Epoxy with additives?

[Buzzy]

@iveofione (Hi, Ive) (and anyone with suggestions based on use) -
I think I remember that you used Raka epoxy on your pram build and maybe added graphite powder to the mix for the exterior bottom hull?? How's that working for you? Are you able to topcoat this mix?

It's time to get my wood boat in the garage and get busy with some overdue maintenance.

Thanks//Pat

 

[Bagman]

@iveofione (Hi, Ive) (and anyone with suggestions based on use) -
I think I remember that you used Raka epoxy on your pram build and maybe added graphite powder to the mix for the exterior bottom hull?? How's that working for you? Are you able to topcoat this mix?

It's time to get my wood boat in the garage and get busy with some overdue maintenance.

Thanks//Pat

I would think you would be better off using carbon black, instead of graphite. But then I’m not sure why you are using a filler now I know it for slickness, makes sense now.

 

[iveofione]

Howdy Pat, yes, I did use Raka and graphite powder and it has worked out quite well. I hit a submerged big rock on a zipper lips lake a couple of years ago so hard that I thought sure it would gouge the bottom. Nothing! I could barely tell where it was hit. It has been dragged about a bit also but is holding up remarkably well. I'll check it out again soon and get back to you, it has been 5 years now I believe.

I never tried to topcoat the graphite, I wanted the bottom to be black and slick.

Happy Easter, Ive

 

[SurfnFish]

considered a 4 or 6 oz 'skid plate of S2 cloth applied with epoxy resin? bulletproof...

 

[Fourbtgait]

Only reason to add graphite is because it provides a harder surface for rocks as he said.

 

[PhilR]

I used Raka with graphite on my drifter, on top of triax cloth. I’ve hit some stuff and slid off. I don’t know if it adds a lot of hardness, but it does seem slicker

 

[SurfnFish]

Only reason to add graphite is because it provides a harder surface for rocks as he said.

yea, I can read

 

[Buzzy]

Thanks gentlemen for your replies, much appreciated. Ive - did you have a formula for how much graphite to add to the resin? Surfnfish - the hull is glassed but seriously gouged. I'm also trying to keep the weight down.

Pat

 

[iveofione]

Pat, Google: "graphite to epoxy ratio for boat bottoms" and you will find a wealth of information

 

[Buzzy]

Pat, Google: "graphite to epoxy ratio for boat bottoms" and you will find a wealth of information

Thanks Ive!

 

[SurfnFish]

Thanks gentlemen for your replies, much appreciated. Ive - did you have a formula for how much graphite to add to the resin? Surfnfish - the hull is glassed but seriously gouged. I'm also trying to keep the weight down.

A boat with a seriously gouged bottom means it's doing exactly what it's meant for
My go to for glass/glassed bottom gouges has always been to skim them with a lightweight mix of epoxy and filler followed by a light hull sanding, and then a fresh coat of epoxy resin heated to thin the application viscosity. Lotta ways to get that hull back in the water for another season...

 

[Buzzy]

A boat with a seriously gouged bottom means it's doing exactly what it's meant for
My go to for glass/glassed bottom gouges has always been to skim them with a lightweight mix of epoxy and filler followed by a light hull sanding, and then a fresh coat of epoxy resin heated to thin the application viscosity. Lotta ways to get that hull back in the water for another season...

Oh man - a good friend built this boat for me, when we lifted it of the saw horses to flip it over and hoist it on top of my truck's canopy, we dinged a tiny scratch on the bow. Kc groaned! I too groaned over the first dozen scratches, gouges. Anymore I realize if I'm going to actually use this boat and fish, the boat is going to need upkeep from my use. Thanks again./Pat

I ordered RustOleum marine topside enamel for the rest of the boat, something you recommended a year or so ago.

 

[SurfnFish]

Oh man - a good friend built this boat for me, when we lifted it of the saw horses to flip it over and hoist it on top of my truck's canopy, we dinged a tiny scratch on the bow. Kc groaned! I too groaned over the first dozen scratches, gouges. Anymore I realize if I'm going to actually use this boat and fish, the boat is going to need upkeep from my use. Thanks again./Pat

I ordered RustOleum marine topside enamel for the rest of the boat, something you recommended a year or so ago.

back in the day, buddy of mine bought a brand new dark green MGB GT...he drove us to Santa Cruz for a surf session...afterwards we were putting our boards up on the racks to head back up the coast when mine slipped off and and put a small dent in his front quarter panel ...I was mortified...he just laughed, said rather a dent from a friend...to this day that MGB sits in his garage, almost 50 years later..and the only dent in it is mine
gracious friends are hard to find

 

[Bagman]

back in the day, buddy of mine bought a brand new dark green MGB GT...he drove us to Santa Cruz for a surf session...afterwards we were putting our boards up on the racks to head back up the coast when mine slipped off and and put a small dent in his front quarter panel ...I was mortified...he just laughed, said rather a dent from a friend...to this day that MGB sits in his garage, almost 50 years later..and the only dent in it is mine
gracious friends are hard to find

But did you ting you board?

 

[SurfnFish]

But did you ting you board?

likely wouldn't thave mattered...this was pre-leash days when I was shaping/building my own boards, and trashing the crap out of them...building a new one every couple of months..could buy a 6'4 blank for $25, another $20 or so in bulk materials, make my own fins of glassed marine ply...good times

 

[Buzzy]

I'm back from my annual 12-day trip to BC's Thompson-Nicola region and happy to report the RAKA epoxy with about an 8% graphite powder additive worked very well. The hull''s coating appears to be durable, I don't know that the graphite made the hull any slicker but it's nice to have all those scratches, gouges and dings gone.

FWIW - I used Rustoleum Marine Topside paint, it too held up very well and is about 1/3 the cost of the former coating system.

Thanks again to forum members for their sage advice.