Wild Duck Deck

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Billaboard
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Joined: Thu October 5th, 2006, 9:48 pm

Wild Duck Deck

Post by Billaboard »

We have a Wild Duck that I built with the family and launched 20 years ago, and that is now moored in North Wales. Epoxy covered ply on oak.

We put Trakmark in large panels on the fore and after deck and the cabin top. The wood around the panels and on the cabin window area were left in natural epoxy under all sorts of coats of light inhibiting epoxies and varnishes, but now the whole topsides needs re-doing. We think strip, re-epoxy and then lots of paint is the way to go, as the paint on the hull is still fine. The Trakmark has come unstuck and torn, so never again for that.

The work will have to be done in an open 'carport-like' structure (with holes in the roof) as soon as we are craned out. This is to make the most of the slightly higher November temperatures, and we will have to work under a sort of tent inside the shed.

So, the questions are...... When we peel off the Trakmark, what is the best way to remove the old contact adhesive. Under the Trakmark, the original epoxy should be fine, and I can't afford to waste money by grinding the good stuff off if I don't have to. Are either acetone or white spirit any good as adhesive solvents?

When we get beyond this, there's the question of the new non-slip deck. The cockpit floor has been marvellous with a covering of relatively coarse fiberglass matting soaked in epoxy and then painted. Still as good as the day it was built, but it did take a huge amount of epoxy. I was wondering if a finer glass mesh soaked in epoxy might be good on deck, with the panels matching the Trakmark areas and painted a different colour from the deck. The alternative seems to be to sprinkle sand in the paint or buy sand-loaded paint. Any advice gratefully received.

As can be guessed from the above, it is imperative to keep costs as low as possible whilst doing a sensible job. I'm retired and the sons and daughter who helped build have all moved away from the nest, but tell me I'm not allowed to sell. This means the job must be easy for me to do as well as cheap.

PS I seem to have registered on the site from one PC and the forum from another with different email address, so I hope having a split personality doesn't matter!
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Eventide Owners Group
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Post by Eventide Owners Group »

Hello there, Bill is it?

Trakmark was great for a few years, then they all lifted round the edges!
To strip it a hot air gun works wonders!

I would strip it off then borrow a belt sander to remove the debris, once cleaned up with acetone you could apply another coat of epoxy if it needs it, or go direct to a paint and sprinkle sand on it, maybe mask up panels, paint them then sprinkle, finally painting the lot all over, gives a panelled effect, with good non slip.

What paint to use? You could use a pastel shade, if there is such a shade, with an epoxy paint, or simply enamel. Will need redoing every 5 years with normal enamel I expect.

Epoxy has to be protected from UV or it will degrade, which you have done in the past by the sounds of it...

You could use epoxy and glass cloth, but you are still going to have to add non slip grit and a paint layer to keep out the UV...

Be interesting to see if an epoxy paint can be found that was easy on the eye, not too light for reflections etc. I cannot recall a pale blue, grey or tan epoxy in Internationals list, but then I was not looking for one!

I have used ordinary marine enamel and grit to good effect, but on 'Fiddler's Green' I got hold of a load of Treadmaster, dirt cheap, the light weight non slip cork matting, 16 seasons on it is still good, laid on epoxy coated ply, glued with epaxy, but with a black UV repelling additive. 4" gaps in between treadmaster pads were painted. Once 18 years ago with 2 pot poly, never painted since!

hope this helps.

John
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Billaboard
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Joined: Thu October 5th, 2006, 9:48 pm

Post by Billaboard »

Thanks John for all that good advice. I'll probably use straight enamel paint, as that has done so well on the hull. All the nearby plastic boat owners say to paint it white, but I think maybe a light brown to match the present wood over a green hull look.

When we built, We coated the bilge and various other parts with some 2-pack epoxy paint designed for painting surfaces in operating theatres and kitchens. It was made in Liverpool and has been marvellous. It only came in white. When I tried to track down what it was recently, the general opinion seemed to be that the nearest thing now was a Swedish product that had to have the colour mixed in, and seemed much, much more expensive.

If anyone happens to know if the 'cheap' white operating theatre paint still exists, or even better an inexpensive coloured version, I'd be very interested. It's hard to believe that the market for it has dried up! For the enamel, I've always used International paints, but for epoxy, there used to be these industrial alternatives.

If I can remember the name, I might pop up again to ask about it.

Thanks again,

Bill (yes it is!)
Billaboard
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu October 5th, 2006, 9:48 pm

Post by Billaboard »

OK, got all the Trakmark off and in the bin. Topsides sanded down and ready for the acetone as soon as we have sorted out some small repairs. So on to the next problem......
On our Wild Duck, we have a pushpit, a pulpit and three stanchions down each side of the top of the cabin to support the stainless guardrails. The stanchions have small stainless bases approx 1.5 x 2.5 inches and are about 22 inches tall. They were bolted with 4 stainless bolts to the top edges of the cabin, with large washers through the ply and, in several instances through or close to the Columbian pine stringers.

Basically the guardrails are safe because of the pushpit and pulpit, and the stanchions just keep them in position, but the stanchions do take a lot of strain from normal sailing stresses, and also from helping to support the huge, heavy overwintering tarpaulin. The result is that, particularly the centre stanchion has badly damaged the wood beneath its base, letting water into the ply and perhaps into the stringer.

We were vaguely thinking of making much larger stainless support straps to support the stanchion bases and spread the load across the cabin top and down the sides, but I wondered if anyone here had any suggestions for clever stanchion mountings.

The forces, particularly with the cover on in strong winds, are pretty horrendous, and we have had many 1/4" stainless mounting bolts shear off, so I was wondering about some sort of deliberately weak 'sacrificial mounting' that could be easily replaced when necessary.

Any suggestions or pointers to pictures of clever mountings gratefully received!

Bill
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Guard rails....

Post by Eventide Owners Group »

A problem for all of us! Even with an Eventide.

I ended up using 8mm stainless bolts through massive ply plates and backing plates. The idea was to stop them moving, thus allowing water beneath the fittings and into the wood. Rain in there causes rot... so far so good...

I can remove my staunchions in the winter and just leave the bases, this prevents the cover causing problems, however I have stored in a barn now for years, and do not cover the boat at all, (though a dust sheet to prevent the owl leaving large lumps of his last night dinner is an idea!)

The alternative is a special winter set of rails maybe, or something like that.. I wonder if others have had similar trouble and found an answer
John
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