Epoxy Question

T

Travis DG

New member
Hey all. Long time follower of this site and cannot thank you all enough for sharing your ideas and projects. I’ve found so much useful info here!

My question is what type of expoxy would you recommend? I looked extensively on US Composite website and don’t know what would be best. I’m leaning towards the thick 150 kit with slow harderner. I planned to make a fairing compound with aerosil. The bow rubbing isn’t all the deep, looks like it is just past the gel coat. Do I go with another filler sands easier? Do I want another expoxy with more flex? Before I repainting there is some minor fairing I’ll do here and there, mostly cosmetic. Going to use talc for this portion of the repair. Thoughts?

Plan on working in temps well above 80 during the summer. Once expoxy work is done I do plan on sanding the entire boat, acetone wipe then repaint with Parker’s in marsh grass.

Thank you all in advance


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I just made some canoe repairs with RAKA epoxy using their medium epoxy and medium hardener. Working in 85-90 temps (not normal here, but it was when I could do the work), I found it a little on the thin side and the curing time to be really fast. I think you are right to go with slow hardener. I tend to like thicker epoxy for small jobs fiberglassing jobs or applications like fillets or fairing or someplace I want the epoxy to stay put and not sag. For larger area coverage, the thin stuff goes on almost like paint and avoids excess bulk and weight when applying multiple layers of glass. I've always just used wood flour for filler, but a friend recommended microballoons f(West System 407 low density) for fairing for easier sanding when I re-glass my sculler, and I wished I had taken his advice. No idea how any of that translates to your US Composites products, except that you are asking the right questions.
 
We use west systems epoxy and pro set epoxy for our sport fishing yachts at work. The west system can be thickened with cabosil (fumed silica). Cabosil will make it hard as nails not as good for fairing. We use "bubbles" as a weave filler for fairing and then actual fairing compound. It is my understanding that west system is a little bit on the pricey side but one of the stronger epoxies that will stick to just about anything. It blushes so for large areas peel ply is a sanding - elbow - time saving must. You can get all of this through PAXTON.
 
I like West. The bilge holes, I would drill out clean and do two thin coats of glass tape. Sand well between, if possible in the bilge also. Attach a mounting fiber board in bilge and screw bilge pump to that.
 
I use RAKA 127 Resin with both 606 slow and 610 fast hardeners. When a thicker epoxy is needed, I add Cabosil or wood flour.

For your bow damage I'd flip the hull and paint it with unfilled epoxy resin and then spread in some Cabosil thickened epoxy and wouldn't worry about it getting messy because you can easily sand it flush after it cures. If you are concerned it is a high wear area prone to more damage I'd add a layer of Kevlar cloth on top, realizing it doesn't sand and you will likely need more filler over its top to smooth things out. No biggie, but a little more effort.

For the holes I'd grind the area out like shallow craters and lay in some 6 oz. cloth cut in circle shapes until you go slightly over level with the new cloth. Then sand her flush.
 
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