Storm board replacement?

[Bob Quinn]

After spending hours attempting to fair and paint the center lift out storm board panel that gives access to the swim platform ladder I am wondering if the other panels that need similar repairs might be easier to just replace.

These are the thick panels, solid fiberglass and about 1/4" thick.

Does anyone know where this material can be purchased in sheet form, or pre-made to size?

Would Coosa board be a better alternative for these?

Maybe Sam's has them, I don't know but will likely call on that tomorrow.

 

[Captain Ralph]

Some ideas;

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/sheets/fiberglass~/

https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=fiberglass panels&refinement=4294743328

 

[Bob Quinn]

Some ideas;

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/sheets/fiberglass~/

https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=fiberglass panels&refinement=4294743328

Thanks Ralph

I had another idea..... maybe instead of sanding and fairing, just pull them off and use a paint remover gel and start over. That would probably be a lot less work?

The problem with these is the paint has crazed severely, possibly due to wrong paint or poor application, I don't know. It left cracks in the paint that are very deep. On the outboard side, it appears they were more recently painted, and they were rolled. The rolling left the paint very lumpy and porous. They pick up dirt so bad that cleaning them only makes them look marginally better. Sucks fixing past mistakes!

Upon further inspection this morning I realized that for some reason one side (port side) is one long piece including the bend around the port stern corner. The other corner is a separate piece.
I thought I could use new for the long stretches, but that would only work on one side anyways.

I'm now thinking just strip it and start over, providing paint stripper won't eat into the fiberglass. I'm thinking it wouldn't. I might break out the dough and get the Alexseal paint. I costed it out last year and shied away after seeing it was going to be near $900 just for enough paint to basically paint the back deck ceiling and weather boards. Ouch, but the roll-no-tip ability (with the roll-no-tip additive) might be the way to go.

I hand painted the center piece (that is in front of the swim platform) and it has noticeable brush marks as the paint was very thick and I didn't get any thinner to go with the paint. Short cuts never end up being short grrr...
I guess if I have to strip it I will just redo that piece also and do it all right.

 

[Bob Quinn]

So, the idea of stripping the paint completely leads to the next question:
What paint stripper to use?

I started "googling" it and according to the internet, some strippers can eat away at the fiberglass gel. Yikes I don't want to turn this into a cluster Duck. LOL

 

[JD5652]

Sam's has the boards. The material is similar to micarta. The sheets are 4' x 10'.

 

[johnjen50]

Pascal replaced his with coosa. He did an outstanding job and the panels are probably twice as robust as the originals. He put a thread out on it.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Paint stripper will not work. You need to sand them. Then do yourself a favor and have them sprayed. They're off anyway. Take them to a body shop or boat yard or someone that sprays.

 

[Bob Quinn]

Paint stripper will not work. You need to sand them. Then do yourself a favor and have them sprayed. They're off anyway. Take them to a body shop or boat yard or someone that sprays.

That's what I was afraid of. Great idea on having them sprayed. It would be nice to have a good finish.

Any thoughts on best way to sand quickly? (or Quicker anyways)

I was using a random orbit sander with 60 grit paper on the small center section and it would have probably taken 2 or 3 hours per side to get all the paint off.

Maybe I need a more aggressive sand paper and/or a more aggressive tool?

 

[bigbill]

That's what I was afraid of. Great idea on having them sprayed. It would be nice to have a good finish.

Any thoughts on best way to sand quickly? (or Quicker anyways)

I was using a random orbit sander with 60 grit paper on the small center section and it would have probably taken 2 or 3 hours per side to get all the paint off.

Maybe I need a more aggressive sand paper and/or a more aggressive tool?

this is why paint jobs cost so much. i am doing my boat and it has 3 paint jobs that all have to come off....the original paint from hatteras is failing. i recently found out that the original paint on my boat was a one part paint from the factory so for the next paint job they loaded it with primer so the next coat of 2 part paint didnt react with the one part original paint

 

[Cricket]

Just remember that the heavier the sandpaper grit the deeper the cut which means you have to then work the surface back to a surface smooth enough to prime and topcoat. We've used cored fiberglass skinned sheets from Carbon Core for some projects, might work for the storm boards.
https://www.carbon-core.com/product/composite-panels-sheets/

 

[whoover]

Personally I would remove them, sand everything with 80 grit. Then I would spray algrip fairing compound on. Then fair out with 120 grit, three coats of alwgrip primer then top coat with awlgrip color of your match. You can spray it all with a HVLP gun and get great mirror like results.

Walt Hoover

 

[Bob Quinn]

Personally I would remove them, sand everything with 80 grit. Then I would spray algrip fairing compound on. Then fair out with 120 grit, three coats of alwgrip primer then top coat with awlgrip color of your match. You can spray it all with a HVLP gun and get great mirror like results.

Walt Hoover

Thanks Walt, I didn't know you could spray fairing compound.

I already bought some of the Alexseal stuff. For a gallon of paint, primer and all the additives it was over $800 ouch. Can these two part paints be sprayed using hvlp?

I happen to have an hvlp sprayer I bought for some kitchen cabinet work.

 

[Bob Quinn]

I bit the bullet and ordered Alexseal. Ouch.

 

[Cricket]

We use Evercoat Slick Sand as a primer when there's deep scratches and other issues to fill, can either roll or spray it. Sands really nicely too.

 

[Bob Quinn]

We use Evercoat Slick Sand as a primer when there's deep scratches and other issues to fill, can either roll or spray it. Sands really nicely too.

Maybe I can use that to speed things up. It sounds like it fills scratches. The primer I tried just flowed into them and didn't really help a lot.

I will look it up, thanks for the tip!

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Removing the dodgerboards allow you to paint them laying flat. This helps to prevent runs and sags. It also means less masking and protecting of other parts of the boat. And lastly, it gives you the opportunity to paint it in a dust free environment (paint booth).

 

[Bob Quinn]

Removing the dodgerboards allow you to paint them laying flat. This helps to prevent runs and sags. It also means less masking and protecting of other parts of the boat. And lastly, it gives you the opportunity to paint it in a dust free environment (paint booth).

Yes, it also makes for a nice "post boating season" project to be able to bring them home.
I was going to sand in place but no way after just working on the center panel. That would have been a nightmare to try to work on these in place.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I used the fiberglass sheet product from McMaster for a car project, years ago. Well made material with good finish, took paint just fine, has held up well. Plus they ship in a day or two.