# AirFlex refresh project



## Delmer (Dec 26, 2009)

With that size boat I would probably move the fuel to the front where you have the bait well that would allow a bait well and 1 or 2 storage hatches to be placed in the rear deck. Once you get that Yeti full of ice and supplies it will weigh quite a bit. 


Just my .02¢


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Yeah, after reading the yeti casting deck thread(s) I am rethinking my plan. I may make a little dimple up front for the base of a yeti with some attachment points for tie down straps and use a yeti with seadek for the casting platform up front and do a couple hatches for storage in the back.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Took the boat out for the first time today. 3 kids two adults. Poles very shallow. Runs good. Isn't the fastest thing in the water but it does well enough.

I am still batting 0 for redfish.......

Trout and steelhead I know, salt water is proving difficult.


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

NICE graphics. Good luck with the build.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Competing for my time.....

Here are some pics of the stitch and glue drift boat project that is competing with my skiff for my time. As an Idaho boy displaced to TX for work, the drift boat project moved south with us. But I got to get it done and out of the garage.

Under the rear casting deck. Ready for foam, and then close it up. 








Not sure why I spent so much time sanding and making beautiful an area no one should ever see...... I will know what is under there, I guess it better be clean. The aluminum tube is a run for the anchor rope. No electronics, or gas on this boat. Rod storage will be built into the storage decks.

Fan tail. Will get one more layer of aviation ply laminated on, colored with dye, epoxied and varnished.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

The gunnels on my new to me skiff have some weak spots. As I started on them with the grinder, I learned that the weakspots were a previous repair where some one had filled softspots with bondo. Bondo is nopt waterproof and promptly rotted.










I ground out all of the weakspots and filled them with epoxy thickened with wood flour and 1/4 inch fiber glass chop. I'll post a pic of the filled holes tomorrow or so.


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## Mike1974 (Feb 22, 2013)

Looks like you have a pretty good plan for your rebuild. Good luck with it, should make a fine little poling skiff. Where are you located on the Texas coast? I might be able to help you shorten that learning curve in you fresh to salt transition.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Live in Austin. Been fishing redfish bay mainly.


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## Mike1974 (Feb 22, 2013)

I am about 6 minutes from redfish bay.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

AtTheBrink,
I will have to bug you for knowledge before I come down for out next trip. Will be a few weeks before we head that way again.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

After the epoxy cured I knocked down the high spots with the sure form.










Epoxy filled with 1/4" chopped fiber does not go on real smooth, but it does go in very strong. I will have to fair this all out and clean it up. Tomorrow.

I'll get this side done in the next couple of days, then start on the other side over the weekend. It also has a lot of rotten bondo work. Bondo does not belong on boats, not water proof.

The undersides of the gunnels are also rotten. I'll fix them when I flip the boat to fair out and paint the hull. Hopefully sometime next month. Paint plans are epoxy, mixed with hBN and a sea green tint for a nice light green (or perhaps blue) color.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Did the 1st round of fairing. Epoxy mixed with US Composites fairing filler. Feathers nice and sands pretty easily.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Got the top gunnels pretty much done. Time to make it pretty.

Built an engine stand:









You can just make out the ghost flames.

Pulled it off the trailer and flipped it by myself. Had help getting it onto the saw horses.

Man it is ugly.










Spent two hours sanding on it this morning. Black anti-foul paint has a bunch of barnacles or something hiding under it. I'll put up some pics later. My boat has a social disease.

Plans are to strip it, coat it with a good base coat of epoxy. Fair it (epoxy fairing mix) before final paint.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

He can be taught!

(sometimes the old ways are best)

Despite my "Tim the Toolman Taylor" like affinity for power tools,

when going from this:









with these:









To this:









and this:









When the top takes five hours with a DA sander and 80 grit and the bottom takes 45 minutes or so with elbow grease and a sharp scraper...... The old way of the scraper is 10 times faster at peeling off old paint and barnacles. In the future, start with the scraper.

See, I can be taught.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

I sure hope you are using a respirator (not dust mask) when working with that bottom paint.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Yeah I have a 3m respirator I wear when I mess with fine particulates.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

It's electric!

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmMQfTJ3gYk[/media]










Electric starter conversion in progress.  Found the bracket for $35.00 on craigslist. Tested and fits!

New starter motors are available on ebay for around $60.00
Solenoid (I am going to use a 4 pole yard tractor solenoid) $25.00
Starter switch $15.00
Wiring $25.00

Not having a heart attack pull starting this ole beast?!

Priceless!!! 

(For everything else there is mastercard)

Going to install the starter, do a complete ignition tune up, and rebuild the carbunculator before this all goes back together.....


