Yawn, another sr4 project!

[SimonStDavids]

Well having decided that I am not going to be able to afford or find a sr4.7 or ribcraft 4.8 at the moment (and still loving my sr4) I bought another one

The boat suits me well and is solid but I have always hankered after one that looks a bit smarter. Mine has painted tubes and there isn't a lot I can do about that so I have been looking for a hull to start afresh on and now got one!

It's going to be a slow build but this is what I am starting with:



So these are my plans and questions, tips and advice sought as usual.

Starting with the hull, it's is in pretty good shape for age (serial 697) but it is covered in paint underneath and flowcoat and paint on the deck. What is the best way to remove it, nitromors, or flip it and abrasion? I am very seriously considering changing the hull and deck colour to grey to make it look like a mini mod one so once the paint is gone I thought about 2 layers of grey gel and one of flowcoat and and a lot of wet & dry plus lots of polishing. Is it possible?

Then the deck, as above but it has two ridges running laterally across it, can they be grinded off?

The console is an ali one and not sure if I like it or not. I would like to move it to starboard a bit though whether I keep it or not. Does anyone the positioning for the offset console on a sr4? If I do replace it, I'll be looking for a two man avon console if there is one available and this one will be for sale.

Lastly the tubes, again good shape apart from one valve leaking. But does anyone know if the tube pattern changed at anytime. This one looks like it has a seam running around the top of the tubes, but my current one doesn't?

I would like to get the tubes freshened up a bit and thinking about new seam tapes and rubbing strake. Don't suppose anyone has already done this and has any pictures for inspiration?

Well that is it for now...I'll post photos as I go...

[henryfreston]

I saw that one for sale, had a 35hp brown band merc? Did you buy it seperately?

Don't know much about stripping the hull back and painting it.

As far as replacing the rubbing strake goes, I would opt with black. It looks nice. Like this one on ebay Avon Searider 4m RIB (SR4) | eBay

It will also break the grey up if you are painting the hull grey.

If I were you I would go for a different style console. Not a searider one- problem I found with them is they have no dry storage so all your electrics are exposed etc. So personally I would go for black console, and also paint the deck black. (I think if you go grey hull, grey tubes, grey console, grey deck it will look a bit dull, hense I think black strakes, black console and black deck would cook cool)

You may also want to think about getting the a frame power coated grey or black to suit

Just my opinion of what would look good.

Good luck with it, looks like a nice project

[SimonStDavids]

Yep that was the one! The motor was in good condition but I already have a yam 55 and didn't really want the hassle of selling it on. Luckily seller had I buyer lined up for the outboard so I just bought the hull.

That eBay one looks quite smart, and a good point about the console.

[jay kay]

Benjytaylor has got a console with storage for sale. Pics in for sale section.

[SimonStDavids]

I have been slowly toiling away on this beastie now and will put some pictures up soon.

The tubes have cleaned up really well with the ubiquitous fairy power spray and I have stuck down all the loose bits so apart from one leaky valve that part is now done.

The hull and the deck were painted, I have now nearly finished stripping the paint off them and have decieded that i am going to go grey!

My current sr4 has footstraps and I love 'em so I want to migrate them to this build, at the moment they are screwed down but I am aware that my deck is somewhat thicker than the original.

To counter this I thought about gluing these to the deck and glassing over them, has anyone ever used them them or similar? Or any other suggestions?

My other question is does anyone have the measurements for the offset console, specifically how far the centre line of the console is offset to starboard?

Thanks as always

[Poly]

I'm fairly sure you can get footsttaps that are just glued on avoiding the hassle you suggest?

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by Poly

I'm fairly sure you can get footsttaps that are just glued on avoiding the hassle you suggest?

I have a military style 5.4 and the straps are glued.

[ShinyShoe]

Seen straps on SIBs so must be possible....

[SimonStDavids]

I have been rubbish at taking photos but have still been plodding on with this. The hull is upside down and I have stripped all the paint off, filled the little chinks and have given the whole hull a rub down with 120 grit.

I used the paint stripper from east coast fibreglass as it says it is fine for use on GRP, and it worked really well if anyone wants to do something similar.

