Seafarer Victory - Hardtop conversion.

[scottar]

Sanding,sanding and sanding and then polish, polish and polish.and then realise you need another coat and the cycle starts all over.

I do it with a couple of rums as it all make sense then,

,

Ah the f*%k up coat...….I mean flow coat - nope right the first time. Brushed it on yesterday, sanded it off today - it does do a nice job as a fairing compound - just a tad expensive. I have now rolled on two coats of gelcoat with a coat of flowcoat to come later. While not as smooth as the brushed surface it's a lot more consistent so hopefully I won't sand through it...………...as much. That's the way it works in my poor little demented brain at least. Ask me again tomorrow

[brett62]

Scott what has worked for me is a reasonable heavy coat of gelcoat and let harden then I wet sand down with 240 to bring the surface even and if it has covered well I then lay a coat of flow coat. If not another gelcoat goes on. I do the last coat using the plastic sheet over the top wherever I can because it saves sanding. You would be surprised how easy it will go around the curves.

Are you colour matching ?

[scottar]

Scott what has worked for me is a reasonable heavy coat of gelcoat and let harden then I wet sand down with 240 to bring the surface even and if it has covered well I then lay a coat of flow coat. If not another gelcoat goes on. I do the last coat using the plastic sheet over the top wherever I can because it saves sanding. You would be surprised how easy it will go around the curves.

Are you colour matching ?

As best as white straight out of the tin does Brett. It sanded back flat pretty easy this morning - if anything too easy...……..or I went too hard. I have intention of being a lot more gentle tomorrow. I've already hit it with the flow coat so we will see what happens tomorrow.

[gazza2006au]

Attachment 118043Sliders measured up today and threw a coat of flowcoat (as well as a healty spattering of bugs - WTF is their fascination with white wet surface coatings) on the coaming adapter. More sanding tomorrow as the flowcoat was less than friendly about going on smooth - which I knew it would - but we all live in denial right...…...or is that just me

Bugs love anything bright mate because i think it resembles the bright colours of flowers in nature so they are attracted to it like a magnet, with my water based paint the bugs loved the undercoat but went no where near the two top coat layers

[scottar]

Are you colour matching ?

You knew something didn't you Brett. I'll bet you were sitting there chuckling away to yourself when I typed my initial reply to this question...………. At any rate, I did a much better job this morning of sanding - only went through in about a dozen spots this time - most likely courtesy of using the wrong roller sleeves and still ending up with a finish that required a fair bit of work. At any rate, once it was done it was still predominantly a white colour so I put it on the dash...…..and now I'm colour matching - or more specifically, I'm handing it over to someone else to colour match it. I typically only bang my head into a wall so many times before admitting I am not the best man for the job - well mostly anyway

[brett62]

You knew something didn't you Brett. I'll bet you were sitting there chuckling away to yourself when I typed my initial reply to this question...………. At any rate, I did a much better job this morning of sanding - only went through in about a dozen spots this time - most likely courtesy of using the wrong roller sleeves and still ending up with a finish that required a fair bit of work. At any rate, once it was done it was still predominantly a white colour so I put it on the dash...…..and now I'm colour matching - or more specifically, I'm handing it over to someone else to colour match it. I typically only bang my head into a wall so many times before admitting I am not the best man for the job - well mostly anyway

Yes its very white out of the can. Go down to Whitworths and get some pigments. I picked up a bottle of black,yellow and cream. It is not that hard to tint and you will get very close to what you have and you don't need much of it to change colour so be careful. Very important you pick a spot close to where you are adding the new gelcoat. Make sure you give the area a good buff so your back to the original colour with no oxidation.

The next important step is to make sure that you are out in the daylight to start the tinting. Try and work out how much flowcoat/gelcoat you will be using to complete the job and just take your time and add the smallest amount of tint as it will change very quickly. If you want, just start off with a small amount of flowcoat/gelcoat so you get the idea. Of course you don't add any catalyst and just put small dobs on the area you just cleaned until you can't tell the difference. When you think you have it right the next very important step is to get the wife to check to see if she can see a difference. The female eyes are so much better for colours then ours.

Stick at it Scott as IMO the gelcoat is much better then 2 pack paint just a lot of sanding. Also makes repairs much easier, just a lot of sanding.

If you want some tint you are welcome to use what I have but a bit of a drive for you. I think Whitworths are just around the corner from you and it's about $12 a jar. Without seeing your boat you may just want the Cream. Once you have it you will use it for repairs down the road and looks much better when you blend them in. You often see glass boats with patches of different colors and looks like shit. Just make sure you colour match to the area you are working as you will find on different parts of the boat it would be more or less faded. Anyway continue.

[Dignity]

Scott, whichever place you bought your gelcoat from, providing it's not a plain retailer like Whitworths, will give you half a teaspoon of tint free of charge, this will tint a couple of litres of gelcoat, place I get mine from up the coast also repairs surf boats and were happy to just give it to me. You need so little tint as Brett says that you can easily put too much in, just a bit on the end of a paddle pop stick will be more than enough. Some of your local boat repair places would be happy to give you some.
Interestingly tinted gelcoat/flowcoat doesn't change depth of colour once set unlike paints. If using paints the best way to check the finished colour is to put a dab on a piece of clear glass and when viewed from the other side will give you the finished colour. Old painters trick.

[TREVELLY]

Seeing this thread Scott makes me glad mine came with a hard top.
But good on you - well worth it

[scottar]

Still arguing with the gelcoat / flowcoat but the colour is better this time at least20181104_171229.jpg20181104_171245.jpg20181104_171216.jpg

[gazza2006au]

Scott will the HT conversion still fit in your garage mate? be cautious of whatu make the roof of the hard top from because that shed roof might get really hot in middle of summer on those 50c+ days and it may warp or catch fire

[scottar]

It's tight Gazza but I should be right. Lid will be vinylester and foam predominantly. Insulation in the shed might be a good idea too. We rarely get past 35 - 36 where we are - just humidity makes it uncomfortable

[Chimo]

Or you could just put an AC in the shed..........

the rocket launchers will hit first. Guess your going to sandwich the hard top between plates at the base of the rocket launcher and the topof the soon to be support SS upright.

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[fishtragic]

What stage are you up to Scott, I've been lurking on this post to steal ideas. I'm starting the process myself shortly. Wavebreaker, hardtop and clears. Too much grief doing glass windows with the amount of wraparound on the Vermont. Have you or any other member seen or done similar on a Vermont?

[honda900]

Ah the f*%k up coat...….I mean flow coat - nope right the first time. Brushed it on yesterday, sanded it off today - it does do a nice job as a fairing compound - just a tad expensive. I have now rolled on two coats of gelcoat with a coat of flowcoat to come later. While not as smooth as the brushed surface it's a lot more consistent so hopefully I won't sand through it...………...as much. That's the way it works in my poor little demented brain at least. Ask me again tomorrow

use a spray gun... not too hard to do, much better finish..

Regards
HOnda.

[scottar]

Or you could just put an AC in the shed..........

the rocket launchers will hit first. Guess your going to sandwich the hard top between plates at the base of the rocket launcher and the topof the soon to be support SS upright.

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Sorry Chimo, missed this one mate. Yes, The top is being cut off the original rocket launcher and plated to keep costs down. New supports from gunwale to roof in 32mm with a bit of bracing thrown in. Glass sandwiched in between. Should get away with overall height increase of about 25mm.