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taken from www.rotdoctor.com
General Rules for Glass Boat Maintenance
Here are some very general rules for glass boat maintenance that are not usually covered in the owner's manual:
1) Cover loosely so air can circulate. Use a light color cover so that minimum heat is absorbed. The tight-fitting canvas covers look nice but they allow little air circulation, even with the little ventilation pockets.
2) Keep hatches, lockers etc. open if possible so air can circulate. This evaporates away moisture and allows for more normal temperature gradients.
3) Always keep the bilges as dry as possible. On trailered boats be sure to pull the drain plug and have the stern be the lowest part of the boat when you haul out.
4) Examine the boat interior structure carefully and search for areas where wood has been exposed. When you find it, treat thoroughly with CPES™ (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer), allowing the wood to absorb all it can.
5) Examine all through-hull and through-deck fittings and make sure they are properly bedded. Re-bed if questionable. Do not use silicone bedding compounds! We don't like them and neither do most professional boat people. Use instead a polysulfide or polyurethane compound. We prefer the polyurethanes, such as 3-M's 4200 because we believe the urethane bonds better with epoxy than the polysulfide's. After applying the compound, fasten down 75% of the way, allow the compound to cure, and then fasten down to tight. This makes the compound into a kind of o-ring seal - much better for keeping water out.
6) Examine the hull exterior and look for places where the glass has been chipped or scratched to the laminate. If you find them, dry thoroughly (maybe a hair dryer?) and then treat with CPES™. The CPES™ will penetrate further through the glass substrate than any other epoxy product we know of. Treat at least 3 times, allowing 24 hours between treatments. Allow the glass to absorb all the CPES™ it will. After the final treatment allow a few days of cure time and then apply our Fill-It™ Epoxy Filler to smooth off. Paint the area for final finish. Be careful of gel coat over epoxy. Remember that polyester resins do not adhere well to epoxy, unless the epoxy is free of amine blush and is a bit rough. For small dings in the gel coat, CPES™ is not required and a standard gel coat repair kit can be used to finish.
Here are some very general rules for glass boat maintenance that are not usually covered in the owner's manual:
1) Cover loosely so air can circulate. Use a light color cover so that minimum heat is absorbed. The tight-fitting canvas covers look nice but they allow little air circulation, even with the little ventilation pockets.
2) Keep hatches, lockers etc. open if possible so air can circulate. This evaporates away moisture and allows for more normal temperature gradients.
3) Always keep the bilges as dry as possible. On trailered boats be sure to pull the drain plug and have the stern be the lowest part of the boat when you haul out.
4) Examine the boat interior structure carefully and search for areas where wood has been exposed. When you find it, treat thoroughly with CPES™ (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer), allowing the wood to absorb all it can.
5) Examine all through-hull and through-deck fittings and make sure they are properly bedded. Re-bed if questionable. Do not use silicone bedding compounds! We don't like them and neither do most professional boat people. Use instead a polysulfide or polyurethane compound. We prefer the polyurethanes, such as 3-M's 4200 because we believe the urethane bonds better with epoxy than the polysulfide's. After applying the compound, fasten down 75% of the way, allow the compound to cure, and then fasten down to tight. This makes the compound into a kind of o-ring seal - much better for keeping water out.
6) Examine the hull exterior and look for places where the glass has been chipped or scratched to the laminate. If you find them, dry thoroughly (maybe a hair dryer?) and then treat with CPES™. The CPES™ will penetrate further through the glass substrate than any other epoxy product we know of. Treat at least 3 times, allowing 24 hours between treatments. Allow the glass to absorb all the CPES™ it will. After the final treatment allow a few days of cure time and then apply our Fill-It™ Epoxy Filler to smooth off. Paint the area for final finish. Be careful of gel coat over epoxy. Remember that polyester resins do not adhere well to epoxy, unless the epoxy is free of amine blush and is a bit rough. For small dings in the gel coat, CPES™ is not required and a standard gel coat repair kit can be used to finish.
There has been a lot of discussion lately on the subject of repairing FRP. I would like to share a source that every Blackfin Owner should know about. They have some awesome products and and are a veritable fountain of knowledge on the subject. Take a look at their website www.rotdoctor.com. Give them a call if you have questions. They have always proved willing to listen and offer advice.
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