# Gladesmen Refurbish Project



## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Keep in mind that 1708 has 17oz biaxial fabric along with an 8oz mat, this is meant to be used with poly resin. You don't need the extra layers of mat for epoxy. You can use epoxy with just 17oz biax or even 12oz... 

Personally for the grab bar I like to not drill holes into the floor, especially when there is no liner/sole. If that is the case, I would prefer to add a small square of ply to attach the grab bar (side that will attach to the floor). But again you won't need the 1708 and extra layers of mat IF using epoxy. I would bed the ply in with thickened epoxy (and use a router to roundover the edge so that the glass will lay over those edges) and fillet the corner where the ply meets the floor for the same reason. I think that you will find that with good prep you may only need one layer of 12oz biax to properly glass and bed the ply to the floor (and a second coat of epoxy over that once set up)... I would also coat all edges of the ply before bedding and glassing...

Looking forward to the updates!!


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I knew it would only be a little while before you had another skiff. This project is gonna be sick. I'm looking forward to seeing how this ends up.


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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

Good find. I love these skiffs. Sounds like a great plan. Execute my friend.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Very nice. I will always love that hull.

Nate


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

yobata said:


> Keep in mind that 1708 has 17oz biaxial fabric along with an 8oz mat, this is meant to be used with poly resin. You don't need the extra layers of mat for epoxy. You can use epoxy with just 17oz biax or even 12oz...
> 
> Personally for the grab bar I like to not drill holes into the floor, especially when there is no liner/sole. If that is the case, I would prefer to add a small square of ply to attach the grab bar (side that will attach to the floor). But again you won't need the 1708 and extra layers of mat IF using epoxy. I would bed the ply in with thickened epoxy (and use a router to roundover the edge so that the glass will lay over those edges) and fillet the corner where the ply meets the floor for the same reason. I think that you will find that with good prep you may only need one layer of 12oz biax to properly glass and bed the ply to the floor (and a second coat of epoxy over that once set up)... I would also coat all edges of the ply before bedding and glassing...
> 
> Looking forward to the updates!!


Thanks, Yobata. These are the sorts of tips I'm looking for. I want to do quality work, but avoid overkill/excessive methods.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

WhiteDog70810 said:


> Very nice. I will always love that hull.
> 
> Nate


Looking at the current "go-for" prices on these 10 yr. old G-men, it's the type of hull that does not depreciate at an ungodly rate. 

ALSO,,,it may be a little while before I get started. My favorite time of the year for TX redfish is fast approaching.


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## GoGataGo52__20 (Jun 26, 2016)

Those skiffs always looked so fishy to me, it outa move with that 20hp as well.


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

How skinny are you trying to go? LOL


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## FBskinny (Dec 8, 2015)

One option for mounting the grab bar to the floor is to use weld mount or click bond using their stainless studs. Bolt the bar to the studs and fab a cap that covers the bottom plate if you wanted to hide the bolts.


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## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

Sweet boat. The rigging tubes are glassed in at multiple points, so be ready for that headache if you are considering replacing them.

As far as the rod holders go, when I bought my boat, only a few of the 6 wooden undergunnel holders were left, and they were completely rotten / snapped off with little effort. To make matters worse, the remaining chunks that were attached to the hull side, underside of cap and rigging tube continued to deteriorate and would drop rotten wood pieces onto the deck. I reached out to ECC, but they were looking for $250 for the new design. I felt like that was pretty steep for a few pieces of CNC'd starboard, considering they are being used to replace OEM plywood that was not glassed, or sealed with anything stronger than paint, from the start. 

Good luck with your rebuild, I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Sandalous said:


> Sweet boat. The rigging tubes are glassed in at multiple points, so be ready for that headache if you are considering replacing them.
> 
> As far as the rod holders go, when I bought my boat, only a few of the 6 wooden undergunnel holders were left, and they were completely rotten / snapped off with little effort. To make matters worse, the remaining chunks that were attached to the hull side, underside of cap and rigging tube continued to deteriorate and would drop rotten wood pieces onto the deck. I reached out to ECC, but they were looking for $250 for the new design. I felt like that was pretty steep for a few pieces of CNC'd starboard, considering they are being used to replace OEM plywood that was not glassed, or sealed with anything stronger than paint, from the start.
> 
> Good luck with your rebuild, I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.


