Trojan Boat Forum

In short, grind the glass on the platform after you clean everything out. By the way, you want to get rid of the lip of glass you left around the edge on the transom side. You do not want to slide core material in there, you can't do the job properly as described below and get the same result by sliding the core. If your platform's surface is curved, it's not recommended that you use plywood unless you prep it properly first by scoring (shallow cuts). If you don't, it may lift/delaminate later. If you go this route, let us know. The other option for curved surfaces is balsa core or synthetic core products designed to be used for curved surfaces. If the core is more than one piece of plywood, make sure you wet the edges a couple of times. For best/strongest results, rather than butt ends together, make lap joints so each piece overlaps the next, this will be a stronger bond due to increased surface area, and help prevent separation and platform surface cracks later. Dry fit all peices first, and have your glass mat pre-cut that will go between the shell and core, one single peice if you can but not critical. Don't skimp on the resin, brush on and use enough to generously coat your shell and coat the mating surface of the wood core at the same time. This will give time to penetrate the core before installation and work fast! Add the layer of glass to the wetted shell and saturate with resin and roll it out. You should really invest in a proper fiberglassing roller for this and ensure you completely eliminate all bubbles and voids. Coat the mating surface of the wood again, then lay it in ensuring that the wood is saturated and will not soak the resin out of the glass mat. Apply weights throughout the core to ensure it stays bedded properly while curing. Let cure overnight. Cut glas mat to be placed over the core and dry fit. Doesn't have to be exact, better bigger than too short, you can cut the excess as you wet it out. You want enough glass so it covers the core and up along the sides/lip. Fill in the voids between the core and the edges before installing the glass mat over the core. Again, wet the surface of the core, wait a while, wet again, place your mat, pour plenty of resin over top, brush it in, roll out with the roller and pay special attention at the corners where the mat makes a 90 and goes up the edges. You may need to work the glass in the corner a few times until it stays as it will want to lift right in the corner. Keep it down as you don't want gaps. Boy, this is easier to just do than trying to think of and pen all the motions you go through without thinking! Hope that helps. What are you doing for non-skid?

Why are you asking a WOOD guy anyway?

please follow in the Pont section/Carver home...

I know I'm going to keep remembering things that I take for granted in this type of work and forgot to mention! The corners up against the edges/wall should have a radius and not be a square corner if you know what I mean when you lay the last mat. This makes a stronger connection from the horizontal to vertical surfaces and prevents cracking at the corner or where the two meet. It also helps to prevent the glass from separating at this transition as it will stay in place easier on a radius than it will in a 90 degree turn. This goes for outside transitions also. Where possible/practical, when building something to be covered in glass, corner edges should be rounded off prior to applying glass mat. Again, a glass roller really helps to contour the mat in these areas.

For the benefit of those wondering what roller I'm talking about, see the link below (ignore "made in China"!!)
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http ... AA&dur=144

Hey Mod Dude please move this to the Pont/Carver section...thanks

Tony, take pics along the way and post HERE. There are a lot of platforms out there with the same issues. Hopefully this thread will show some that it is within the DIY relm, and that adding an extention in the process of the rehab which is a popular option/consideration these days, is totally doable. Keep up the good work.

[quote="alexander38"]Hey Mod Dude please move this to the Pont/Carver section...thanks [/quote]

Hey Moderator, I wanted this tread/post moved to Pont. not the one I started there moved here. thanks.

I move the other here trying to merge them . And this is the boat area . Ponts is not.

I will look into it as i am having no luck sorry

Tony, don't you think a swim platform repair belongs in this section where most people look for technical advice?

Well after more than two weeks, It's glassed ! And now the fun starts Monday fairing it ....This the list of materials used so far.

1, 2 sheets of zero void White Oak plywood.
2, 10 gallons of vinylester resin
3, 52' 0f 1708/45 glass with chop mat
4, 14' of chop mat
5, 14' of 25oz heavy woven glass top of platform.
6, lots of man hours,
the marina manager has the man hrs. and materials figured at $ 5500.00 so far...glad I'm free and getting everything at 5% markup

hit the link to see it....

http://s852.beta.photobucket.com/user/t ... 20platform

measurements, 12' beam, ends (port and stbd) 54" and C/l is 44"...Without the dinghy on it I'll use it for a dance floor..at the next Roundup/get together ..after Crown of course..

Time to raise the water line

Naw, I bet it won't weigh in much more than the stock one, It was full of wet core it took 3 of us to move it to the shop off the fork truck.

I think Paul was talking about when YOU start dancing on the new platform! On a more personal note I would prefer seeing 'Barbie' dance on the platform then 'Ken'!

Allen Sr wrote:I think Paul was talking about when YOU start dancing on the new platform! On a more personal note I would prefer seeing 'Barbie' dance on the platform then 'Ken'!

I feel ill

prowlersfish wrote:

Allen Sr wrote:I think Paul was talking about when YOU start dancing on the new platform! On a more personal note I would prefer seeing 'Barbie' dance on the platform then 'Ken'!

I feel ill

Thats because we know what side of the fence you are on!

Well if your thinking of Tony dancing , then we shure are not on the same side of the fence . UGH !!