Making Bulges In engine Hatch
 

Hi Guys,

I am going to attempt to make some humps to clear my exhaust where it is higher than the hatch. The PO installed some horrible looking rough made fiberglass humps, and they really bring the boat down. I'm somewhat new to this stuff, but I have a roll of Kevlar, and a roll of Carbon fiber in the shop along with some epoxy, and I think I'll give it a go.

Should I try to use the materials I have, or go pick up some glass, and resin?

I plan on making a foam plug, taking a mold, them forming my parts. I have a basic understanding for what needs to happen, but I have a feeling there will be some trial and error involved. Is this the best way to do this? What about free forming them over fleece, or even right over the foam and then cutting the foam out?

I have attached a pic of the current hatch, you can see the humps on either side of the scoop.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_HEgDepHDnCg/St...0/CIMG1181.JPG

Thanks in advance for any tips! I will try to document my progress as I go.

For ease of workability i would probably just use poly (vinylester is better though) and 1808 bi-ax, dont bother with the epoxy, Kevlar or carbon. What about re shaping what's already there? easiest way would be a quickie mold off a foam piece and knock out a few parts.


nice lookin Cig by the way.

Off topic but is this the boat that was sitting outside the Casino last Saturday?

My cousin gave me the keys to his Top Gun that day, we stopped by but didn't go in and this boat looks like the one we saw hanging out, outside.

We were in a white with purple/pink stripes TG.

Thanks, Dave. I thought about re working what is already there, but they are so poorly done, I think I will have as much or more work in that. They are also not attached very well to the hatch, and basically just painted on. They were a temporary fix, and now they need a permanent solution. Thanks for the advice on the materials, I will go pick up some 1808 and go from there!

That was us! We were waiting on a friend at Portside. I remember seeing you guys as well, good looking Gun.

Ha! That is funny, I just noticed the lifeline in the pic and thought it had to be the same one. The boat looked a lot bigger on the water, I'm surprised it is a 24...Good looking boat tho I like it.

If I could dock that big TG for **** in close quarters we would have stopped in but I didn't want to embarass myself or worse ding somebody elses boat...

If you see us again, be sure to stop and say hi! The boat doesn't act like a 24' at all, feels much bigger too. Do you boat up there often with your 240?

I used to...when it ran. Hopefully be running it around again soon.

Currently > http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/b...thread-10.html

Okay, so got the old mess off today. Do i need to sand all the way down to fiberglass before I attach the new ones? I assume yes... I sanded it til it was flat, and threw a quick coat of paint on it so I can hit the lake while I work on designing a mold for the humps. Actually looks kind of cool with the big polished CMI's rising ever so slightly through the hatch. Will post pics tomorrow.

you want to sand thru the gel coat to the glass, wether you are using resin or epoxy clean the srface with acetone then apply the resin and wetted out glass, you do not need the kevlar/ carbon just use fiberglass, you can apply up to four layers at once with resin, or as many as you want with epoxy. if you use more than four layers with the glass you will make it burn and bubble, let it kick resand or grind the area then apply bondo type filler or use colloidal silica mixed in annd just as it kicks use a rasp for rough shape then apply second coat filling the scratches, sand, prime then paint, simple as that