I just went back through the pics and saw that rod holder - you are right, it is just a piece of ply with no resin or glass!


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## East Cape (Sep 3, 2015)

yobata said:


> I just went back through the pics and saw that rod holder - you are right, it is just a piece of ply with no resin or glass!


Back in 2004 when that boat was made we did for a short period use ply on just rod holders...they were coated with VE resin and then gel-coated and applied with putty/mat
then we went with a solid foam core shortly later on in mid 2005...
also know the $250 for rod holders was using an outside source and at that time we were bound at their pricing for stuff. However having our own CNC machine now things can get made for less and quicker as well.

Great Gladesmen and I remember that boat as well and also looking forward to the refurb you have planned and if you need anything, we re here! Oldie but goodie you got there too.
Kevin


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

FBskinny said:


> One option for mounting the grab bar to the floor is to use weld mount or click bond using their stainless studs. Bolt the bar to the studs and fab a cap that covers the bottom plate if you wanted to hide the bolts.


Both of t


East Cape said:


> Back in 2004 when that boat was made we did for a short period use ply on just rod holders...they were coated with VE resin and then gel-coated and applied with putty/mat
> then we went with a solid foam core shortly later on in mid 2005...
> also know the $250 for rod holders was using an outside source and at that time we were bound at their pricing for stuff. However having our own CNC machine now things can get made for less and quicker as well.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Kevin.
I'll commend you and the EC team for a prompt and very helpful response to an email I sent a few weeks back regarding this rebuild; confirms a lot of great things I've heard about the East Cape. 

I'll definitely be contacting your crew when it comes time for me to nail down which rod holders to go with.

Keep on keepin' on.


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## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

East Cape said:


> Back in 2004 when that boat was made we did for a short period use ply on just rod holders...they were coated with VE resin and then gel-coated and applied with putty/mat
> then we went with a solid foam core shortly later on in mid 2005...
> also know the $250 for rod holders was using an outside source and at that time we were bound at their pricing for stuff. However having our own CNC machine now things can get made for less and quicker as well.


Kevin, when Firestone found out that their tires were falling apart due to poor construction, they did not charge to replace them with functional tires. I totally understand that those rod holders cost money, whether they were manufactured in-house or elsewhere. However, I would not say that you were bound by their pricing. Those rotten rod holders were an absolute nightmare to deal with, and not stepping up to the plate to fix such a small issue (which should have never been allowed out of the factory in the first place, and which was certainly not limited to just my boat) is what ultimately scared me off from owning another EC product.

That being said, I will own another Gladesmen down the road, regardless of the condition of the rod holders, because it was such a cool boat.

Thanks, Luke


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

Sandalous said:


> Kevin, when Firestone found out that their tires were falling apart due to poor construction, they did not charge to replace them with functional tires. I totally understand that those rod holders cost money, whether they were manufactured in-house or elsewhere. However, I would not say that you were bound by their pricing. Those rotten rod holders were an absolute nightmare to deal with, and not stepping up to the plate to fix such a small issue (which should have never been allowed out of the factory in the first place, and which was certainly not limited to just my boat) is what ultimately scared me off from owning another EC product.
> 
> That being said, I will own another Gladesmen down the road, regardless of the condition of the rod holders, because it was such a cool boat.
> 
> Thanks, Luke


However, I had a brand new ford and the cup holder on the console broke twice and ford charged me $120 to fix it because the second time it happened I was 28 miles past my bumper to bumper warranty. Tires are a safety issue, cup holders (and rod holders) are not.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Nice, dude! I always had a thing for these skiffs.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

I Fishhead said:


> Hey Whiskey, good luck with refurbish.
> Is that Suzuki 20 the fuel injected one? If so what do you think of it and how do you like on the GMan?
> I was thinking of repowering my GMan with one of those. Appreciate any thoughts.


