Step-by-step - Bonding and Laminating Plywood into GRP Boats - Easy and Essential -Fibreglassing 101

Essential info that’s easy to follow for the DIY boat owner. Full step by step guide to using bonding paste and fiberglass (fibreglass) to fit plywood into an old GRP boat for structural repairs.
I’m thirsty after all that talking, buy me a beer?…. www.paypal.me/RefitAndSail
If you have enjoyed this video and/or learned something you can now buy me a beer using the link above to make a donation to the channel. If I end up with more beer tokens than I need then I will put your donations towards a better camera, lighting and other equipment so it ultimately benefits you the viewer. I don’t do Patreon, I don’t sell T shirts but you can help support this growing channel. Thank you
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Links to products in this video and that I use*
Makita 9031/2 240V 30mm Belt Sander - amzn.to/47KmWtE
DeWALT Unisex Protector Safety Eyewear - amzn.to/3tfnI2O
*These are Amazon affiliate links - they are no more expensive to you but I get a tiny commission payment if you buy the product using my link.
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About Me
I run a small business called The Solent Boat Butler and spend my days repairing, maintaining and refitting sailing boats (often Contessa 32’s due to my long experience with them). I'm mostly in the central Solent area of the UK. Being a cruising and racing sailor with many thousands of inshore and offshore sea miles logged I like to think that I bring a great deal of real-world experience to my work and help many new (and not so new) boat owners to improve and maintain their boats. When I'm not fixing boats I also provide some own-boat sail training, help owners with deliveries, provide pre-purchase inspections and deliver consultancy services to those that are refitting their own boats for cruising or racing.
Facebook - thesolentboatbutler
Instagram - @george_the_boat_butler
Instagram - @refitandsail
Website - www.solentboatbutler.co.uk
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Disclaimer
I hope that viewers both enjoy and learn something from my videos but please remember to take the appropriate precautions for any DIY refit works you undertake with appropriate PPE and the correct tools for the job. If you are in any way unsure as to how to go about a project or are unsure if something on your boat is safe please consult a professional. I don’t necessarily show every step of how to do a particular job so only take on a project if you know exactly what you are doing or consult a professional, I accept no liability for errors or omissions in this video, it is for entertainment purposes only.
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Music credits
Intro Music: Bensound.com
Other Music: epidemicsound.com
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My thanks to the owners of these boats for giving me permission to create this content based on the refit of their boats.

Пікірлер: 60

  • @gohanovago2288
    @gohanovago22882 ай бұрын

    I love this channel - professional boatwork - with British humor / lightness ☀️👍

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Thanks

  • @dadzilla007
    @dadzilla007Ай бұрын

    Thank you for the effort here. So many videos shortcut the process, assuming Imy guess0 at time details are generally known. As a auito mechanic I've seen this in so many videos. As someone new to fiberglass, knowing next to nothing, the deep dives are gold.

  • @samuaarnivuo4113
    @samuaarnivuo41132 ай бұрын

    Perfect timing. Tomorrow is plywood laminating day.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Perfect!

  • @mathew5315.1
    @mathew5315.12 ай бұрын

    That's weird, I was just thinking about you George, I looked and a new episode had appeared. Ace!

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Perfect timing then!

  • @michaelwhitmore5259
    @michaelwhitmore52592 ай бұрын

    Absolutely the best explanation of tapering around bulkheads, thank you so much!

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Thanks, pleased it was helpful, worth noting that it’s more important on more lightly built boats where hulls are thinner and can flex more. On older 70’s boats where the hull are thick and don’t flex so much it’s far less important

  • @mikkom8057
    @mikkom80572 ай бұрын

    For anyone suggesting thinning polyester resin with acetone, i think the only reasonable thing to do is to is to ask them to lay down their tools and leave the boatyard. 😅 Only styrene for thinning poly- and vinylesters.

  • @mikejustice1196

    @mikejustice1196

    Ай бұрын

    You’re right, acetone was old school

  • @karelundberg9523
    @karelundberg95232 ай бұрын

    Hi George, very, very good tutorial! But the location you chose and the lamination are among the more difficult to perform. You should have mentioned that. For beginners, the protection of plastic film is essential. It takes a long time to learn how to handle everything to the level you demonstrate.

