New transom - gel coated now need to move some stuff - best way to deal with holes!!

[ozscott]

Hi all, it pains me to do this, but when the boys stuck the lights and things on the new transom they put the P66 Airmar way up high (starboard side near trim tab in photo below) and now (cause she doesnt read well at speed any more) I need to move it...but the pump they fitted is in the way (on my old transom I had put that pump above the trim tab...and the transducer near where the bung is..I dont know what gets into people). I was thinking that if I was going to move things, I might as well go even lower with the trans, and move a squid light on the starboard side and stick it there, unless under the pump would do. Any way I cut it I will have 4 holes to fill.

What is the best way to keep water out and also keep it looking half decent. Do I pump the holes full of expoxy and then just float coat neatly over those little holes, or sika the holes and flow coat, or give up and take it back to the boys (would rather do it myself and get it right).

Cheers

[oldie]

best to actually use filler then resin then gel coat to do it right, if its a fresh transom i'd take it back and get things where you want them, and holes filled

[Jarrah Jack]

Hi OZ What I've read, that makes sense to me as I use west system epoxy most days, is that the resin will wick into the glass and timber and seal it properly. After that I would use flow coat to fill it unless Pete, Grand Marlin, has another suggestion.

[Grand_Marlin]

We do a lot of these small holes.
Best way is to clean out the hole with a slightly larger drill bit.
Countersink the top of the hole.
Fill with flow coat.
Sand back.

Cheers

Pete

[top_deck69]

Hi Pete,

Do you fill the foles with anything other than Flowcoat??

Cheers
Ben

[Grand_Marlin]

Not in this case, it is only a small hole so flow coat is fine.

Cheers

Pete

[ozscott]

Thanks Jack and Pete. I will do that. I have just purchased a Maxwell HRC 6 Windless for the anchor. I need to fill some bigger holes from the old winch. Am I better off getting conical shaped dowel for this and punching them below the surface by say 3mm and then flow coating them?

Cheers and thanks again for your help.

[Fed]

Punch these 3 numbers into the product search box ozscott.

888a 832 8420 (one at a time of course)

@ http://www.biasboating.com.au/category_s/456.htm

Mix the talc into the resin to form a paste then add the catalyst, mix well & go for it.

[deckie]

Sounds like you;re getting the good oil. Still happy with those lights mate ? Any signs of corrosion ? They sika'd on or screws ?

One thing i found eons ago when drilling/prepping dozens of holes is an actual 1/2" countersunk drill bit became my new best friend. They're the short stumpy ones with maybe 4-5 blades. Massive help to stop the gelcoat cracking and "exploding" by taking the gelcoat back with it fractionally before drilling the actual hole, and also for prepping (tapering) old holes prior to sanding out and filling/finishing. Maybe as gelcoat ages its more prone to cracking i dont know...wont drill new or fill old holes without it now.

Be nice if a guy like GM could confirm if this is just another "each to their own" thing or used in the industry.

[Jarrah Jack]

I have just purchased a Maxwell HRC 6 Windless for the anchor.

Woo Hoo That was quick mate. I think you'll be rapped with it after the SP. You going to fit it yourself? I wonder if the existing wire will be enough? Fun doing it yourself, once you've got all the right bits and pieces. I'll let Pete answer the question.

[Grand_Marlin]

Thanks Jack and Pete. I will do that. I have just purchased a Maxwell HRC 6 Windless for the anchor. I need to fill some bigger holes from the old winch. Am I better off getting conical shaped dowel for this and punching them below the surface by say 3mm and then flow coating them?

Cheers and thanks again for your help.

What diameter holes and what thickness / depth?

[Grand_Marlin]

Punch these 3 numbers into the product search box ozscott.

888a 832 8420 (one at a time of course)

@ http://www.biasboating.com.au/category_s/456.htm

Mix the talc into the resin to form a paste then add the catalyst, mix well & go for it.

