Plywood Tank Floor Fiberglass Layup?

CaptScottNC · #1 03-20-2006, 11:50 AM

Ok I know this is a subject that has been run into the ground and I have read lots of posts on how to do the tank job but what I have had a hard time finding was the proper layup of glass on the plywood floor? Should I be using something like a couple layers of 1708 or 1808? or what? I do know whatever I put down there will be better than what is currently there!

Also, what weight of glass tape and such would be appropriate for repairing the cracks that extend deep into the liner if not all the way through. These cracks are just beside the fish box in where the vertical corner comes down to the casting platform/fishbox location. I ground it out, put a few layers of thin glass in there and finished with some gelcoat. Made a 50 mile run to go tuna fishing and each gelcoat patch on either side has a crack running through it. I really did this repair very quickly to see if there was still a lot of motion in those areas. Plan to grind it out and fix it properly once some of you fellas give me an idea what kind of repair/layup is necessary to do it properly. Is this typical of the flexing of the liner in this area? Seems to be a lot of stress in these 2 areas.
Here's the photo of it before I ground it out to seethe extent of the cracking.

Thanks in advance for any input.

warthog5 · #2 03-20-2006, 03:08 PM

I would fix crack's like that with several layer's of 1808 +45/-45 that way the strand's run across the cracked area.

CaptScottNC · #3 03-21-2006, 05:26 PM

warthog,
I appreciate your response. Where haveyou found is a good place online to get glass from? will be putting in an order today. Just need to decide what glass and how much I should get for the plywood floor beneath my tank. And what I need to replace the glass on the underside of my hatches when I recore them. Have any input on the proper glass for building up layers under the hatch and plywood floor of the tank? The repairs that were done before had some rovin woven plastered underneath the hatches in a rather ugly way.

any suggestions on how many layers and what weight cloth for my hatches would be very helpful. I have some books coming on fiberglass and gelcoat work but need to get an order in today hopefully.
Thanks in advance,