  • @monocerosin
    @monocerosinАй бұрын

    thank you for making these video, its been so helpful in my progress and process. thank you thank you!

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    Ай бұрын

    You are very welcome. Do like and subscribe to stay tuned.

  • @lolosharko
    @lolosharko2 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much George! Yet another video packed with skills with a delightful british accent.

  • @gregcope5565
    @gregcope55652 ай бұрын

    Congrats on 10K subs!

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @hatatfatcat
    @hatatfatcat2 ай бұрын

    I did not know that CSM had chemical in it, now I understand why it sometimes ends up a gooey mess when I try pushing it about too much with a brush/roller, so thanks for that I learnt something again.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Indeed, the binder in csm dissolves with styrene which is why it is generally not used with epoxy resin

  • @user-gv8vv8rc4d
    @user-gv8vv8rc4d2 ай бұрын

    Great video as always George! If you do too many of them you'll be doing yourself out of a job 😉

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Many thanks, I had considered that but I have a waiting list of clients so should be ok. The reality is that those that want to diy Will diy, those that don’t have the time/skills/desire pay people like me. I take the view that if people want to work on their own boats as I have always done then at least they should have access to decent info on how to do a job properly. Pleased you enjoy the videos

  • @leeburnside735
    @leeburnside7352 ай бұрын

    Great job very helpful 😊

  • @francismontocchio9910
    @francismontocchio99102 ай бұрын

    Really great video, thanks!

  • @francisswallow88
    @francisswallow882 ай бұрын

    Great video another master class.

  • @jelmergroot2758
    @jelmergroot27582 ай бұрын

    Great in depth explanation, thank you 👌🏻

  • @goodq
    @goodq2 ай бұрын

    Absolutely awesome episode! Thank you !

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @waterboy8999
    @waterboy89992 ай бұрын

    Great work George.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Thanks 😊

  • @farmerjimbob67
    @farmerjimbob672 ай бұрын

    Nice one George, I seem to be a week out with you, I was repairing bulkhead joints last week. But it’s good to see I was almost bang on. 👍

  • @boatMatthias
    @boatMatthias2 ай бұрын

    Edit:Saw you aswered this question below... I have a question regarding the sequence you are putting the fibreglass mats on: On the drawing you went large to small, in the boat you are going small to large. Did you draw it different than exection or do I mix something up?

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Yeah, error on my part there, you are the second person to ask but I think you have now seen my answer on the other comment. Oops

  • @tunikble972
    @tunikble9722 ай бұрын

    Bonjour de la France, tu fais un excellent travail et je vais m’en inspirer. Bonne continuation.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Merci!

  • @southernpaths2986
    @southernpaths29862 ай бұрын

    Between you and Andy over at boatworks today, I really feel like I’m ready to take in these types of projects when I actually do get my boat. I’d love for said boat to be a Contessa 32, but they’re not exactly common here in the US…

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the kind comment.

  • @snee85
    @snee852 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the video George. I have to do this exact job to my Co32 and Im a complete fiberglass novice, I would try hire a pro but where i live there are none available but I do also like a challenge. Can you recommend any books on glassing and also what are the cons of using epoxy for this job?

  • @deerfootnz
    @deerfootnzАй бұрын

    Why polyester and not epoxy? Surely the bond to wood with polyester is very weak. With all that labour, why economise with the resin. And yes I know that the labour content will also rise with epoxy.

  • @earthstick
    @earthstick2 ай бұрын

    10:06. There is someone I watch who has madea catamaran from scratch out of laminate. He advocates putting the smallest layer of glass in a laminate closest to the hull. Then he puts progressively larger pieces on top. By doing it that way, each layer is bonded to the hull. If it is done in the opposite way, e.g. largest layer first and smaller layers on top of that, then the only layer that is directly attached to the hull is the first layer. The difference might be small but it does make sense to me.

