best way to strenghten a soft plastic hatch?

[rufus2000]

I just recently bought my fisrt boat and I'm wondering how should I strenghten my hatch, it's the one in the proboat geico's. Plastic is very soft and seems very brittle so I don't want to risk breaking it.

I hear fiberglass can be used, and also carbon fiber... i see some people use resin but i am not sure what is the proper way to do this as some say using CA (cyanoacrilate glue) with plastic is better.

Can anyone guide me please?

From all my search this is one techique that has catched my attention, however i have not seen it mentioned in the forums:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOw9VfA6n2s

involves using 3M 77 glue spray to lay down a 2oz fiber glass cloth, then uses CA glue for the finish.
what do you guys think? would this work for my particular case? Seems quite easy and straightforward

If I would go the carbon fiber route, what would i need?

your help will be greatly appreciated... I am very excited about my first boat and can't wait to get it in the water.. however I'd like to be as well prepared as possible but feel I lack the required skills and knowledge regarding fibers.

[detox]

I hear fiberglass can be used, and also carbon fiber... i see some people use resin but i am not sure what is the proper way to do this as some say using CA (cyanoacrilate glue) with plastic is better.
involves using 3M 77 glue spray to lay down a 2oz fiber glass cloth, then uses CA glue for the finish.
what do you guys think? would this work for my particular case? Seems quite easy and straightforward

The CA will bond better than epoxy. You can spray CA from any small pump bottle, but will clog if you do not clean afterwards. Acetone will work to clean bottle or you can throw it away afterwards. Be sure to spray downwind, CA will take your breath.

Use fiberglass.

[JIM MARCUM]

The Miss Geico is stronger than it looks. If you want to make it stronger, epoxy a 1" wide strip of fiberglass tape along the hull's horizontal seems with a 1" cheap paint brush. Lots of good info in OSE' boat building forums to help you learn how to do do glass work. JIM

[Rumdog]

The hatch... not the hull.
Tiqueman here on OSE makes and sells fiberglass hatches for them.

[JIM MARCUM]

Duh!!! Jim

[rufus2000]

Yes I meant the hatch :)
thanks for the tips... buying a pre-made hatch is nice but I'd rather try doing it myself this time.

Would I be ok using just 1 layer of 1 1/2 oZ, or 2 oz. fiber cloth? or how many layers would I need?

Unfortunately there is no hobby shop around here so I have to order all of this stuff online so I just want to figure the quantities I'd need to get.
I might have to get some extra CA and accelerator as well... is there a favorite brand for this?

thanks all

[properchopper]

This is how I strengthened the hatch on my MC :

Mask off entire hatch except portion to be reinforced

Agressively scuff the inside of the hatch with coarse sandpaper & wipe with alcohol

cut out the glass cloth ( I use heavy FG cloth)

coat inside of hatch with thick epoxy (I only use G-Flex) with paintbrush

lay cloth on streched out plastic bag and use throw-away 1 1/2" or 2" brush to saturate both sides of cloth

lay saturated cloth on hatch & form with fingers

use a strip of old credit card to scrape off excess epoxy

install flotation

scrub hands with dishwashing liquid and hot water

works for me


DSC03183.JPG

[JIM MARCUM]

With Tony, as usual.

After whacking a turtle with my MISS Geico, it's canopy was cracked. To fix it I: washed it down with dish soap and let it dry 100%. Didn't scruff it up like Tony, and I used a super flexable, thin glass cloth. Like Tony, I coated the pre-cut cloth with epoxy on both sides with a plastic putty knife, & used vinyl gloves, my fingers & a 1" throw away paint brush to smothe out the fiberglass evenly. It has stayed firmly attached, so far.

Tony's use of an old credit card for a squeegie is a great idea. I probably should use my active credit cards instead. JIM

[rufus2000]

Great tips! thanks again guys. I already ordered some fiber cloth... a very flexible one and another with a bit more weight on it. Once I get them I will see how it feels and pick what I hope will be the best option. I will go the CA route and see what happens.

Will try the CA spraying tip and will do the scuffing as it is suggested too, makes sense so the material has more bite.

Jim Marcum you should put a little turtle sticker on your miss geico (just kidding). Poor little guy he didn't see it coming!...

[properchopper]

Keep us posted on how it works out. Like Detox said, be VERY CAREFULL with CA; it fumes up a LOT and is quite toxic and dangerous to breathe the fumes. Best to wear a respirator.

[Chrisg81983]

I used two part foam from us composites on my buddy's spartan hatch it was always poping off in crashes but once foamed it was like a rock I poured foam into it then payed a pics of plywood on top with weight and it formed perfect to the hatch but best to do in two pours so u do not over fill and dont try spray can foam with this method it might warp hatch

[rufus2000]

Keep us posted on how it works out. Like Detox said, be VERY CAREFULL with CA; it fumes up a LOT and is quite toxic and dangerous to breathe the fumes. Best to wear a respirator.

will do, thanks for the extra heads-up on the CA. I'm planning to get a CA accelerator hopefully that will help a bit to reduce the fumes...

Chrisg: The foam tip is nice but I don't think it would be as easy to apply on this boat because of the inner hatch there's not much space between hatches. but maybe I'm wrong here.

[Chrisg81983]

I hear what you are saying if you have a inch or so of clearance that is fine all I do is add a layer 1/2 inch thick and this makes the hatch like a rock but if space is limited the ca suggestion works great as well as the epoxy method they are all good but different suggestions you need to decide what you feel more comfortable working with as well Chris g

[JIM MARCUM]

One last shot. I would never use CA - vice epoxy or vinylester resin - on fiberglass work. Especially on "plastic". Reasons:
1. I don't know what type of plastic Pro Boat uses, but on some plastics (PVC based for sure) CA will weaken and make the plastic brittle. I know patching cracks in Lexan car bodies dosen't hold up for long.
2. CA is only strong bonding smoothe, rigid parts. CA bonds are easily broken when in shear, flexed or impacted.
3. The fumes from CA are very nasty and could get you an unplanned visit to the ER. Enough CA to reinforce a Miss GEICO canopy would have to be done outside or a well ventilated space.
4. CA is WAY more expensive compared to Epoxy or vinylester resin
5. CA is a bitch to work with on a good day. It goes off so fast there will be no time for adjustments - while frying your eyeballs - will stick pieces of your gloves (God help your bare finger tips) to the canopy if you try.
6. Did I mention - in this application - CA is the weak tit sister to the strength of resins?

It's a free country & you can do what you want. If you still chose to go with CA Robert, good luck. JIM

[JIM MARCUM]

Great tips! thanks again guys. I already ordered some fiber cloth... a very flexible one and another with a bit more weight on it. Once I get them I will see how it feels and pick what I hope will be the best option. I will go the CA route and see what happens.

Will try the CA spraying tip and will do the scuffing as it is suggested too, makes sense so the material has more bite.

Jim Marcum you should put a little turtle sticker on your miss geico (just kidding). Poor little guy he didn't see it coming!...

As it turns out, any mention of, applying stickers to your boat mentioning, or having $120 worth of T shirts custom made showing TURTLE WHACKING is EXTREEMLY unacceptable with the powers that be. Social correctness & the desire to "grow" our sport beats my idea of "humor".

So if your favorite lake is full of boat destroying turtles, keep your mouth shut, and keep those stickers & T shirts stashed in a drawer. NO TURTLE WHACKING EVIDENCE ALLOWED!!!. Lacking any disclaimer warning about a potential turtle hit destroying your $3K race boat, no turtle victim would destroy your club by suing your ass off, right?JIM