I use laminating resin for all the phases of a project like this except for finish or final coats. For that i add a waxing agent. PVA is what is sprayed on and the only time i will do that is if I'm out of wax or working an exterior surface. Yes you are along the correct line of thinking, tack free is just for final surfaces.

I started tearing into a never ending wetness!

The transom was wet almost all over. Came out okay, now for the fun part of getting the last layer off. I got all of the stringers out too. They were gone, almost fell out. The wet foam came out in one huge piece too. Very nice.

It seems like the bottom is thinner under the foam. At this point I am thinking that I will rebuild the stringers and repour new foam. Otherwise, I would want to build up the bottom/floor. I started in on the port side looking for dry wood. It looks like I will be going all the way to the forward bulkhead. The stringers moving forward in between the foam pieces did not appear to be glassed to the bottom of the boat. Is this right? The seemed more like dividers in the foam. There was glue/putty under them. Were they glued down? I think I will peel/sand all of the glue up and build a stringer to sit in top of this chine.

Any insight on going with foam again? Is this structural? I want to put real stringers in then foam.

What a mess!

can anybody read this ?

I agree, real stringers then foam it back in.

What lb. foam do you guys think they used? 2lb just to fill these voids or 8 lb. to support the decking. As stated before, the hull seems to be thinner where there was foam. I am thinking 8lb. to be safe.

wow! congrats on the sale of the Excalibur matt.

one hell of a project going there with the sea ray. looks like you got your work cut out for ya.. good luck!

8 lb would be way to much for that project. I would not use anything over four if you needed to support the floor, the higher the density the lower the rate of expansion to. The two pound would probably work for any of it if all your glasswork is done structuraly. Do the stringers in wood/glass and encapsulate both sides of the floor then fill the voids in 2lb. If you tried to use 8 you would need a huge amount, the expansion rate is only about 8:1 versus about 30:1 for 2lb.

Awesome, thanks.

Matt, seeing you have gone this far(very ambitious by the way), why not a nice HP500 or similar so you dont get bored next year? Or maybe your lookin for the "no maintainence" boat this year? Good luck!......Kevin

Definitely looking for low maintenance and something that I can stand to turn other family members loose in. I am thinking about putting a Bravo III on it and sticking with the 350/260.