It's the DF20a and it is injected. First impression was a good one. I haven't put a lot of time on it yet though, so I don't have much more of a review than that. Ill offer more later.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

paint it black said:


> Nice, dude! I always had a thing for these skiffs.


Thanks PIB. I've spent a lot of time reading some of your past postings about Awlgrip application. Given your experience with Awlgrip, would you recommend a non-skid section on the cockpit floor, or would rolled untextured awlgrip keep me planted?


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## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

mtoddsolomon said:


> However, I had a brand new ford and the cup holder on the console broke twice and ford charged me $120 to fix it because the second time it happened I was 28 miles past my bumper to bumper warranty. Tires are a safety issue, cup holders (and rod holders) are not.


Ford sells 800,000 trucks a year, they can handle a few people heading over to Chevy because of a broken cup holder. The skiff industry is a little smaller than that and a lot more dependent on repeat customers... And unlike a cup holder, I need rod holders to go fishing on my boat without damaging my equipment.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Thanks PIB. I've spent a lot of time reading some of your past postings about Awlgrip application. Given your experience with Awlgrip, would you recommend a non-skid section on the cockpit floor, or would rolled untextured awlgrip keep me planted?


You're definitely going to want a non-skid section, otherwise it would get very slippery. 

It's an easy task, just get yourself some Awlgrip GripTex. There are several methods of application. Some guys mix it into the paint and spray it out of a gun, some guys mix it into the paint and roll it on. I myself do it differently. The way I was taught and I have done over 100 boats with this method. You might use more nonskid material but get a much grippier and consistent finish. 

I roll down a coat of paint, let it sit 5 or so minutes, then put a latex glove on, and grab a hand full of nonskid material. With you hand, pour material onto the wet paint. Make sure you get good coverage. I like to use a LOT of material. I apply nonskid material until I can't see the paint underneath, and the material kind of piles up all over the place. Let it dry another 30-45 minutes, then come back with a clean vacuum and vacuum up all the excess nonskid material. You will notice that you have now removed most of it, exposing an evenly poured surface of paint with nonskid. Once all excess is removed, I come back and roll another layer of awlgrip paint over the surface. Let that kick another 45 minutes or so and apply a third and final coat of paint. 

You will have an evenly grippy surface. Make sure you wait long enough, otherwise you might clump up the nonskid if the first layer of paint isn't dry yet. A good way to ensure this, do a couple test sections on cardboard or wood before you apply each step to the boat. That way if it clumps on the test panel, you'll know. 

Also, I like to mix the coarse with fine and medium grit non-skid material it helps fill the smaller gaps in between.


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## jboriol (Jan 2, 2010)

That thing is one sweet shallow water machine! Nice find, look forward to seeing it reborn...

On the grab bar, you could glass in a block of phenolic to the floor. The stuff holds screws so well I sheared a stainless screw when I installed my trim tabs. 

On the rod racks you could template what you have with your changes and send to John Glasser to fabricate out of Penske (or similar), glass and throw some Seadeck on them.




























Bungee cord and single peg style keepers Item: 064-3080
http://www.boatoutfitters.com/single-hole-keeper

For the wiring I used a wiring harness from http://www.ezacdc.com/boat-wiring-products/boat-wiring-harness/
You tell the equipment you want to run and how long the boat is and they send you the harness done to correct marine specs and color. If you get their connectors they are pricey, so I did just standard harness and did all my own heat shrink connections.

Keep us posted on your progress.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Gladesman is by far the shallowest boat ive been in


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## GoGataGo52__20 (Jun 26, 2016)

fjmaverick said:


> Gladesman is by far the shallowest boat ive been in


The point of a glades man isn't speed anyway, it's getting into locations you can't get with the "faster" skiffs.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

jboriol said:


> That thing is one sweet shallow water machine! Nice find, look forward to seeing it reborn...
> 
> On the grab bar, you could glass in a block of phenolic to the floor. The stuff holds screws so well I sheared a stainless screw when I installed my trim tabs.
> 
> ...