  • @earthstick

    @earthstick

    2 ай бұрын

    Alright, I wrote that before I watched the whole viseo. I tend to do that. And I can see you stepped the layers just like the guy making the catamaran.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    There are arguments for and against each option to be fair

  • @waterboy8999

    @waterboy8999

    2 ай бұрын

    As it all sets into one piece I can't see what difference it would make, more importantly as the man said, it needs to be properly prepared.

  • @sailingsibongile
    @sailingsibongile2 ай бұрын

    Hey George... Do you intentionally key the surface and do the initial wet-out with the board in place? Would it not be better to key the surface and wet the board out outside?

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    I could have done that (maybe slightly more easily) with the plywood on the bench but it’s a fairly small area so not much difference in doing it in place really. Also trying to keep it all in front of a camera is a factor when working.

  • @Cptnbond
    @Cptnbond2 ай бұрын

    Please let us know your experience wetting out all the glass layers separately and then adding them in one go to save time. Thanks.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    That is something I do regularly, but only when I need to put the glass into an awkward or difficult to get to spot so wetting out the glass and then applying the glass afterwards is easier. In an easy to get to place as per the video I just wet out the glass in its intended location

  • @gregcope5565
    @gregcope55652 ай бұрын

    Do you ever have a view on bonding issues to old laminate/wood/paint with polyester vs resin? Sailing Uma recently had an issue with a model they made. They did use polyester onto recently laid peelply’ed GF. Seems their 2nd attempt was better with acetone and grinding.

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Not seen the video in question so can’t comment but proper preparation of the surface and then thorough cleaning is essential along with environmental conditions and technique. I think those guys are pretty decent now are repairs having done so many and learned along the way although some of the very early-days repairs were interesting I seem to recall. Was hoping to meet up with them last year but timing didn’t quite work.

  • @Cptnbond

    @Cptnbond

    2 ай бұрын

    Interestingly, George actually commented about old fiber boat skins. It's impossible to get a chemical bond to a 40 years old boat, thus it's all about surface roughness and cleaning. Eventually, Uma did found that out. I would have used epoxy for its better bonding properties.

  • @kbbarton1
    @kbbarton12 ай бұрын

    When you tear the strips of glass like that, do you get fibers irritating your skin like insulation glass fibers? How do you clean off the fin roller when you're done?

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    Tearing the glass does not irritate the skin because the glass is much coarser than that you would use for installation. Tools are cleaned in acetone.

  • @siobrade8273
    @siobrade82732 ай бұрын

    I think that someone else has picked on that, but your drawing at the start of the video shows the larger width of matting being laid first, followed by a narrower one etc. and the explanation about the taper. What was actually done is the opposite - which one is the best?

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    2 ай бұрын

    You are the first to mention this but you are right, thats where not planning the videos (and just talking as I work) let’s me down as I drew the diagram with the wide glass first and then laid the narrower glass first on the boat. In reality there are arguments for and against both options and people will argue that one is better than the other. In reality I very much doubt it makes much difference and when I have seen bonding fail (which is a lot) it’s unlikely that either method would have made a blind bit of difference.

  • @siobrade8273

    @siobrade8273

    2 ай бұрын

    @@RefitandSail that's great, thanks for your reply; both make sense to me in their own ways! What I'm getting from this is that no matter what, I should be using different sizes for each layer in order to avoid that 'hard point'. Loving your channel BTW, very informative. Keep on the good work!

  • @mikejustice1196
    @mikejustice1196Ай бұрын

    What is the name of the fillet? Free fix? Thanks

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    Ай бұрын

    Freefix is the name of the product used for bonding and filleting in this video. Seems to work very nicely.

  • @Woobieeee
    @WoobieeeeАй бұрын

    Could you put solar panels on a contessa 32?

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    23 күн бұрын

    Of course have done it a number of times

  • @Woobieeee

    @Woobieeee

    23 күн бұрын

    @@RefitandSail where?

  • @RefitandSail

    @RefitandSail

    23 күн бұрын

    ⁠just about to fit one fwd of the hatch garage on a clients boat, other options are fwd of the mast on deck, hanging off the push pit or over the top of the sprayhood (spray dodger if you are American). Lots of options, could even make an arch at the stern but that adds a fair amount of weight and not so nice to look at

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