Headlining Disaster

[drakes drum]

Like many of 'us' Paw Paw started to suffer from permanent droop and sagging and we decided that professionals were needed to totally replace the headlining.

Having searched the net we contracted Spencer Marine Ltd for £9,000 to travel to Gibraltar and replace all the Vinyl.

We did not see the finished job until after it was completed and both Louise and I were distraught. So horrified and disappointed. Have a look, if you like, at the pictures of the finished work - http://www.michaelbriant.com/new_page_68.htm

It maybe that I am becoming a grumpy old git and expect too much but having done the replacement headlining job once myself on a Prout 33 I did expect 'professionals', for lots of money, to have done at least as good a job as I had done.

Have others had similar experiences with Spencer Marine or other companies? Can you recommend anyone as I am 100% certain it is all going to sag again in a year or so as automotive headlining adhesive has been used rather than marine contact glue like SAF111 which should be applied to the GRP and marine spray like Trade Track or similar to the foam backing.

Have others used automotive aerosols successfully on their boat headlining?

Michael

I must be dim but no way can I find the piccies of the roof lining on that link. For that matter I can only see bits about a prout cat

 

[longjohnsilver]

Didn't the OP say "The money arrived in my account this afternoon."?

Yes.

 

[Otter]

Yes.

he did

 

[KREW2]

How do you view the pictures, I see nothing.

 

[pvb]

How do you view the pictures, I see nothing.

Too late, now removed, nothing to see sir, move along please...

 

[KREW2]

Ah well, been prattin around the site for 15 minutes.

 

[davidpbo]

Likewise. Having done my own headlining this year I would have liked to have seen pictures out of interest, however I can understand why the op has removed them.

I did use Hawke House materials, methods and glues. I suspect glues with identical properties are available under different names. Since the job was a lot of work I did not want to chance anything and used what they recommend.

I did not get on with face off discs on curved surfaces and used a cup brush on an angle grinder.

 

[GrahamM376]

I did use Hawke House materials, methods and glues. I suspect glues with identical properties are available under different names.

I've been shopping around for adhesives recently and contacted several manufacturers. The paint on adhesive is a special mix made only for Hawke House and makers won't supply direct. Problem with most adhesives is that the plasticiser in the vinyl causes the adhesive to fail after a while. Water based adhesives are around for sticking to ply but haven't yet found any for grp which are guaranteed not to fail.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I've been shopping around for adhesives recently and contacted several manufacturers. The paint on adhesive is a special mix made only for Hawke House and makers won't supply direct. Problem with most adhesives is that the plasticiser in the vinyl causes the adhesive to fail after a while. Water based adhesives are around for sticking to ply but haven't yet found any for grp which are guaranteed not to fail.

In doing my head lining, where the foam has gone to dust, I bought new high density white foam sheet from Hawke House. I remove all the dust from the head lining with a vacuum cleaner and wire brush (hand). The vinyl is still in good condition, so I wire brush the hull to clean any residue, but I dont get the old glue off.

I then bond the foam to the hull using "sticks like Sh!t" using a spreading comb, offer up and stick the foam. When dry I then stick the vinyl to the foam, using the same adhesive. S L S is waterproof and very suitable for bonding in a marine environment.

The advantage of this method is that complicated sown areas can just be pulled back and re foamed, sliding the foam in behind the awkward bits which you just could not do with impact adhesive.

The ceilings have large ply panels which are easy to remove and do ashore, and I have not had to move any furniture as there is space to push unfoamed edges of vinyl into to get a good finish.

I know some people who just clean up the dusty foam off the vinyl and restick without foam. I did this in one cupboard as a trial at the start, but it did not look as good. Later when I had done all the insides to the cupboards with foam, the temperature difference (in Greece) in the cupboard was huge, so insulation of the foam is VITAL.

Just a small area left to do now, and redo part of the forepeak which was done first and I am not happy with.

I am doubtful that the vinyl that comes with the grey foam bonded will last, as it looks the same as the previous rubbish. The white foam should have a life of 40 years or more.........I'll be dead by then and my children can have the problem!