Great suggestions!
The phenolic seems like a good substrate for the screws, and may be a better option then marine ply. I do plan on removing the top layer and core and recessing the board into the floor for a flush finish.

I've considered making some holders similar to what you have suggested. I believe I am capable of crafting them myself, and I'll probably take it on. After all, this is supposed to be a low-cost build for me.

With regards to the wiring, I really enjoy wiring (weird I know), so I'll be doing it myself as well. Not that it will be difficulty with as few circuits as this boat will have.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

paint it black said:


> You're definitely going to want a non-skid section, otherwise it would get very slippery.
> 
> It's an easy task, just get yourself some Awlgrip GripTex.


Thanks for that...I'm getting ready to redo the floor of my flats boat. This approach makes great sense.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

I had a hobie that I had redone with awlgrip and I busted my ass many times after it rained or after washing it. But it sure looked good.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2016)

Pattern routing is your friend for those rod holders.


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## cal1320 (Jun 6, 2007)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Great suggestions!
> The phenolic seems like a good substrate for the screws, and may be a better option then marine ply. I do plan on removing the top layer and core and recessing the board into the floor for a flush finish.
> 
> I've considered making some holders similar to what you have suggested. I believe I am capable of crafting them myself, and I'll probably take it on. After all, this is supposed to be a low-cost build for me.
> ...


The phenolic is how East Cape added the grab bar to mine (2005) back in 07. For rod holders, I used some starboard. Cut to the profile I wanted and flamed the mounting edge. Then used 5200 to attach. It's been on for years now and haven't had any problems. That's an early 05 boat. Has the original design sticker. What hull # is it? I've got #19.
View attachment 1840


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Well, I got started!
I've pulled all the rigging (for the most part).
I've removed the old gunnel rod holders and rigging tubes. I used the dremel and a zip bit to cut the glass tabs holding them in place.
Motors off.
I've sanded all the non skid and cap and cockpit gel coat down to a solid substrate for the awlgrip to come.
I've removed all the 5200.

There hasn't been any issues that I've come across, except the kevlar/composite where the old cooler/grab rail tie downs were mounted, the Kevlar layer seems a bit softer than it should be. The rest of the floor is solid. I will be adding a layer of 17oz 45/45 and epoxy over these small areas and sanding/blending the patches into the rest of the floor with fairing filler. I also plan to put an extra coat or two of the 545 epoxy primer over the floor. Anybody see any issues with this?

My next steps are embedding my phenolic into the floor in a few places: grab bar mount (still not sure if ill even mount a grab bar), and where I plan on mounting cooler tie downs for my yeti. Patch holes with eglass. Patch thin Kevlar areas on floor.

My last question....I accident bought Gray 545 primer instead of white. Should I drop another $50 for white 545, will it be hard to get decent coverage with the white awlgrip over the Gray primer? The optimist in me like to think that the contrasting color will help me make sure I've evenly applied the white awlgrip.

Pics in the following post


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)




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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

Sweet. Love thos Gmen.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

I cut out my floor for my largest embed which will serve as the mounting block for the grab bar. I used a 6"x12"x3/8" piece of phenolic. Cutting and core removal when very smooth, except in one place where my dremel bit came loose, plunged to deep, and pocked a 1/8" hole through the bottom of the boat (you can see it in the pictures below). I'm not worried about the hole at all...I will put a piece of plastic to serves as a backing on the underside of the hull, bevel the hole slightly, fill it with epoxy, and then put a glass patch on the inside of the hull...15 minutes tops. Plus, ill be flipping the boat later to touch up and polish gel-coat anyways.

I'll put a nice layer of epoxy down and then bed the phenolic in it, and then fill the very small gaps around the phenolic with a small amount of great-stuff foam. We are talking very little volume here, so I'm not spending money on two part pourable foam. Then, I'll glass over the phenolic (overlapping the existing floor) until it is flush.

I'll be doing a couple more embeds (sized at 3"x6") for a few flush cooler tie down strap plates....same process as before.

