Many questions.

[Lee_Shaw]

Hello, got a few things I could do with some advice on please.

1. I am about to fill some old holes left from removing my stanchion bases as the new ones are at different centres. There are three holes per base and they are about 2" deep and, after I've filed them out, about 10mm (3/8") wide. I intend to fill them with West epoxy using a syringe type thing though I'm aware that epoxy can generate a bit of heat when it's curing. Will my holes generate sufficient heat to cause any damage to the surrounding area?

2. I'm having some external joinery renewed and would like to know what special glues should be used?

3. I'm altering the cockpit drains and I will be adding another skin fitting to the stern to accomodate the extra drain. Where I would like to site it is only 4-6" or so from another skin fitting (exhaust outlet). The area seems very strong but will I have to take any extra precautions due to the proximity of another skin fitting?

4. Boot top. What type of paint should be used? is it antifouling of some sort?

5. I'm sure I've heard mention or read of a type or brand of rope which is less prone to chafing sails and therefore more suitable for reefing points etc. Have I dreamt this up?

Thanks for any help

Steve

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[Strathglass]

Your first question.
Yes, fill the holes with epoxy but, don't use it neat mix it with a filler powder eg microfibres.

Epoxy itself is quite brittle. I am sure there is plenty of advice on how to use it on the West site. Unless you are using it during a heat wave you should have no overheating problems.

Iain

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[snowleopard]

glue for exterior joinery needs to be waterproof so don't use e.g. woodworker's white glue. best thing is epoxy, if there is a gap to fill, add microfibres.

you don't specify the hull construction but 4-6" should be fine unless it's clinker/carvel. make sure the pipes don't touch.

Boot top paint is a form of antifoul. it's available in a limited range of colours. more common these days is to carry the antifoul above the waterline then add a stripe of enamel or vinyl above the waterline. this also makes an awb look less boxy.

not a lot in it for chafe but if you are keen, the matt multiplait has a felt-like finish. just don't wash it with fabric softener!!


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[Evadne]

Hopefully your epoxy questions will be answered by one of our resident experts but I'd be surprised if that amount of West epoxy would heat up that much. I'd use a filler as well, one of the harder ones as it's in a relatively stressed area. The best glue for woodwork is probably epoxy, resorcinal and other waterproof glues from an earlier era are just as good at first, but unless you're trying to save the ha'porth of tar, I use epoxy in all things.

4. Boot topping is a special type of antifoul, basically a hard scrubbable with extra biocides, most chandlers keep it on the same shelf as the usual antifoul.

5. You might be thinking of the "soft touch" polyester that is often used for sheets. My main is nearly 20 years old and there is no sign of chafing from the standard multiplait used in the reefing points and pennants; I wouldn't worry about it.


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[oldsaltoz]

G'day Steve,

Re question #

1> Stick a bit of masking tape over the bottom of the holes and fill with epoxy resin mixed with some 'Q' cells, this stuff is very easy to sand off to a smooth finish, use micro fibres only if you plan to install new bolts and need a solid seal as this stuff is very hard to sand off. The holes are too small to generate enough heat to worry you.

2> If you sticking timber to timber, a mix of epoxy resin and micro fibres will be stronger than the timber in most applications; wipe off any glue that squeezes out as it's very hard to sand off when cured.

3> No extra strengthening is normally required for this type of fitting, but it's difficult to say for sure without knowing just how strong the existing transom is and weather it has and ply inside or is solid glass.

4> Avoid paint, use a boot-top stick on, much neater, much less time and less money, boot tops are not antifoul, they provide a hard line for easy scrubbing and a neat line between antifoul and gel-coat.

Hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend.



<hr width=100% size=1> Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Growing old is unavoidable. However, growing up is still optional.

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Thanks for the replies guys - very helpful as usual.

I'm still a bit confused about the boot top though. As many different answers as replies. It's a scrubbable anti-f, an enamel or a stick-on. I have painted my topsides in two pack marine paint. Would a different colour of this stuff do the job or is there something better?

I must have dreamt the sail ties thing up, but I could swear I read recently about some type of cordage advised by the guy that sails around the world the wrong way in a yacht called British Steel - can't remember his name even though I've read his book. Very annoying when that happens. It's on the tip of me tongue, is it Mike someone? Anyway it'll come back to me when I'm not thinking about it.

Thanks again

Steve

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[snowleopard]

the name you are after is chay blyth.

as regards boot top, the traditional boot top is a band of strong antifouling at the waterline to prevent fouling in the surface zone. on a modern boat it is a cosmetic stripe above the waterline which makes high white topsides look less like the cliffs of dover.

pick a paint according to which arrangement your boat has!

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[Spuddy]

for wood repairs I've switched to polyurethane adhesives - Balcotan is one brand name; a decent chandler should stock it - Sharpe and Enwright do. It's easy to use and will give a neater glueline than epoxy + filler. Although if you've bought the epoxy and followed oldsaltz advice then there might not be much point in paying out more money.
The thing about reefing lines...... I too read something on here recently about using spectra for low chafe reefing pennants. I've got some spectra slinbgs left over from climbing days and the advantage of it was higher strength. I'd assumed the low chafe referred to the pennant and not to it's effect on the sailcloth. Try a search on spectra if the previous poster doesn't surface.

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[Lee_Shaw]

Thankyou. So I'm not mad after all.

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