogies' in years.............. No images posted!
On the plus side, although I never wanted to get into this stripping sanding, filling sanding, sealing sanding, matting sanding, painting sanding, painting, sanding bit…………….
I now feel I started out with someone’s boat I had bought and now it has become “my boat” for real!
I am at the stage now where I have put some filler in and applied the first coat of Eze-Kote from DeLuxe Materials
To use Eze-kote read stuff from RNinMunich on this blog or the’ leaking boat’ thread. Washes out of the brushes very easily.
There is such as this ..... Youtube link - watch?v=yP05qv3QtUk
RNinMunich or Colin H. and the like have bits of extra comment and experience that is always very helpful.
BTW, after that finer sanding before first coat, I did the dust down and vacuuming bit but it still felt a bit ‘chalky’ so I gave it a wipe with Methylated Spirits. Now I realise that has water in it, so if anything goes wrong it could be blamed on that.................
Having left the first coat to dry I started to cut out the light matt to apply after the next sanding.
The matting I have is called Glassfibre Surface T
issue
EGlass from FibreGlass Direct. A part of Tricel Composites (NI) Limited. Available internationally in lengths from a metre upwards, it is quite fine in weave so we shall see what happens.
I have left quite a wide margin at the moment but may reduce that when I have tried using it!
This is another first for me so plenty of room for mistakes...............
Will need to cover with the matt in stages as I cannot get around all the boat without changing its position.
Going for the bottom of the vessel and stern board first as I figure they are going to be easier than some of the other bits. Then will leave that to cure before moving the boat.
Really worried about the joins/overlaps and how well I will cope with those, not to mention the curved bit!
Started to look at electrics and layout for a bit of a change.
I will post again when I have had the first battles with the matting!
TTFN.
NPJ