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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> I cut out my floor for my largest embed which will serve as the mounting block for the grab bar. I used a 6"x12"x3/8" piece of phenolic. Cutting and core removal when very smooth, except in one place where my dremel bit came loose, plunged to deep, and pocked a 1/8" hole through the bottom of the boat (you can see it in the pictures below). I'm not worried about the hole at all...I will put a piece of plastic to serves as a backing on the underside of the hull, bevel the hole slightly, fill it with epoxy, and then put a glass patch on the inside of the hull...15 minutes tops. Plus, ill be flipping the boat later to touch up and polish gel-coat anyways.
> 
> I'll put a nice layer of epoxy down and then bed the phenolic in it, and then fill the very small gaps around the phenolic with a small amount of great-stuff foam. We are talking very little volume here, so I'm not spending money on two part pourable foam. Then, I'll glass over the phenolic (overlapping the existing floor) until it is flush.
> 
> ...


If the gap that you are filling with great-stuff is so small, why not just use thickened epoxy?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

yobata said:


> If the gap that you are filling with great-stuff is so small, why not just use thickened epoxy?


I did the math, and the void will be about 4.5 cu inches of volume = 2.5 fluid ounces. I guess that's not that much epoxy....may go that route.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I would put a pc of tape on the bottom where the bit plunged thru, push down lightly on the tape from the inside with a drill bit to bag it a little and then pour epoxy in from the top (better yet use a syringe). This will leave a little bulge of epoxy on the bottom that you can sand down and gelcoat.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> I did the math, and the void will be about 4.5 cu inches of volume = 2.5 fluid ounces. I guess that's not that much epoxy....may go that route.


Also, if you thicken your epoxy, it will be less than 2.5 ounces (maybe even half that).


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Good to see you back in business Whiskey. Needed that Gman Saturday for a few super shallow reds. Worked hard to get the pro to them. Would have been much easier in the Gman. I like that you are working this build with quality and durability in mind. The Roto-zip tool is also good for what you are doing.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

It's looking great! I just fished out of my buddy's a few days last weekend, he just had his redone by East Cape and I was super impressed by the skiff's performance.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Update:
I skipped a few postings, but here's my current status.
Phenolic embeds (for grab bar and cooler tie-downs) have been bedded in epoxy, glassed over with a couple plys of 17oz, and the depressions were mostly leveled with thickened epoxy.
The oar-lock holed on the gunnels have been backed (with 17oz) and filled with epoxy. 
All 3m 5200 hole filling were removed and replaced with epoxy filling. 
The rod tube holes in the front bulkhead were sandwhiched (front/back) with 17oz.
All the foam core cutouts (like the bow light, switches on bulkhead) were sealed with epoxy around edges of foam.

Everything was sanded and faired with 3M marine filler.
I'm now ready for some wipe down and a couple coats of 545 primer. Its winter here now, so I only get adequate temps every week or so.
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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

This thing is gonna be sweet! Thanks for sharing the progress with us


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

Whiskey, Looks great! You're knocking out that glass work like a pro! Have you done a lot of glass work prior to this?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

mtoddsolomon said:


> Whiskey, Looks great! You're knocking out that glass work like a pro! Have you done a lot of glass work prior to this?


Thanks, nothing of this sort. I've done some craft type glassing (like glassing speaker boxes). But, this is new to me. I read hundreds of threads on several forums to gather information, and I chose to over engineer (heavy glass and quality epoxy) to help compensate for my lacking skills.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Somebody primed their Gladesmen tonight!!!!


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## FishermanSailor (Jul 24, 2016)

Loooking good Whiskey!


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

This thing is gonna be sick! Whats next?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

mtoddsolomon said:


> This thing is gonna be sick! Whats next?


I'm doing some light sanding on the first coat of primer, and then I'll roll some more primer as temperatures allow. Probably wont be doing anything until the new year, as me and the fam are flying to Pawley's SC tomorrow for the holidays. 
After that, I lay my slick topcoat (awlgrip), followed by taping, followed by non-skid (also Awlgrip).


