Sorry it has taken so long, but here are some more photos of the latest work. The superstructure (except the deck) is now all but done. The two side windows need to be taken apart, powdercoated and then re-assembled. The front windows have been done as you can see by photos. It's getting very close now to lauching.
You're really putting me to shame Harold. That looks absolutely fantastic!
I'll post some pictures when I've got some more fender back on but it's never going to look like yours. Yours looks brand new now.
I believe that my gel coat was originally sprayed on inside the mould and it appears to be a bit bubbly. In other words, there are minute bubbles in places that are now filled with dirt so it looks as if fine black pepper has been sprinkled on.
I can't sand through it because the gelcoat ends up too thin (I know, I've tried and had to re-gel coat where I've pushed it too far). I'm just resigned to living with it.
You are always full of praise, but don't forget, this is what I do for a living. Also the boat needs to act as an advertisement for my business.
I know what you are saying about the pepper look of the gelcoat. When the Lochins were produced in the factory, they were sprayed up with gelcoat. The problem was that the applicator sprayed on too much too fast in one hit and it caused tiny air entrapments within the gelcoat. It was ok when they were new, but later once any dirt got into the tiny holes, then you are left with that peppered look.
All I have left is to spray up the toerails and the combing inside the ****pit. Where the anti slip pattern was on the deck, I will sand back and re-flowcoat (brush on), glass beads will be sprinkled over the flowcoat when still wet for an anti-slip effect. It will be white or a light colour, because any thing else is too hot in this climate.
I can see the end of this project coming soon. Finally!!!
Harold, Boats looking great, fantastic finish, and yes Chas and myself appreciate it is your trade and your Lochin is an advertisement too your company.
So some advice please re the peppered finish on the topsides of our Lochins . What can we do without it costing a fortune apart from keeping them clean and polishing, mine looks worse when dirty especially this time of year, random areas but especially toe rails.
To come straight to the problem with the peppered gelcoat, I have been thinking of a solution for it. I would first clean the boat thoroughly with a high pressure cleaner, especially the worst affected areas. Maybe try to do a light acid wash (ie hydrochloric acid and water, 4 parts water to 1 part acid or 3 parts water to one part acid, depending on the degree of yellowing of the gelcoat if any). Don't let it dry on and make sure you wear protective clothes. Do small sections at a time.
Here in Australia we can buy a wax made by Turtle Wax with colours in them. I'm sure that I have seen white. Maybe it will go into the porosity of the gelcoat. It's meant to hide scratches etc on duco for cars, so don't see why it wouldn't work. Eventually it will probably flush out, but it is worth trying.
We have heard that the weather is really bad over there this year. Have you had to winterize your engines?
The toeboards, particularly around the c0ckpit of my boat are very much the worse for wear and in several places there is quite severe damage. The toeboards around the front of the boat are generally OK apart from the peppery look and minor damage.
I'm no fibreglass expert like Harold but from painful learning experience I'm carefully wet sanding all existing gelcoat in the area with 240 grade. That at least gets rid of the oxidised surface and the yellowing.
Where damage is very minor, I've just done local repairs with gelcoat but in some places I've had to grind out the damaged glass, re-glass it then reprofile to get the shape right then finally gelcoat and polish.
One picture shows the typical original condition of the toeboards arouind the c0ckpit.
The others show two toeboards, the front one has only been repolished but the rear one has had quite major damage repaired (it looked as if an anchor had been dropped on it) and has been fully re-gelcoated. The gaps between the toeboards have been re gelcoated because I have changed deck hardware and glassed up the old holes.
One picture also shows the peppery effect on the side of the wheelhouse where it has not yet been addressed.
I need to pick your brains on the replacement of the anti slip Harold because as you can see, mine is totally shot.
Cheers and all the best
Chas
PS As you will see the fender is going back on now.
PPS The weather has been diabolical over here but it's warming up now.
Haven't winterised the enging but I keep heaters on the boat.
Blue Swell is still factory original and i have the origial plan layout and specification details . The plan is in A2 size i think ,which means gonna either have to get re-sized to scan or see if can join together, and post on here if anyone interested.
As for the pepper issue, maybe oxcylic acid diluted down is worth a try on localised area. Polish wise, we have Turtle Wax Colour magic which i have used in blue on some odd marks on the hull, it looks better but doesnt last unfortunately.
The weather has been quite bad in Uk, on the South Coast we have had the usual couple of days of snow, up country has been quite bad but we seem never prepared for it . My boat is float and has been fine just a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and i do have a full cover and heating :)
Will certainly try the acid sometime and will let the forum know the results.
I want to compliment you on the job you have done on the toerails. They look great mate!! For someone who is not so familiar in fibreglass, you have done really well. You obviously have a hidden talent there.
To come back to your question about the anti-slip, I have done repairs on small sections of moulded anti-slip, but they are only say, 2 or 3 square inches. The way to do it is, with some plasticine. You make a print of a good section, and carefully put it in the spot you need to repair. Obviously you have to put gelcoat down first. It is a labour intensive job and it requires a lot of detailing once the gelcoat has dried. I don't think this is the way to go for you. As I have the same problem, you might have noticed that the anti-slip is slightly raised compared to the deck itself. I am sanding back the old anti-slip area, but not so much that the line between the anti-slip and the deck is gone. This gives me a definate line to mask, and that defines the difference between the two. I will send some detailed photos once I have finished the deck.
The Brede lifeboats had a 3M deck paint from new. A very dark grey.
Probably comes partly with knowing I can't afford to pay someone else to do it for me.
I'll tell you what I was proposing for the non slip areas and you can tell me if I'm talking b0ll0cks.
There's a lot missing especially on the fore-deck so repairing isn't feasible
Firstly I was going to go all over it and remove any remaining loose bits.
Then go around the edges of the non-slip areas and re-gelcoat so that the overall shape is there
I was then going to sand most of the diamond pattern out. I have found on mine that you can't sand it all out because you go through the gelcoat before the diamonds totally disappear.
Following that, a good scrub with a wire brush and acetone.
Next, a coat of epoxy primer (coulor imaterial).
Then fair in the remainder of the missing bits and rough bits with epoxy filler.
Then sand smooth.
Then a coat of white epoxy primer with a roller.
Finally apply non-slip paint mix in very pale grey.
Wocha think?
This way, I could also do it in relatively small sections (say a couple of linear metres at a time) to keep it managable. The non-slip would have to go on in one hit per side of course but the rest could be done in bits.
Chas
PS I don't like the idea of the dark grey either because of solar heat gains. If you are perpendicular to the sun, it is pretty much the same where ever you are in the world (about 1kW per square metre)
Sounds good to me. I've found too that in certain spots you are actually sanding into the glass. You're basically going to do it in the same way i am going to do it. The only difference is that you will use an epoxy and I will use a polyester gelcoat. I will also sprinkle in the glass beads (for anti-slip) at the same time. It makes sense to do small areas at a time. It will make it much more managable. Very interesting what you wrote about solar heat gains. I would never go for a dark colour for the same reason.
At least that way I can do all of the preparation in managable size bits but put the non-slip paint on in one hit per side.
solar gain does drop off near the poles but that is only because the sun will be low on the horizon and consequently the light will have to travel a greater distance through earth's atmosphere.
If you think about it; the sun is 93 million miles away, what difference will 5 or 6 thousand miles make?
