Did some searching a few weeks back but couldn't find any posts on this, although I'm sure they exist.
I have a 2002 Ranger 619, love the boat but the front storage and rod locker lids are getting a little more flexy when I step on them, does anyone have any ideas of best way to stiffen them? My thought so far is aluminum tubing, but I'm not sure what would bond to fiberglass and aluminum.
See pics.
Thank you for any advice!
Look to see if any spider cracking exists in the gelcoat under the lids especially in the transitions from horizontal to vertical flange. Also cracking in the centers. If the flanges are rolling you should see spider cracks. If you're not seeing anything in the transitions and just have to stiffening the hatch lids I would consider 1/8in fiberglass sheet. I just used the 1/4in version to reinforce the trolling motor pad, you can see what the stuff looks like on my Blazer post. You can epoxy panels under the lids but unless there is damage existing I would live with the spongy feeling. There are numerous ways to stiffen but I like the panels the best for ease of installation.
Here is a Amazon link to the material I buy, the thickness is 1/16 in this link. Depending on the hatch condition this may work with less weight.
https://www.amazon.com/USA-Sealing-G...6310384&sr=8-5
Thank you for the help. I looked pretty close last night no cracking anywhere on the lid. I have a feeling after another year or two it could start cracking though.
What type of epoxy would you recommend?
I always use West Systems. Now a couple if things, one if you go the panel route they can be cut around the hatch latches. You can leave a U-shaped opening in the latch direction. Two, if you pre-cut and fit your panels you can bevel the edges and paint them first before laminating in place. I would use a 2K Single Stage Urethane, it will stick and remain a bit flexible just don't wipe with acetone during clean up. West Systems 406 to thicken is all you would need. Mayo consistency will be fine. I would pull each hatch and lay upside down to laminate so you can just weight the reinforcement down to the hatch. Do one at a time as you will realize better methods as you go. If you paint the show sides first be sure to sand both sides so your not trying to keep the painted side from getting scratched later, sanding them for a tooth.
Another thing I would do is clamp a block or stop on the line where one edge of the reinforcement will be positioned so after thinly buttering you can drop the panel in its exact place. Just remove the block before the epoxy sets.
It's crazy with one group of boats they built. The front (big lids) used marine ply and the smaller rear lids used the foam core.
If it was me, I would cut around the edge of the plywood and rip it out, and then sand it down with a 40-36 grit disk. I would get some divinycell and rebuild them. I would use this...https://www.fibreglast.com/category/Sandwich-Core
2023 SCB 20EF
2023 SCB CC 210LR
Yes, if he has rotten plywood hatches he's got to remove the wood. My comments assume all glass hatches.
They are all fiberglass. Could you please recommend a brand of the 2k urethane? What I’ve been finding online refers to paint, but maybe that’s the correct stuff?
lots of experience with most things mechanical but have never gotten into fiberglass.
one more question in pic attached. This is my revocable rear deck, just saw today that the stringer is pulling away. Can I use the same epoxies mentioned to reattach?
I’ll attach pic tomorrow when in front of my computer, not letting me do it right now with my phone.
I like PPG Refinish's Shop Line Single Stage for this type of project. Their Shop Line Urethanes have good build, good gloss holdout, not as good as their premium urethanes but not at premium prices either. Inside of hatches you can't go wrong. If you put the hardener in the fridge is lasts years. Wipe the threads well before putting the cap back on. I don't use the marine urethane paints, growing up in body shops I use what I know. Also I use the slow reducer and let the flash time go twice as long before top coating. I stick a gloved finger in the masking tape to check flash time. If any stringing of paint happens I wait. When I can touch and its sticky but not stringy I top coat. The paint flows less between coats but runs a lot less too.
Images of deckIMG_3217.JPGIMG_3218.JPG
Rojoguio, will this Urethane work? It's what the local Auto Value had. Working on collecting materials.IMG_3234.JPG
Bud that's sealer, not topcoat. Omni is a good product. Just painting the undersides of the hatch and the substrate is fiberglass you really don't need a primer. Sealer is used when you have multiple substrate materials you're wanting to topcoat with one product. You just want a Urethane Topcoat. The better the grade, the better the adhesion. Put your leftover hardener in the refrigerator, not one you keep food in, and it will last a long time.
In this thread I explain the need for sealer. http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=1139628
I've been working on a Triton 240LTS and really just looking at your pictures of the stiffener de-laminating. If it were mine I would be grinding down the stiffener areas and re-laminating the stiffeners first. May totally fix your problem. It looks like they rolled gelcoat over the chopper gun - chop. Use a woven reinforcement with some build and I think your hatch will be fine. Grind thru the gelcoat to the glass before laminating over the top.
Helping people has it's rewards, I helped a guy yesterday pull a 250Etec off the back of his boat when it was really stuck on. Electrolysis had fused the bolts to the C-Cloamp of the engine to the Jackplate, really a pain to free, he was removing a Power Pole XL and ordering a new jackplate so he gave me both of the drops. Both are in fine shape too. He sold the engine to someone else so needed it removed without any damage.
When I did get the rod locker off. I did find a bit of spider cracking 3 spots about 2" diameter each. Got the garolite sheeting, do you think I can go over the top of everything with the sheeting? Or do I sand down the spider cracks and epoxy fiberglass roll taping in first?
Thank you for all the help!
post pictures
So the cracking you see in my humble opinion is from a instance of high weight on small place. Not deep gelcoat in that area. If you grind everything to put a tooth and epoxy your sheeting over after it's going to stay, forever. I would either cut the stiffener off, epoxy the sheet, then re fiberglass the stiffener on, or try just the sheet first. Either way prep grinding will be need to apply a tooth to the new substrate before the stiffener is added. You may find the hatch will be stiff after the sheet alone. The pictures really help as my imagination was conjuring up more damage from the description than is there. A picture is worth a thousand words right?
Be sure to have some acetone and shop paper towels handy to police up the excess epoxy from under the sheet. If you don't have a excess problem you didn't apply enough epoxy.
Last question I think before epoxying in the garolite. For bonding to the white gel coat lid and garolite, is 80 grit sandpaper rough enough to get a good bond between the two?
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