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Looking Good!


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## E-money (Jul 7, 2016)

Skiff is looking great! Can't wait to see how it turns out.


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

@Whiskey Angler How long will you be in Pawleys? things would have to come together pretty nicely but if the skiff gets finished, I'll be fishing some the week between Christmas and New Years.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

mtoddsolomon said:


> @Whiskey Angler How long will you be in Pawleys? things would have to come together pretty nicely but if the skiff gets finished, I'll be fishing some the week between Christmas and New Years.


I'll be there until the 27th. Honestly, I'd have my huevos in the ringer if I tried to bail on family Christmas for a fishing trip. However, I get up that way once or twice a year, so I'll certainly remember the offer for a future date (assuming that was an offer...it was wasn't it?)


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Hell, families usually just set around and have awkward conversation after the initial morning frenzy. Go fishing afterwards!

Looking good. Keep it up.

Nate


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

@Whiskey Angler Oh yeah that was an invite. Let me know next time you're up this way.


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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

Looks great. Do these boats have a keel or strakes on the bottom?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

trekker said:


> Looks great. Do these boats have a keel or strakes on the bottom?


Thanks. I think some of the later year models had strakes but mine does not.


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## slewis (Sep 8, 2015)

Lookin' good! I've seriously been considering picking up one of these for a shallow water project boat.


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## Guest (Jan 5, 2017)

Awesome work Whiskey! I can't wait to see the finished product. I love these build threads


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

I had been holding off doing any more painting, as my house is currently on the market and being shown daily (fumes smell bad). But, I grew inpatient, and I laid some Whisper Gray Awlgrip yesterday. The cockpit looks awesome, and the cap looks pretty good, but picked up some dust on the slicks. I'll be sanding out the slicks with 320 and laying a second coat (hopefully tonight). 

I tried the brush tipping, but found it to be less efficient than other methods. What seemed to work well was, minimizing how much paint you put on the foam roller and rolling the paint with very light pressure, and the going back over the paint with no pressure (barely holding the handle). It take a little longer to do it this way because you have to make about 5x as many passes with the roller to distribute the paint. The awlgrip does a phenomenal job of leveling/shrinking to a nice finish (but it will show every spec of dust if not cleaned well).

The cockpit is not fared (it has the kevlar texture), so I just rolled away with little concern for technique and it turned out great. 
Sorry for the crappy pictures..I'll take some good one when it starts coming together.

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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

Looks good. Does the awlgrip finish similar to gel coat, or more of a paint like finish?


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

trekker said:


> Looks good. Does the awlgrip finish similar to gel coat, or more of a paint like finish?


Awl Grip is paint. I had a hobie skiff I painted interior and exterior with awl grip. I thought the molded in nonskid would be enough but it wasnt. I slipped so many times after it just rained or while cleaning that boat.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

trekker said:


> Looks good. Does the awlgrip finish similar to gel coat, or more of a paint like finish?


The awlgrip is quite different then gelcoat. It finishes with a permanent wet glossy look ( that should last many years), and it does not require buffing. As mentioned above, the stuff is super slick, and I will be doing an awlgrip non-skid on the cap and cockpit floors.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Also, for anyone considering color combos, the Whisper gray matches VERY well with the light fighting lady yellow hull.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Nice, man! 

However, if you were spraying that Awlgrip, you would have been done! lol It applies MUCH faster, and you can shoot multiple coats in a session. Just wait the proper flash time and shoot the following coat with no sanding in between.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Second/final coat of whisper gray laid...
I'll give it another day or two to harden, and then I'll start taping-off for non-skid.

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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

paint it black said:


> Nice, man!
> 
> However, if you were spraying that Awlgrip, you would have been done! lol It applies MUCH faster, and you can shoot multiple coats in a session. Just wait the proper flash time and shoot the following coat with no sanding in between.


Would have loved to spray it, but my garage is pretty tight quartered and I have a bunch of other stuff in there I don't want covered in over spray. I'm making due, but I'm happy with the results so far.


