Casting Deck Composite Material

[dipster2]

Hello folks,

my Galeforce 4.8 side console has just been given back to me after some very expensive repairs following stringer failure. Obviously getting access to this area meant ripping out all of its casting decks and floor.

DSC_0258.jpgDSC_0260.jpg

I now have a flat honeycomb floor (digicore??? I cant remember the name) and the job of replacing the front and rear casting decks begins. To make my job even harder, I would like to try making an in-built esky as well as fabricating my own side console.

The approx weight I removed by taking it all out was 200kg, therefore I dont want to put it all back in again with ply, especially seeing as I am repowering it with a new and heavier 90HP Suzi (previosuly had a 60HP Yammy).

After checking some historical posts on this forum, I see that a product called Thermo-Lite has some good reviews, and I am seriously looking at it as my choice. I still have a few questions though before I fork out the money on some very pricey bits of board.

1. To achieve adequate strength for being stood on by potentially a couple of big boppers, which thickness should i opt for? 12.7, 19 or 25 (or higher even??). I intend to use bulkheads but would like to try not to compromise storage by having heaps of bracing etc so that it doesnt flex.
2. What type of adhesion method works best? Epoxy?
3. If I wanted to use it as an esky, which thickness would withstand QLD or NT summer temps? 25mm minimum Im thinking?
4. Am I correct inthinking that it can be simply cut and glued into place and then flowcoated (obviously with some glass tape layups where it meets the hull and is unsupported)

Thanks in advance for any hot tips.

Daryl

[Fish Face]

Hey mate. Give Martin at Bonito boats a call or flick him an email. He uses a lot of this style of product.

[Adam_G]

I used polypropylene honeycomb when I did my rebuild. 20mm is very strong when glassed both sides with 450 DB and poly resin. Remember nice big radius' for any joins. Use 25mm green insulation foam (can't remember name) that doesn't react with poly resin for esky, insulate floor, sides and roof and you will end up with a good esky.

[dipster2]

G'Day Adam,

I was hoping to avoid using copious amounts of resin and chopped mat to cover honeycomb. I live in NT so the heat means very low pot times.
The green foam was used in the old casting deck design and when I was ripping it out it had been penetrated by water and was pretty rank, so was a little hesitant to use it.

Thanks for the reply mate.

[Rip it up]

Have you considered just using the honeycomb panels as the esky walls. 25mm honeycomb will have a thermal property similar to foam.

Epoxy resins would be the preferred resin system.

You can also go to a balsa core product supplied from ATL composites with a layer of glass on both sides. All vacuum bagged and stupid strong. It's been awhile since I bought a sheet but it's a very comparable product for large unsupported sections. Just cove and tape into the floor and hull.


Damo's dodgy boat building repair centre.

[Dignity]

For the floor a mate of mine used the stuff that the local caravan shopfitter uses for all his cabinet work, it is white and light and waterproof, I need to do some mods myself so I will try and find out what it is.

[The Woo]

Nema board.

Its waterproof and light, but not UV rated, so good if covered in carpet etc...

[The Woo]

http://www.spec-net.com.au/press/0510/cow_260510.htm

[The Woo]

http://www.spec-net.com.au/press/0510/cow_260510.htm

That's Nema, and interesting to se that say it IS actually UV stable!

[Dignity]

dipster2, the stuff my mate used was VLite and he said there was another called Nycell both I think re from lamiex industries, as it will be carpeted I doubt if UV is a worry for you.

[dipster2]

The plan is to flow coat and then carpet, so yes thats fine. Thanks mate

[Dignity]

The plan is to flow coat and then carpet, so yes thats fine. Thanks mate

dipster, with Nema, Vlite, Nycelletc I think flowcoat will be overkill as it is already waterproof or is there another reason you want to add work to your project.

[dipster2]

What reason would I have to add work??

It would need to be painted in some way otherwise all the joints which arent covered by carpet would look pretty untidy. Also, although I cant find much info on vlite or nycell, if they are like other composite boards ive researched, they come in all different types of colours, therefore I was looking to flowcoat to blend in with the undisturbed deck coating (flecked flowcoat).

[Dignity]

OK, thought it was all to be covered

[dipster2]

OK, thought it was all to be covered

No dramas mate, the carpet will just be on the horizontal surfaces.