32 Spectra Deck MODS
 

Hi guys,
I poste some time ago regarding my 32 spectra project. I just got started on the project yesterday afternoon. I basically cut out the area in front of the dash panel and then the windscrean section. I am trying to utilize what the material I have. As you can see by the pictures I need to do some cutting on the section I am trying to place in where the windscreen use to be. This is pretty much an appearance thing while reducing a little headroom in the cuddy. My concern is the distance/gap I need to fill on the sides as the width was different. Is is OK to fill this gap even if it is about 1 1/2". I still plan to use the 1 to 12 pitch method on both joining sections however I will need to glass the 1 1/2" gap between the two from the underside first I think and then do about the normal procedure on the top side in layers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
John

more pics

You can see where I haven't trimmed off the sides of the forward section I am going to glass in. It will lower down and fit snug front to rear however it's the sides where there will be the larger gaps that need to be filled along with fabricating the inner raised section. WOULD IT BE BEST TO MAKE A CUT DOWN TRHOUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE SECTION I AM REPLACING AND LINE THE SIDES UP SO THEY FIT TIGHTER SINCE I WILL BE GLASSING ANOTHER SECTION UP THE MIDDLE WHERE THE ORANGE SECTION IS. THAT ALMOST MAKES MORE SENSE BUT THEN AGAIN I HAVE NO IDEA. I'm not sure how to do that yet but that will be after everything else is in place and roughed in. Any ideas on that part? It is the orange area.

Thanks again,
John

The picture on the right above is a finished project of the same make year and model of my boat. I plan to paint it Canary yellow with some black stripes. I have a lot of work ahead of me but you have to start somewhere. bottom left picture is another original boat and the one on the right is mine before the starting of the deck mods. The I have a friend up for a couple of weeks and we plan to get as much done as possible. Any help on glassing together sections with larger gaps in areas would be a big help.

Thanks very much.

John

John , if you like shoot me your E email address or phone number and are you in the T C . area ?

I was also wondering if the wider gaps I have to fill along the side would be best if I did it like I have seen repairs done on the sides of boats. It's where the stretch a siran wrap over the repair tightly and then go over it with a rigid cardboard and do the repair from the inside. It's much more difficult to work in the cuddy plus everything would be done upside down. Ultimately I am just looking for the best all around strength with the least amount of final finish work. LOL...

Input would be great as I am moving forward quickly.

Thanks very much.
John

Hi Jon, Yes you can bridge a gap that big on the sides no problem. But first, are you going to cut the center section out to raise it or are you going to glass on a raised portion to the outside, basically build up a bulge to meet the old one?

by the way a trick that was given to me by a friend that use to work at Skater for working with laminates that will be placed upside down is to add a little cabosil to the resin. Works like a charm.

:drink: Jon that idea of adding Cabosil to the resin when doing any laminating upside down works fantastic . :grinser010: & Dave whats up?

Thanks Dave,
I decided after looking at it a little more is to cut the forward section down the middle or another words in half. That way the sides will be a much closer fit and I can bridge/glass the two in the middle. I can glass that and it will be covered anyway. What is the best material to use to match that center raised portion (buldge). I have read about some type of foam. Is that what I should do or otherwise cut to shape, and glass down some type of wood to match. Also what would be the best way to fill in the remainder of the window?

Thanks,
John

What is the best cloth to use? 1708? Or should I use a couple different types to end up with the smoothest finish top cloth for paint.

1708 or 1808 (there pretty much the same) and i would probably step up to a vinylester resin to make finish work a little easier. Epoxy is of course the best but its sometimes difficult to work with mostly because of work times and limited compatible surface finishing products. On something like this i would do the bulk of the inside work before i ever touched the outside. Get everything set where you want it and tabbed in then work the outside surfaces, I call the process "stitching it together". I would do everything with 17 or 1808 and grinder finish all of it to 36 grit then maybe recess the last little bit on the outside for some ounce an a half chop to try and control print through a bit and anything beyond that could be faired with 3M's Premium Marine filler. At that point it should be very close to a final surface and I'd toss on three or four coats of a waxed jelcoat to finalize it.

Heres the 3m Premium, i love this stuff.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...Premium+Filler

everything else you can get at

http://uscomposites.com/