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## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

I painted some furniture my wife bought for my daughter's room with an HVLP gun in my garage. I got some plastic drop cloths and duct tape and made a paint booth in one side of my garage. Furniture turned out great, and nothing else in the garage got over spray.


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## jboriol (Jan 2, 2010)

Looking good!


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

All taped up. Going to be nasty in Hou Tx tomorrow, but non skid goes down once the rains gone.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Curious how you taped the corner curves? Freehand or template? 

Awesome work btw!


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

I freehanded the large radius curves, for example on the cap around the cockpit corners, and I used wrench sockets as a template at all other corners. I used a larger socket (1" maybe?) At most corners and a smaller spark plug socket at the tight turns like around the hatch hinges.

The most important thing is the tape.....3m green. I used 1" for most runs and 1/2 where I had some curve.


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## POCtied (Oct 19, 2016)

if ya ever need a fishing buddy in HTX


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

View attachment 6717
Thanks for all the suggestion, everyone! Topside turned out fantastic!
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## East Cape (Sep 3, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> View attachment 6717
> Thanks for all the suggestion, everyone! Topside turned out fantastic!
> View attachment 6713
> View attachment 6714
> ...


Looks great! Makes me want to build a GMan...


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

Dude! Great job!!


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Looks fantastic! Making me jealous...


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

East Cape said:


> Looks great! Makes me want to build a GMan...


Kevin, is it true that your gman was inspired by Glenn Simmons? These skiffs always looked great but my fat ass would prob do better with the glide


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## East Cape (Sep 3, 2015)

yobata said:


> Kevin, is it true that your gman was inspired by Glenn Simmons? These skiffs always looked great but my fat ass would prob do better with the glide


YES. Years ago I drove down to meet him and have his blessings on taking what he shown in his book and altering it for a hybrid cross-over. Truly one of the best days as the stories and pictures in his house told so much too!


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Wow that things looking good.


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

East Cape said:


> Looks great! Makes me want to build a GMan...


Hey I know of some guys who can do that...

I would love to have a Gman. I think it's one of the coolest poling boats ever made.


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## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

That looks amazing! Great job.


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## jboriol (Jan 2, 2010)

Wow looking great!


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

You have some talent Whiskey. The new light weight 25 HP Yamaha would look good on the transom.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

sjrobin said:


> You have some talent Whiskey. The new light weight 25 HP Yamaha would look good on the transom.


Geez...125 lbs with tilt/trim. That's a very attractive package. Anyone know what the F25C is selling for?


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## FishermanSailor (Jul 24, 2016)

bryson said:


> Looks fantastic! Making me jealous...


X2


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Sweet ride. Really really nice work.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> View attachment 6717
> Thanks for all the suggestion, everyone! Topside turned out fantastic!
> View attachment 6713
> View attachment 6714
> ...


Whiskey, how did you end up mixing the non-skid? Did you mix it directly into the paint? Or did you use the paint, let set up, sprinkle non skid on top, let set up, vacuum, then more paint as @paint it black described in an earlier post?


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Damn whiskey that thing looks like it just came out of east cape shop. You missed your calling


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## duppyzafari (Jul 9, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Geez...125 lbs with tilt/trim. That's a very attractive package. Anyone know what the F25C is selling for?


I believe I read on another thread that a forum member paid around $3,600, but I don't know where or which of the 4 new F25 models he'd chosen. I also read that T&T is available on long shaft only.

Still - with that weight and that price, if it performs as they claim, it will blow the 25hp class wide open.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

yobata said:


> Whiskey, how did you end up mixing the non-skid? Did you mix it directly into the paint? Or did you use the paint, let set up, sprinkle non skid on top, let set up, vacuum, then more paint as @paint it black described in an earlier post?


