The boat has six partial bulkheads (where the chainplates are attached) that are fiberglassed to the hull and the shelves. One or two of mine had detached or develped a crack in the fiberglass at the attachment point. I'm in the process of re-attaching them (re-tabbing them I think its called)
First I sanded down the layers of old paint to get to the fiberglass. Even this was not easy. I went from 80 grit, to 60, to 36 then used a wire wheel. I ground off any suspect fiberglass.
The plan is to apply overlapping layers of fiberglass tape over the original fiberglass with epoxy.
Two questions:
Even after this rough treatment, the original fiberglass still feels smooth to the touch. Will the new fiberglass form a good attachment to it or do I need to do something more?
Is it worth it to buy e-glass or s-glass for this project or will regular 9 oz tape do the job nicely?
Let me tell you, this is no fun project. Even with a tyvex suit and respirator, I'm still itching like a mental patient.
Here is the scene part way through the destruction process. I'll get some better photos this weekend.