Knot 4 Me

Boatlife.

Brad Christy

Knot,

Is that a brand suggestion or just a comment?

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Knot 4 Me

Brand of clear silicon I have used in the past. I believe I've also used a 3M clear marine silicon. Might even still have a tube in the garage.

1Zoom

Plenty of baby powder helps with the itch. I agree with Griff a good grade of clear silicone will work above the waterline and be easier to clean up. Lok
o like you got it licked now.😎

Speed0verdose

Baby powder BEFORE you start working on the fiberglass, lots and lots down your long sleeves to create a barrier.

Brad Christy

Zoom,

I worked at a fiberglass injection molding company in a previous life, so I got a handle on the itch. Mostly, you just have to suck it up and wait it out.

Yup. Pretty well got it done at this point. After two coats of epoxy on the freshly exposed wood, I had to take a rat tail file to a couple spots in one of the slots to get the cleat to fit, so I'll have to go back in and recoat those spots. NBD.

I've got to start listening to you guys better when I ask for advice. I had already made up my mind I was going to use a jigsaw with down-cut blades to do the work. I bought an old skool unit with a 360° swiveling head and some bi-metal down-cut blades (not easy to find), a 3/4" holesaw and went at it. Two holes at either end of the first slot, each of them coming out in two and three chunks (plywood ) and about an inch into the jigsaw work and one of the blades was trashed. Off to Lowe's I went to pick up a palm router while calling my local cutting tool supplier for a couple of 3 flute carbide endmills (worked like a champ). After a bit of a learning curve with the new tool, the slots were cut in no time at all. My only regrets were not buying the 1-3/4" length of cut endmill, instead of 1-1/4", as the layup, including the glass on either side of the plywood blocks, was a lot thicker than I was anticipating, and not having the patience to wait until I could wrangle some help to hold a shop vac while doing the cutting. I spent more time vacuuming the debris from areas most people don't even realize exist on a boat than I did doing the cutting itself. I restarted the clock on waiting out the itch with this step.

I have a tube of the 3M marine silicone on the way. Now I just have to wait for my son to have a couple hours to serve as my tunnel rat, running nuts onto the studs on the underside of these cleats. I had him help me remove the static cleats. While he was all tucked up under the sundeck, reaching out for one of the transom cleats, I asked him if he could imagine me trying that. He thought about it about..... that long.... and said "Nope". Little prick.

I'm trying to get it all back together in time to try and get it out on the water this Sunday, as the weather looks like it's gonna cooperate, and I love being able to say we were on the water in April in Ohio.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

1Zoom

I get it, been there before. Bought end mills before knowing how thick the area was and had to be creative. Glad it worked out.

Brad Christy

Guys,

Done deal. Cleats are in. Everything that needed pulled to make it happen has been put back together. Discovered a dead battery in the process, which has been replaced. Decided to start the conversion to G29 batteries (from G27). Ready for the lake tomorrow (April in Ohio is quite the thing).






I’m pretty pleased with the results.

I’ve got five 8” static cleats that look like brand new. Whatever came OEM on Powerquests in 2002. Including screws washers and nylock nuts. Free to a good home.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991