I used one of those "Big Ass Beer" cups they sell in NOLA (literally), and I put a lid with lots of very small holes poked in it. I laid my first coat with very little reducer in it (like 3%-5%) then sprinkled heavily all over. I let that cure overnight, and then I vacuumed off the excess. DO NOT VACUUM - USE AN AIR BLOWER. The vacuum attachment knocked off a little too much non-skid and you can kind of see the vacuum tracks (doesn't look bad, but you can see them). Last, I put 2 full coats and a light coat of 20% reduced awlgrip over the skid.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

I'll be pulling the GMan out the garage tomorrow afternoon for a long weekend at the coast, and I'll take some sunshine pictures...but in the meantime.
View attachment 7405
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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Looking good.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Well let see it on the water


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

sweat equity, nice job.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Wow whiskey you should be proud that thing looks sick man I am envious of your work.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Wow whiskey you should be proud that thing looks sick man I am envious of your work.


Thanks! I covered it with I-45 road slime on the way to the coast this evening...hope to replace it with fish slime this weekend.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Whiskey Angler said:


> Thanks! I covered it with I-45 road slime on the way to the coast this evening...hope to replace it with fish slime this weekend.


Good luck looking forward to seeing pictures


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## Bluwave (Nov 3, 2014)

Nice work sir. That thing looks awesome!


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Well I've been running the Gladesmen for a bout a year, and it is by far my favorite watercraft I've ever owned. I've stepped down in size several time. This thing is so low maintenance and easy to handle...I couldn't imagine a more low stress boat.
Its awful outside, so there's no better time to flip the Gman over and do a little bottom work. My wife helped me flip it while on the trailer....shes a real ox (not really).
The bottom looks pretty damn good considering where I like to fish, so aside from a few small gouges through the gel, I'll be doing some deep compounding, buff, and waxing. 
I'm going to put some gel in the gouges.

Also, I think I'm going to put a strip of bedliner at the bow keel up to the winch hook. Its getting pretty worn from beaching.


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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

Looks great Bro. Is the black on the hull bottom graphite ?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

trekker said:


> Looks great Bro. Is the black on the hull bottom graphite ?


No it's a LineX (Bedliner) type material. Whatever East Cape was using back in '05. It's about 3/16" thick and will probably last longer than the hull. Really cool stuff, and it saves me from a lot of oyster and beach rash.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Finished my bottom work this weekend.

All in all, It did not turn out as great as I had hoped.
I had some deep gouges (all the way through gel) I needed to fill with new gel, and some ugly scratches on the side of the hull.

I used a razor blade to spread the gel and work it into all the scratches (there were quite a few and they weren't really straight scratches at all).

Where things got tricky, was when I started to remove excess gel coat after it cured. I started wet sanding on the raised gel with 220 grit, and immediately the oxidized gel (from UV wear) started coming off. The oxidized gel was not at all chalky, but it was significantly bleached (from fighting lady yellow to dingy white) and so everywhere I had excess gel patch to remove I ended up with fresh yellow gel......Sooooo...at that point it looked like Id be sanding the whole thing for uniform color. 

I did wise up, and started using fresh razor blades to remove the excess gel patch, which save me a bunch of sanding.

Unfortunately, by starting with the 220 grit, I had a ton of progressive wet sanding to do to get back to an ice cream finish. I wasn't that patient, I did 320, 800, 1000, 1500, heavy grit compounding, Buff magic, Nu Finish. It ended up shiny and well sealed, but the swirls and such from the coarser grits remain....whatever. I couldn't sand any more, as the gel was beginning to get pretty thin.

Anywho, this round is done, but honestly its the last heavy compound this coat of Gel will see. Next time, its getting painted. Maybe next winter.

You can see in the first photo below the difference between the sanded half and the unsanded half.









Wait...wrong picture....
















After buffing and two coats of Nu Finish


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## dingoatemebaby (Sep 14, 2011)

this thread got me so souped I drove to FL and snagged a gladesmen!


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

dingoatemebaby said:


> this thread got me so souped I drove to FL and snagged a gladesmen!


Right on! Feel free to direct message me if you have any questions. I'll help where I can!

Also, The G-Man is going to a blast up in that SC flood-grass! My folks stay over in Pawley's and I'm always trying to talk my pops into getting a Gladesmen for messing around up there.


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