DW cover project.

Bob Collier

Active member
I posted some time ago about repaint to my Duck Wrangler cover and have finally had time to start. I have the old supports off and obviously need to sand the edges down.
Do I need to lay down a layer of biaxial cloth after I get things evened out?

I am going to change the support configuration as shown.
Any thoughts on the support placement?

Thanks again
Bob
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The chopped strand mat and resin (CSM) that is on the cover affords little or nothing by way of structural strength. Options to consider to add torsional and longitudinal support and strength would be: a directional weave cloth pattern layer; biaxial cloth; a thin core 3MM cover layer and then cloth over that. You can calculate the volume of resin and cloth needed for each material application, to choose the approach that will add the most support for the added weight you are layering on the cover. The core layer will eat a lot of resin. How long is your cover? Do you routinely have help when it is time to remove or add the cover to the hull?

If you use that synthetic structural lumber material we discussed in the previous thread, make sure that you make your cross-member cuts on an angle that will enable you to butt them directly against the longitudinal run pieces, something that was not done on my TDB cover. The air space between the two foam members does nothing to add to the structural support, relying entirely on the resin impregnated cloth cover coat, basically not achieving much by way of adding the grid. I will be filling these this summer with either 8lb density or sixteen lb. density pour foam, after I get a rough estimate of their individual volumes
 
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So are you thinking I should cover the entire surface or just the areas that I removed the old support structures?
I can post exact measurement but the cover is about 9'x5'.
Thanks
Bob
 
Bob, I just remember you saying that it was sagging...what I don't remember is whether it was just sagging where the support bracing had rotted away, or whether it was sagging across the entire surface, with just this one area worse. Temper what I am advocating by my experience and perspective from living in an area that receives 150-200 inches of annual snowfall. I keep mine covered with three to four tarps and try not to let the snow get deeper than a few inches over the span between clearing-off efforts .
 
I live in Minnesota but we don't get that much snow.[w00t] This year was 79". My boat is stored indoors so the snow build up is not an issue, other than when I travel. The cover was sagging in the center and when I inspected the supports they were cracked thus the redo. The wood in the supports showed some water staining but was not rotted when I removed them.

I think I will plan on sanding down and reglassing the areas where the old supports were and then adding the new supports.

Bob
 
WITH the existing wood cross braces in place, two things occurred over time: 1.) The cover sagged to the point where the gel coat cracked enough to allow water intrusion into the laminate, which appears to be all CSM, with the original bracing intact. 2.) The water that penetrated has worked its way through the gelcoat AND laminate layers and into one section of the bracing array, with no actual rot evident in the wood bracing removed.

You have water moving through your gel coat and mat lay up, independent of long term standing snow load as the main driver. That moisture undergoes who knows how many freeze/thaw cycles within the laminate each year during use and storage of the boat, expanding while in ice crystal phase during each cycle, weakening the already not very robust laminate. The one question I would ask you to consider:

How does adding a new layer of laminate on the underside of the cover at the point of water intrusion, prior reinstalling the support bracing, alleviate the cause and process that lead you to initiate a repair.?
 
Excellent point.!
I will order enough cloth to do a layer over the entire cover prior to putting the braceing back.
Thanks again
 
When repairing fiberglass tanks at work the contractors use a angle grinder with a 4.5" sanding pads to remove the bad layers of fiberglass that had de-laminated to get to a solid base layer before making the repair. If you have some de-lamination due to freeze/thaw remove the de-laminated material first to have a better bond for your repair.
 
I would use this a mold, and just make a new cover. Easier and better. Yes will have to make some adjustments... but not hard. Hand lay it up with glass. You do not store it outside, so snow weigh is of very little concern. I assume you want a cover to provide a little bit of security when hunting away from home...as well keeping leaves and rain out.
 
I just got off the phone with JD Dristributing, very helpful about the project.
Ordered all my supplies and they had free shipping, which is always nice.

Going to go with running a support up the middle, reglass the previous support sites and add struts at 90 to the central support.

The gent of the phone was very convinced this would add the rigidity needed with out adding significant weight. Being a newbie I like the simple approach. I have looked the cover over and really didn?t find any cracks on the top side that would allow water to pass through to the underside. I think the water may have come from when I would leave the cover off when hunting, I have to also think taking it on and off over the years could have weakened it as well. The boat was built in 1994 if I get another 25 yrs out of it I?ll be happy

Thanks again for all the help and advice. I really appreciate all the knowledge on this site.
Bob
 
I am using 6 oz biaxial to lay up over the supports.
How many layers would the experts suggest? After I am done with the new supports I am going to do a final sanding over the entire surface and paint.
Thanks again for the great help and advice.
 
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