1980 S&S Restoration and Modernization

[WhiskeyTango]

Sanded with 220 on block sanders for several hours today and got most of the orange peel off. Hopefully using the blocks with the more coarse grits keeps the surface relatively straight.

The first couple of pictures are post sanding with the boat wet, which is overly kind to how it actually looks.

In the last couple of pics, the deck is dry and has tape next to numerous very small imperfections that will need filled with gelcoat and sanded prior to moving on to higher sanding grits and buffing. The final pic shows the type of imperfections… for reference, the tape pieces are thumbnail size or smaller.

[waterlogged882]

Sanded with 220 on block sanders for several hours today and got most of the orange peel off. Hopefully using the blocks with the more coarse grits keeps the surface relatively straight.

The first couple of pictures are post sanding with the boat wet, which is overly kind to how it actually looks.

In the last couple of pics, the deck is dry and has tape next to numerous very small imperfections that will need filled with gelcoat and sanded prior to moving on to higher sanding grits and buffing. The final pic shows the type of imperfections… for reference, the tape pieces are thumbnail size or smaller.

What a bee's nest those small marks have become.

I see a hull in the garage calling your name....

As I think back, you did not have this issue with the platform...no?

Great work.

Send me your address and I'll get an OEM replica dash sticker on the way.

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[WhiskeyTango]

These imperfections are a PITA indeed. I continue to think they are areas where small pinholes existed in the surface. There are fewer of them on the areas where I am doing gray then flake then clear, probably because there are so many layers of gel compared to the blue.

I did not have this problem on the gas tank panel, which was built from scratch. I need to get the platform back out and take another look now that I have some more experience.

Regarding the dash sticker, are you referring to the small wood grain “Mastercraft” or the large wood grain sheet behind the gauges? If the former, yes, that would be great. If the latter, I am planning to go without that. Either way, thanks for the offer!

[jtryon]

that color looks awesome

[waterlogged882]

These imperfections are a PITA indeed. I continue to think they are areas where small pinholes existed in the surface. There are fewer of them on the areas where I am doing gray then flake then clear, probably because there are so many layers of gel compared to the blue.

I did not have this problem on the gas tank panel, which was built from scratch. I need to get the platform back out and take another look now that I have some more experience.

Regarding the dash sticker, are you referring to the small wood grain “Mastercraft” or the large wood grain sheet behind the gauges? If the former, yes, that would be great. If the latter, I am planning to go without that. Either way, thanks for the offer!

.....

[WhiskeyTango]

Gel coat is a giant pain. Yesterday I sanded with successively finer grits and got to the first pass of polish to find that I still had fine scratches from blocking. So I sanded it back down with 400 on a DA and then started back over with wet sanding this morning. This went 600-800-1000-1500-2000. Made it to the first pass of polish before it got dark.

Given all the repeated sanding, I have a few thin spots that will need redone. But it generally looks okay. Note that the pictures make it look better than it really is.

I’ll fix the thin spots then get this to final polish and move on.

In case anyone is wondering, I’m now tired of this project. Lots left to do though.

[86Skier]

Milestones make a project. Its looking great. Get through this stage and you'll fire back up when you get to move on... and put sanding in your rear view.

The boats going to look amazing! Love this thread.

[Ironhorse]

Milestones make a project. Its looking great. Get through this stage and you'll fire back up when you get to move on... and put sanding in your rear view.

The boats going to look amazing! Love this thread.

My thoughts exactly. I hate sanding and you're obviously into the most labor intensive part of the build. It looks amazing! Great work.

[barefoot]

I wish I had those skills...Super impressive project!

[WhiskeyTango]

Well, this was hard to do. By backlighting and close inspection, I found the thin spots and am starting to prep for repair. Hope this works.

Key lesson: double up gel on all the edges, and don’t cob up the sanding so bad you have to do it twice.

[waterlogged882]

Well, this was hard to do. By backlighting and close inspection, I found the thin spots and am starting to prep for repair. Hope this works.

Key lesson: double up gel on all the edges, and don’t cob up the sanding so bad you have to do it twice.

Doesn't surprise me. I have seen thin places from time to time. The sides of the hull rarely have this issue because the sides are stuffed with Balsa wood.

Here is a keel area looking from the inside outward toward light. I put in two layers of cloth on this before I covered it back with flooring.

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[WhiskeyTango]

Thin areas were sanded, taped and back taped (rolled tape to soften the edge from a hard tape line for easier blending). Sprayed it last night and tonight I unmasked it and did the first sanding to let it continue to off-gas and cure. Supposedly if you polish it too soon, not all the gases from curing have been released, so it needs to sit another 24 hours before fine grits and polish.

I am looking forward to moving on to the hull (hopefully soon) and redoing the doghouse now that I’ve improved my skills a bit.

[WhiskeyTango]

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. It’s been a crazy month of work travel, a ski trip, holidays and covid (cold-like; no big deal… luckily).

The deck is mostly done; just have a bit of follow up polishing to do.

Got the gray base color for the stripe on the hull yesterday and got it sanded tonight. Hope to get some flake and clear on this at the end of the week.

[osmonet]

Glad you're feeling better, and boat Looks amazing!

[waterlogged882]

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. It’s been a crazy month of work travel, a ski trip, holidays and covid (cold-like; no big deal… luckily).

The deck is mostly done; just have a bit of follow up polishing to do.

Got the gray base color for the stripe on the hull yesterday and got it sanded tonight. Hope to get some flake and clear on this at the end of the week.

Looks better all the time.

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