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

So....

There were bumper guards on the rear corners and prow of the gunnels attached by bolts and rivets. Pulled the bolts and water gushed out.

"This can't be good"

So I cut into the bottom of the gunnels (I repaired the tops earlier but never hit the wood. The tops are a cap over an inner core) and this is what I found:










Major rot.










Ripped it out.










And cleaned it up (Not pictured, but I sanded out all the wood remnants and vacuumed it out). So worried, I also drilled a few holes into the transom to check for rot..... I didn't find any.

The question now is to replace the rotten wood with new wood and a couple layers of glass, or pour in some 2 part foam, shape and glass?


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Wow, lots of good work there SteelHead! Did you try any chemical stripper on the bottom paint? Fixing to start my build that also has bp, thinking of using "Back to Nature" stripper and a 4" razor scrapper to start off.

Regarding the gunnels - if you go foam then a heavy load of fiberglass will be needed for impact resistance, ie a lot of mat and resin. But if you go back with wood then the few layers mentioned will be fine.

Digging you build! Keep the pictures coming.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Started off removing the bottom paint with a 6 inch DA sander. It was slow.

Took a HomeDepot paint stripper to it. Tore through it, without any chemicals. Then I cleaned up the remnants with the DA. Bottom is almost ready, but I want to get the gunnels done and faired up first.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

> if you go foam then a heavy load of fiberglass will be needed for impact resistance, ie a lot of mat and resin


Note: I do not know what products you are using but most foams will dissolve when they come in contact with ester resins.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Using epoxy. Progressive Epoxy Polymers basic no blush epoxy. Very cost effective for an epoxy, non amine blush, and 2:1 mix ratio so it is not as mix sensitive as other epoxies (3:1, 4:1, 5:1 epoxies are progressively more sensitive to exact measuring).

I've gone through gallons of this stuff on wooden boat projects, and am using it on box store wall foam sheets to build a fiberglass and epoxy frame for my son's "tot rod" (scaled down 32 ford project).


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Good to go with the epoxy.

You got a nice rebuild going there. Keep the pics coming.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Encapsulating the wood.










Aluminum strip and tape for a simple form so I can build up the epoxy to my required level.

Mixed up wood flour, milled glass and baby powder to a thick paste and filleted in the corner for extra strength.










Now to knock it down with the sure form and sand smooth. It is hotter than hell here. Sanding is going to have to wait. 

This side is almost ready for glass.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Baby powder? Never heard of that one before. What properties does it provide?


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Baby powder = Talc

Mixed with polyester resin, will have a problem with water absorbtion. (see bottom of linked page)

Fillers: http://www.glen-l.com/supplies/pxman-products2.html


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Gracias google guru!  But why would one use baby powder/talc in lieu of other available fillers?


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Talc is cheap, readily available at the drug store and I was out of fumed silica.

It has similar thixotropic properties (doesn't sag when used to fillet) and strength to fumed silica but is significantly heavier. And yes it does absorb water. 

But, as it is going under more epoxy, two layers of glass and epoxy, then fairing mix epoxy, and finally epoxy paint, I am really no more worried about it absorbing water than the marine ply I bedded in it.


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## PG350 (Jan 19, 2012)

Is this the project that you used the epoxy purchased from Ebay?


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Yes, but I've only used this new epoxy the last couple of weeks. I 've gone through about 1/2 gallon of it so far. It has worked well. Does not seem to blush and is not too mix ratio sensitive.

It has higher viscosity than what I have been using, and I was a little worried that it would be too thick for laminations and glass wet out, but it has been great for both.


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## PG350 (Jan 19, 2012)

Thank you. You basically just answered the question I just asked you on my thread. Money is tight these days (why I have a 100.00 boat) and am looking for best bang for buck.

Also, have you used any fillers in this epoxy yet? I am planning on using it for a graphite/epoxy coating after my repairs.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Well.....
Operating under the assumption that most 100% solids, no VOC, non blush, 2:1 epoxies are fairly similar......

I have used 80 or so ounces so far of the 3 gallon kit I bought off of ebay. The price was about 30% per gallon cheaper and once the free shipping was figured in (worth about another $35.00), I reckoned it was worth a shot. Saving around $60 or so dollars from my usual supplier, once shipping was also included.

I have done lamination, glass wet out, fairing, and filleting with it now. The MSDS properties are in line with other epoxies I have used in terms of strength, compression, sheer, etc (I have used about 5 different brands over the last 10 years) with a higher viscosity. The viscosity was fine here in the Texas heat for wet out, but it might be too thick if it was being used somewhere a bit colder, during the winter.