Right products but you don't need the talc or any fillers for this job.

[Grand_Marlin]

Sounds like you;re getting the good oil. Still happy with those lights mate ? Any signs of corrosion ? They sika'd on or screws ?

One thing i found eons ago when drilling/prepping dozens of holes is an actual 1/2" countersunk drill bit became my new best friend. They're the short stumpy ones with maybe 4-5 blades. Massive help to stop the gelcoat cracking and "exploding" by taking the gelcoat back with it fractionally before drilling the actual hole, and also for prepping (tapering) old holes prior to sanding out and filling/finishing. Maybe as gelcoat ages its more prone to cracking i dont know...wont drill new or fill old holes without it now.

Be nice if a guy like GM could confirm if this is just another "each to their own" thing or used in the industry.

Confirmed... There's a trade secret gone now :-X;D

[ozscott]

3/8th x 4 of; 1 inch x 1 of; and all 5 over an inch deep (through the foredeck where the old windlass is) - thanks Pete.

Jack - I am excited about the windlass mate. I rang a few blokes who sell Muir, Lewmar and Maxwell and they were unanimous about it - the HRC 6 is the way to go (and at the moment a good price). They reckon the engineering and build of the HRC 6 is way ahead and they have had nil problems. I will fit it myself, as I did with the South Pacific. The problem with the South Pacific is that (apart from fracturing the nylon insert in the stainless steel gypsy on a regular basis) is that, especially after pulling more than say 8 metres of rode, it heats up and gets REALLY slow. The working load of the HRC 6 is about 4 times what the South Pacific is, and the new wave gypsy is said to pull in the splice between nylon rope and chain without a drama, whereas the South Pacific has problems quite often (mainly when warm and turning slowly).

I have cleaned the commutator and brushes on the SP and re-greased with very light grease etc (and even tried no grease and lanotec as an experiment), and the wiring is oversize, and the batteries are solid, but I think she is just getting long in the tooth and the motor was never the last word in state of the art motors anyway... I also think that my boat and anchor is too heavy for it. When I got it they said it would easily do up to 22 foot, but since they have got more serious and in fact now if you ring them with a 21 foot glass boat they try to get you up a size windlass. I think say for a 5.5m with 10 pound anchor versus a 21 footer with 15 pound minimum, then it would be a great winch.

Cheers

[Grand_Marlin]

Ideally dowelled, ground back, 2 or 3 layers of glass mat, then gel coated.

Being in the foredeck you could get away with just filling with flow coat

Dont use dowel and flowcoat.

Cheers

Pete

[Fed]

How about parting with another trade secret GM?

How do you stop the goop slumping if you don't add a filler?

I found even with the talc it still slumped a bit.
Just checked my boat, when I got it I finished up with 17 spare holes in the port side of the transom let alone all the other spares around it.
Anyway, did quicky job on the holes that counted and haven't touched it since, you can see the slumped goop in the larger holes below.
79440
I really need to go over them a little with a final smear, can I just rough up the flow coat then apply more over the top?

[Chimo]

Hi Fed

One way to reduce "slumping" that I have used (and GM probably has others like heat and a little more mekp) is to stretch plastic wrap tightly over the wet patch by pulling and taping the edges with masking tape.

Use a squeegee smooth out the patch to remove all "waves" or high spots.

After the repair has cured remove the plastic wrap and sand with a block. If your still to apply gel coats use 150 grit, if you've applied gel you probably need to lightly sand between coats. If your at final gel coat stage lightly sand and feather edge the surrounding area using fine (240 grit). Then wet sand with 400 grit followed by 600 grit then use lambs wool to polish.

The taped plastic "cling wrap" system works well as long as yon don't apply too much resin or gel coat and you dont get too heavy handed with the squeegee. Wetting the squeegee prior to using it gives a lot more control.

Got to love FRP!

Cheers
Chimo

[Fed]

HaHa, I finished mine off with a flat bastard file and then went fishing.