Aquasport Model Rebuilds, Mods, Updates and Refreshes > Fiberglass and Materials Corner

Cabin Ceiling

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WakoNako:
I need to reinforce my cabin ceiling.
Currently its fiberglass with some wooden ribs going across. It is strong enough, with the ribs, to stand on but it flexes more than I am comfortable with.

I know I need to scrape/sand/grind all the old carpet adhesive off before doing anything. But what would be the best method to add strength. With it being overhead, in a small cuddy cabin i'd rather not be messing with wet cloth, and would like to preferably laminate a composite or plywood to the ceiling, and brace off the existing wooden ribs.

In Central Florida (polk county area) is there anywhere that sells fiberglass materials and composite boards?

From what I've seen, if I can get the composite honeycomb material, I should be able to bond that to the ceiling with a epoxy resin, but I don't know where I can get it without paying crazy shipping, or which epoxy resin I should be using



This is the best image I have of the ceiling.

My plan for the walls was to glue 3/4" styrofoam insulation like we use in construction to the fiberglass, then glue speaker material over it. That wouldn't add strength to teh roof though.

Fishhead:
Wako, I don’t think Aquasport when they built these figured anyone would be walking on the deck. Sliding the hatch forward you can pretty much get to the bow except hooking trailer winch to bow eye. 1/2 or 3/4” ply may be best to beef up overhead. Thickened epoxy troweled to the glass stick the ply to it put some screws through the glass and suck the wood up to it. Seal underside of ply with resin or leave it  alone and spray contact adhesive and cover with whatever. Will last many years if deck is sealed properly.

WakoNako:

--- Quote from: Fishhead on August 17, 2022, 11:46:52 PM ---Wako, I don’t think Aquasport when they built these figured anyone would be walking on the deck. Sliding the hatch forward you can pretty much get to the bow except hooking trailer winch to bow eye. 1/2 or 3/4” ply may be best to beef up overhead. Thickened epoxy troweled to the glass stick the ply to it put some screws through the glass and suck the wood up to it. Seal underside of ply with resin or leave it  alone and spray contact adhesive and cover with whatever. Will last many years if deck is sealed properly.

--- End quote ---

Im not sure it was designed for people to be on either, but its much more convenient to throw anchor while on top of the roof, the wife loves laying up there with a cushion against the windshield and the kids LOVE jumping off the front when we back into the sandbar.

My hatch is also currently a POS that slips out of the rails so reconfiguring/rebuilding that is also on my to-do list

Willpow:
What’d you end up doing here? My 19-6FF  had wet plywood that i removed and am about to replace. Debating if i should brace it out or just glass in fresh 3/4 marine ply.

RickK:
Do you have access to a fiberglass store? You might look for a small piece of Plascore or other honeycomb composite.  They're very easy to work with and when it's glassed on both sides, it's stiff.
On the bare hatch glass I would grind it down and if the sliding hatch is already stiff (can't twist it), then add some 3 oz CSM (chopped fiberglass) and roll on the resin (I assume poly).  If it's not already stiff then I would add a layer of 1708 CSM side out on top of the CSM added as the first layer. That will stiffen it up.  Then cut your composite (you could use plywood, 1/2 or even 3/8" with glass on both sides is beefy enough. Trowel on thickened resin on the hatch, as Fishhead mentioned, lay in the core and you can wedge a 2x4 up against it to press it into the resin. If you're going to top coat it with a layer of glass then you might want to bevel the edge of whatever core you decide to use - 1708 doesn't like to traverse corners.

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