*Cured glass tape on rebuilt gunnel.*

The gel kick time is about 50 minutes. The full cure time does seem to be a bit more than some of the other products I have used, taking about 3 days to really get hard to the point where I can't jam my thumb nail into it. The MSDS does mention it is a slow cure. It cures enough that I can work it over with my sure-form after about 10 hours.










*Faired with epoxy mixed with US Composites fairing mix of fillers.*

So far, I am very happy with this epoxy and it is the best price I have encountered in a while. Most of my suppliers epoxy prices have increased around 40-50% over the last two years.

I am very close to final fairing then full bottom color coat.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

I keep adding fairing compound and sanding it off..... Diminishing returns..... No way to make this old hull full on straight.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

> I keep adding fairing compound and sanding it off..... Diminishing returns..... No way to make this old hull full on straight.


Sure you can - it'll just take 3 months and 8 gallons of epoxy & fillers. ;D

Off topic but I wish US Composites could sell to us in West Palm! Really is a bummer I can't buy anything from them.


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## LWalker (Aug 20, 2013)

> I keep adding fairing compound and sanding it off..... Diminishing returns..... No way to make this old hull full on straight.


I am right there with you. I have given up fair and moved to smooth. Our hulls probably weren't fair out of the mold...I know mine wasn't


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

> I keep adding fairing compound and sanding it off..... Diminishing returns..... No way to make this old hull full on straight.


How are you sanding it? If using a palm/DA sander, or even a small block you can get it smooth, but it will be hard to ever get it fair. You really need a long fairing board to really do it well. Even then it can be a challenge to some, I'm more of a function over form kinda guy.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

I am mainly using two foot long sanding board with 80 grit and muscle power.

The dips are numerous and some quite deep. I don't like putting so much fairing compound into dips as it can later crack. I may soon just settle for "smooth".

Guess I could also add some 1/4 milled glass into the deeper pits..... hmmmm. More work, and itchy to boot.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

I need to spread mud (fairing compound), but the rain won't stop and my boat build is in the back yard. Blah.


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## PG350 (Jan 19, 2012)

I just got done grinding for 6 hours then when I was putting it away I located another really bad patch in the front of the boat where the previous owner placed the patch over top of paint and un-sanded gel coat. I used a screw driver do rip up a lot of it but need to grind some more with the poly disk to clean it up before I start fixin stuff.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

A little tip to help you get it fairer - use a wallpaper trim guide

Get one of these things about 2 foot wide
http://www.lowes.com/pd_245872-1748-202307_0__?productId=3027798

the wider the better but not so wide it becomes cumbersome.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2012)

Progress.

I have abandoned the idea of decking this old boat out, in favor of getting it done and sold and finding something with less side board.

Gunnels are rebuilt. Most of the fairing is done. Inside is now cleaned up and sporting its first coat of paint.

I used about 3/4 gallon so far of Norklad 200 flooring epoxy  .










(Rainy Texas Sky)
What is it about painting epoxy that seems to attract every bug for 10 miles to get stuck in my paint?

I have 3 gallons........ Might use it all on the inside for a really high build paint out, or use the other gallon and 1/2 on the outside after tinting it blue.... decisions.


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## SteelHeaderTx (Sep 30, 2014)

Forgot my password.

Bottom is done. Sides are almost done. Paint is white epoxy garage floor paint custom colored with tempera powder. Bottom paint has hexagonal boron nitride. Went with this paint for durability over oyster shoals. Paint has a bit of texture as I rolled it on. I may sand it a bit smooth then spray urethane clear coat over it, to keep the epoxy from yellowing.


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## SteelHeaderTx (Sep 30, 2014)

Color is as done as I a willing to do it. It is a 10 foot paint-job. I am going to let the epoxy kick a bit. Wet sand the whole mess with 400, then apply a few coats of urethane clear coat to have a better gloss.


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## SteelHeaderTx (Sep 30, 2014)

Getting the woodwork ready. First of 3 coats of spar varnish.


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## SteelHeaderTx (Sep 30, 2014)

Got frustrated with the clear I applied so sanded it back down. Recently primed if with some DEFT water based 2 part epoxy primer. All I can say is, "where has this stuff been my entire life?". Goes on easy, levels nicely, kicked to touch in about 30 minutes and best of all cleans up with WATER. Bought 2 gallons of the stuff for $50 off of ebay. Old military stock, technically past its expiration date, but it worked very nice.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deft-2-Part...en-44GN-060-PPG-Excellent-Paint-/281782276123

I am wetsanding on in to re-top coat it in the next couple of days. If it wasn't so "military drab green" and more lime, or seafoam, I would be sore tempted to sand it coat it with clear for gloss and cut and polish it.


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