Bonding the deck to hull

[Rookie]

I have a '86 Wellcraft Scarab Panther. How would I go about bonding the deck to the hull. I was told to remove my rub and just 5200 it together.

[Audiofn]

That is what I did and it worked amazingly well.

[glassdave]

are you trying to achieve a smooth rail-less look Like the Gladiators? Or just bonding the deck better to help keep the rail screws from walking?

[Rookie]

are you trying to achieve a smooth rail-less look Like the Gladiators? Or just bonding the deck better to help keep the rail screws from walking?

What I am looking to accomplish is bond the deck to the hull to 1. give the boat more rigidity 2. stop the screws from 'breaking' 3. stop the water from coming in from between the deck and hull 4. Make sure the dam thing doesn't separate and decapitate me.

I also would like to know where to put some more supports in so the boat doesn't flex as much. Which MIGHT be more work than I can do, but there are some good glass guys locally.

Thanks

[Madcow]

I had these problems om my old panther, here is what I did. Remove the rub rail and you will find more screws. You will find that close to 3/4 of them are accessable from the back. Any that are I replaced with 10-24 stainless bolts with lock nuts. The rest I coated with 2 part epoxy and replaced. Do the same when reinstalling the rub rail. This seems to be a common problem with 30 Scarabs. Once I did this I NEVER had a screw walk or break again. This job can be done in a long afternoon. Good luck.

[Audiofn]

I did exactly what Madcow did. I was only not able to get to 2 screws to put in the bolts. I put fender washers on all my bolts then a washer then nylock nuts.

[phragle]

flex so much?? it is an old wellcraft, check all the stringers and bulkheads.

[Rookie]

flex so much?? it is an old wellcraft, check all the stringers and bulkheads.

Thanks, stringers and bulkheads are fine, the flex is not that bad. I just had the engines out checked stringer and stuff in their, redid floor and up front all is nice and dry. Try to say that on most mid 1980's 'mass production' Wellcrafts. No I remember some people talking about adding some more support to their Panthers. Bonding deck to the hull made an increase in ride quality, and I forget where they put more reinforcement in the hull.

[jet]

ask BenPerfected ...........the fastest panther around

[PatriYacht]

BenPerfected actually had a new lightweight deck made and installed on his Scarab. He also had the floor lowered so the crew sits lower in the boat. The cabin has had a number of braces added. All of this work was done perfectly and looks better than any work Wellcraft ever did. Sorry I don't have any pictures.

[phragle]

Having redone the transom on my wellcraft, it's really not difficult to do stuff better than wellcraft. Besides the numerous air pockets, I found a lighter some clown at the factory dropped and glassed into the boat.

[Perlmudder]

I found a lighter some clown at the factory dropped and glassed into the boat.

thats kinda funny...

[Davidmnc]

I found a lighter some clown at the factory dropped and glassed into the boat.

Quality Job#1

[26 Spyder]

I have found all kinds of stuff left in my Spyder.. Plastic squegees, a roller, plenty of trash from cutouts, glassed in cigarettes...

Anyway, I have used 5200 on hull to deck joints in the past, you just have to make sure you get it clean first. Not very easy. usually a hacksaw blade or a 3" cutoff wheel will get into the joint enough to clean it out if you use a few prybars to seperate a small area at a time.

Now, on my Spyder build this winter I will be glassing the hull and deck together and getting rid of the rail completely. I will probably start another thread on it if there is interest.

[old377guy]

I have found all kinds of stuff left in my Spyder.. Plastic squegees, a roller, plenty of trash from cutouts, glassed in cigarettes...

Anyway, I have used 5200 on hull to deck joints in the past, you just have to make sure you get it clean first. Not very easy. usually a hacksaw blade or a 3" cutoff wheel will get into the joint enough to clean it out if you use a few prybars to seperate a small area at a time.

Now, on my Spyder build this winter I will be glassing the hull and deck together and getting rid of the rail completely. I will probably start another thread on it if there is interest.

sounds interesting, Spyder -keep us posted