12.5 kilos of light weather work resin has now arrived so over the next couple of days it's changing colour! I have been going through old threads and I am going to follow a similar process that ribraff used, a couple of layers of gel coat followed by some flowcoat and a lot of wet and dry sanding



Half way through taking the paint off, the red one came off but easily, but the black stuff was thick and sticky!



All the paint off, ready to fill holes and scratches.

[SimonStDavids]

5 layers of gel coat 1 of flowcoat and lots and lots of sanding and it's starting to take shape!!!

Still more sanding though

[two stroke mick]

why are you mixing gel coat and flo coat?

[nugent]

Originally Posted by two stroke mick

why are you mixing gel coat and flo coat?

I was thinking the same thing

[whisper]

Gelcoat goes on first in layers and the final layer should be flowcoat (with wax) so it sets hard.

The only trouble is if you sand through the flowcoat as you will have to reapply it in those areas.

Gelcoat has a chemical and mechanical bond.

Flowcoat only has a mechanical bond due to the wax.

It will be tough getting it smooth so fair play to him

[ncp]

So....

Gelcoat/resin won't cure in the presence of air. So, in order for it to cure, wax is added - this is what you guys call "flowcoat" (in surfboard repair, this would be called "Sanding Resin" versus the non-wax "Laminating Resin"). The wax effective "floats" to the surface and creates a barrier so that the resin can then cure in the absence of air.

Originally Posted by whisper

The only trouble is if you sand through the flowcoat as you will have to reapply it in those areas.

Why wouldn't multiple layers of unwaxed gelcoat cure under a final layer of waxed "flowcoat"? The flowcoat would seal the previous layers of gel from the air and the gel should cure, right???

[SimonStDavids]

I think the layers of gel underneath the flowcoat will go off. From what I could gather from this site and others gel and flow coat are quite similar, but flowcoat is a bit thinner and has wax in it to seal it off from the air for the final cure.

The wax rubs off flowcoat and the resin is still hard so I think gelcoat will be too once it has cured under the flowcoat.

The reason I went for layers of gelcoat first was that I believed it to be a bit thicker than flowcoat, so I could build up some thickness in each layer to protect against scratches and without the wax I could apply layer upon layer without the sanding. The final coat was with wax so the whole thing would cure.

That was the plan anyway, it is all a bit of an experiment to be honest

I really underestimated the amount of sanding though, I have done plenty of surfboard repairs over the years, and dumbly figured it would be an upscaled version!!

I have given up for day, all my finger tips are raw I think there is another day of work, working up to 1000 grit and it should be done (fingers crossed!)

[C-NUMB]

Good luck with the sanding &V fairing, its hard work on that stuff. I have done a few boats that way and it works. But generally think its much, much easier to work with light epoxy putty,2 k epoxy primer and 2k PU coat on top to get a nice and even stronger finnish.

When laminating against a mould , on a less than 24 h painted gelcoat, there will be chemical(sort of) and mechanical bond. When painting gelcoat or flowcoat on old laminate, there will be only mechanical bond on the first layer of laminate.

But sometimes only way to get original color is to use gel/flowcoat. One thing have noted when working with gel or flow. Its easier to get a reasonable surface if protecting the working area from UV rays during painting. Its not only the temperature, somehow painting in a sheltered place(inside or tent) is much easier than under open sky, even if the temp is the same. Or then i only had to much polyester fumes....

[Firefly]

I don't envy your workload. The result, however, should be worth it.

I have just finished an SR4 restoration and conversion from deluxe sports configuration to work boat . Fortunately my hull and deck are OK and original. I flowcoated the new jockey console and rear locker seat and that was enough.

Here are some before and after pics.

[wolfie]

Mr firefly, I do like that console, did you fabricate it or bought it as it came?

[Firefly]

I bought off this forum for £25 still unpacked. I had to beef it up with GRP and ply, fit the hatches and flowcoat it to match the deck. I made the windscreen from the original deluxe screen. Can't wait to get the seats on.

[Firefly]

I bought it from Bingomike, he might be able to tell you where he got it from.