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Polymer Thickness
- Thread starter calbrigsr
- Start date
Airboatcapt2
Well-known member
I think most people use the spray on or roll applications on the fiberglass so they don't cause fatigue points in thier fiberglass hulls.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Faron's right, Calbrigsr. The fiberglass and aluminum hulls are two completely different critters. Poly has been put on fiberglass hulls before, don't get me wrong, but you have to back-up every hole in the hull with something similar to a fender washer if you intend for the hole in the hull to hold and not crack unless your hull has a really good bottom in it like a Freedom Craft.
feather
feather
i have used #10 stainless screws with great results no leaks
pre drill holes and countersink the polymere every 5 square inches
use a drill a bit smaller then the thread is of the screw like .030 smaller drill all the holes in the poly first not thru the hull .
now the trick is having the hull upside down and in direct sunlight before you drill the hull let the polymere get hot cause it will expand 2-3 inches larger then it measures cold. start at the bow in the middle of the polymere and drill the first 2 holes in the hull install the screws work down the middle 2 rows drilling and installing the screws all the way down to the transum. repete the next 2 rows left and right of the first row.
repete untill all rows are installed. you need to make the edeges all the way around the polymere sheet spaced every 2 1/2 inches. and i leave the polymere hang off the transome slightly.
if a cloud comes blocking the sunlight stop untill direct sunlight returns.
if you don't stop you will get waves in the poly as it shrinks fast.
if you ever seen a boat with wrinkles thats why they didn't let it get hot and expand before installing it.
this is for fiberglass hulls only. it takes a couple hours to install after it is predrilled and countersinked. best of all is you can do it by yourself no need for a helper to install the washer and locknuts.
pre drill holes and countersink the polymere every 5 square inches
use a drill a bit smaller then the thread is of the screw like .030 smaller drill all the holes in the poly first not thru the hull .
now the trick is having the hull upside down and in direct sunlight before you drill the hull let the polymere get hot cause it will expand 2-3 inches larger then it measures cold. start at the bow in the middle of the polymere and drill the first 2 holes in the hull install the screws work down the middle 2 rows drilling and installing the screws all the way down to the transum. repete the next 2 rows left and right of the first row.
repete untill all rows are installed. you need to make the edeges all the way around the polymere sheet spaced every 2 1/2 inches. and i leave the polymere hang off the transome slightly.
if a cloud comes blocking the sunlight stop untill direct sunlight returns.
if you don't stop you will get waves in the poly as it shrinks fast.
if you ever seen a boat with wrinkles thats why they didn't let it get hot and expand before installing it.
this is for fiberglass hulls only. it takes a couple hours to install after it is predrilled and countersinked. best of all is you can do it by yourself no need for a helper to install the washer and locknuts.
Screws work fine in glass when they start leaking just replace them one at a time with locknuts and washers. I ran em for years. Good advic eon the installation techniques.