Sea Ark 1986 Forecast 170 C

[petedacook]

Hello Tinboats,

I was sent here by Reddit.com and I've been lurking for a few weeks. I need some help with rebuilding this 1986 Sea Ark Forecast F170 C, so i figured I would make a post to begin the journey.

Let me first express my thanks to the community for your help to all those that venture here. This site is highly praised on Reddit, and that praise is not easily earned.

I am a very good auto mechanic, and all around fix it guy. I am a noob when it comes to boats. I picked this boat up last year around July time frame. Me and family enjoyed it for the summer, but it was time to replace the rotting wood and give it a face lift.

Ive attached pictures of the tear down. Motor is Tohatsu M70A2.

I'm pretty self sufficient and diligent at research and critical thought, but I could use some input on what primer to use. I plan to spray from a can in grey, but I am not sure on the primer. If I am off on the spraying from a can, then please let me know.

I've stripped all wood and carpet at this point. I'm working on some old stickers that ran down the sides. If there is a site sponsor i could look to for new vinyl stickers, please point that out as well.

Decent pic pre tear down, with the kids on board

Post tear down:

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Hi and welcome.
You will want a self etching primer for any bare aluminum. Then I would use a primer the same brand as the top coat.

 

[Tylermk5]

I would go with epoxy paint. That is some tough stuff. Scuff the aluminum clean/degrease and paint. Nothing to it.


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[Tylermk5]

I would go with epoxy paint. That is some tough stuff. Scuff the aluminum clean/degrease and paint. Nothing to it.


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you can get it at any auto parts store.

 

[petedacook]

I'm applying epoxy resin to the wood I am replacing.

Can anyone tell me what thickness fiberglass strand mat to use?

Thanks,

Pete

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I'm applying epoxy resin to the wood I am replacing.

Can anyone tell me what thickness fiberglass strand mat to use?

Thanks,

Pete

If all your doing is using the epoxy resin to seal the wood you don't need fiberglass cloth.
If your using polyester resin you need fiberglass cloth.

 

[petedacook]

The center piece of wood is rather wide, and there is little in the form of support across the width, so the goal is g to add strength to the wood as well as seal it. My understanding is that adding a fiberglass mat will also add strength. Is that true?

There are beams running across the width of the center base, but they are really flimsy and can't support any weight.

Thanks for any advice!

-Pete

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Yes it will add strength. What fiberglass product are you planning to use?
Some is not intended for use with epoxy and will end up causing you to use more epoxy than needed.

 

[petedacook]

I'm looking at the resin mat from Marine Pro Marine https://promarinesupplies.com/mat/ strand mat. I was thinking 1.5oz.

 

[huntinfool]

Don't use cloth!

Use stranded mat. What thickness you use won't really matter because you can lay multiple layers down. I use 1.5oz and usually lay at least two layers. Sometimes three depending on what I'm trying to accomplish. Don't cut the mat, rather tear it apart so that you will have a feathered edge. The multi directional layers of the stranded mat are much stronger than cloth alone.

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[petedacook]

Thanks, huntinfool

 

[petedacook]

I am applying Primocon primer to the sides of my flat bottom Jon Boat. I am focusing on the bare metal spots, and feathering the Primocon over the touching painted areas so not to have an abrupt line.

I am thinning with Brush EZE, and I have also not primed. I have used different levels of primer, applying thin coats, thick coats, etc. I am applying with a foam roller, brush as needed, and tiping with a foam "tomahawk."

No matter what I do the primer coat is coming out like an orange peel. The prepped surface was flat as glass, but after applying primocon, the surface visibly looks like an orange peel.

Is this normal? What do I need to do to get a shiny finish in the end?

Do I need to sand the Primocon before applying the pre-kote? I read that I don't need to sand between Primocon coats, but I have not been able to find any information on the Pre-Kote.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[petedacook]

OK........I've got some pics and an update. I was not able to diffuse the Primocon situation. It orange peeled everywhere.

I put 3-4 coats on, altering thinner amount, to no avail. I shook my head and moved on to Interlux Pre-Kote. I did 1/2 the boat with a roller. I achieved the same orange peel results. Is witched to rolling, then brushing with a paint dipped brush. I received much better results going over the rolled are with a wet brush, but still a noticeable orange peel, uneven coat.

Next day: I started to do the roller/brush method, but stopped mainly because I was not happy with how laborious it was, and the results were not stellar which is what I am after. I bought a sprayer from Harbor Freight about 2 weeks ago for 15 bucks. I planned to return it, but I figured WTF, I'm out $15 if it doesn't work. I Loaded it with the little paint I had mixed in the mixing jar, sprayed a little, and low and behold, the spectacular results I was looking for. It went on smooth, shiny, and filled those orange peel trails left by the Primocon and roller.

Now, onto some pics. I did not capture any pics of the side I sprayed. As you may be able to tell, I don't have much room to work in.

I will upload photos of the sprayed area soon.

The stuff you see in the paint in the pics that looks like lint, is not foreign matter. I could rub the area with my finger and those lint looking marks would dissolve. For the record, i tried pre-claning the surface with acetone, and brushing liquid 333. Neither improved, nor degraded the results.

Thanks all,

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I have 2 of those sprayers, have not used them yet. There are several video's on youtube on how to tune up the Harbor freight spray guns. They can be made to spray much better than they do out of the box.

 

[petedacook]

I have 2 of those sprayers, have not used them yet. There are several video's on youtube on how to tune up the Harbor freight spray guns. They can be made to spray much better than they do out of the box.

Good to know. I'll check it out.

 

[gunpackinpanda]

i did that with the harbor freight spray gun! i loved using it! good look on your build!

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