I have been trying to repair the plywood floor of my Polar skiff. Mr. Dansby has been most helpful. I wonder if I might gain any other opinions from anyone that has any info on the project I am trying to accomplish.
It has been a litany of e-mails and I submit it for information only.
Thanks for any help from anyone.
Ed Redman
Mr. Dansby,
I would like to get your opinion on my boat deck refinishing project. I have sanded the old gel coat off the floor of the boat, about 70 sq. ft. of area.
It appears that the initial construction of the boat had the plywood floor laid on top and attached to the \"stringers'(?). It looks like fiberglass was then sprayed on the plywood. 1 -1 1/2\" holes were then drilled in the plywood and the hull was filled with foam (urethane?). The foam was them somehow leveled to the surface of the plywood and the gel coat was applied.
One of the urethane plugs came out about 4 years ago and water got into that section of the hull. The marina where I kept the boat repaired the hole by filling with foam and then putting epoxy putty to seal the hole. I am not sure what happened to the water. At any rate, my current problem is that a great number of these holes have opened as a result of sanding. It was also very noticeable that the gel coat was cracked around the majority of these holes.
The problem I now face is that feeling the foam under the deck, even as far forward as the forward hatch which has only been in contact with hose water, is wet. Does this mean that the plywood floor is rotting and that I have a dangerous situation? Can I fill the holes with insulating foam to the bottom of the hole and fill the hole with Marine-Tex epoxy putty and continue?
I had planned on redoing the floor with Interlux epoxy system (Epiglass epoxy over the wood/fiber glass - 2 coats; then 2 or 3 coats of Epoxy Barrier Kote 404/414, then 2 coats of blue Interdeck Urethane) however after seeing the holes, should I abandon the epoxy and just put down a heavy gelcoat?
I suppose the boat is only worth about $2000.00 in prime condition and with the floor in the condition it is in and the water in the hull, am I just wasting my effort?
Ed Redman
egredman@envinks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Dansby [mailto:c.dansby@polarboats.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 10:12 AM
To: Ed Redman
Subject: RE: Repair information
The 1995 model boats had two gel coat colors. The base whaite color was Ice
White and the splatter was Teal. We do not use those colors any longer so
we do not have any on hand that you can get directly from us. At the time
we used the colors we bought the gel from Lilly who I think now has changed
their name to Valspar. We can order the gel but the smallest quantity we
can order is 5 gallons and you don't need that much of either. What I would
suggest is if you want to go back to the originaly color you get a glass
shop to get the gel for you. There are many companies that repair shops
deal with that can match colors if they know the original company name and
color they then have to get the batch mixtures and they then do their own
mixing. If you do not care about going back to the original color we have
gel in stock that we use every day that would be very similiar except for
the splatter color. We now use a Mocha color which is about the color of a
cup of milky coffee. These can be order thru our shipping department. If
you decide you want to do that let me know and I can give you the process.
I'm sorry I can't give you more specific information about the original
color gel coat but we just don't deal with that type thing so many years
back. I just know that old colors can be obtained thru diffrent companies
and I'm not exactly sure how you go about it or what you have to have.
Charles Dansby
Dynasty Boats
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Redman [mailto:egredman@envinks.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 8:43 AM
To: Charles Dansby
Subject: RE: Repair information
Thank you so much for the information. I tried to find out where to buy and
what to buy as far as the gel coat material is concerned but I have not been
able to determine what I should use. Could you give me a source and the
name and/or identification number I should order?
Again Thanks,
Ed Redman
egredman@envinks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Dansby [mailto:c.dansby@polarboats.com]
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 3:07 PM
To: Ed Redman
Subject: RE: Repair information
Apologize for delay I had to consult with finish supervisor to get the
information and he has been unavailable since receiving your last
communication. Remove old gel with 16 grit open coat grinding disc. Finsih
sand with 36 grit do not go any finer. No primer is needed after sanding
but all dust needs to be removed, this can be done by wipeing down with
acetone. Gel coat can be applied with a natural fiber paint brush or
sprayed on and the splatter I am told can now be purchased in a variety of
colors in spray cans thru auto paint stores or distributors. The splatter
is the same paint that is used to spray the inside of trunks in newer model
cars.
Charles Dansby
Dynasty Boats
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Redman [mailto:egredman@envinks.com]
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 10:22 AM
To: Charles Dansby
Subject: RE: Repair information
Mr. Dansby,
The Polar Saltwater Series boat seems to have a floor construction of
plywood, covered with fiberglass and clear resin. On top of the clear resin
fiberglass material is an approximately 1/8th(?) inch layer of a hard white
material with blue spatter. The hard white material has had very poor bond
to the clear fiberglass. There are areas on the floor that have chipped off
that are as much as 2 feet in diameter and other areas have chipped off that
are smaller. The remainder of the deck, floor, is badly cracked indicating
that in time it too will flake off. The rear casting deck has a 6 inch
section that has chipped off but I hope to repair it without removing the
white-blue spattered material. I might try to put a white two part epoxy
over that small area. I tried that early on when the problem started (less
than a year after I bought the boat) and that has seemed to work but the
repair looks junky.
I have a suspicion that some people that have seen my problem have decided
not to buy Polar boats.
Ed Redman
egredman@envinks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Dansby [mailto:c.dansby@polarboats.com]
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 10:52 AM
To: Ed Redman
Subject: RE: Repair information
Please give me some clarity on what you mean by \"floor lifting\", I assume
you are still talking about the gel coat by this statement.
Charles Dansby
Dynasty Boats Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Redman [mailto:egredman@envinks.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 11:06 AM
To: Charles Dansby
Subject: RE: Repair information
Mr. Dansby;
I think I will have to do the entire inside horizontal deck, that part of
the boat not including the casting deck and most of the rear deck. The
floor is lifting as I mentioned and where it is not lifting, it is badly
cracked. What is the best way to remove the old bad gel coat? A power
sander with what kind of sand paper, grit and type? How is the gel coat and
splatter re-applied? Does the sanding down to the fiber glass and finer
sanding of the fiber glass insure adhesion of the newly applied gel coat or
does some kind of primmer have to be applied? The color is white with blue
spackle.
Ed Redman
egredman@envinks.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Dansby [mailto:c.dansby@polarboats.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 11:43 AM
To: Ed Redman
Subject: Repair information
In order to repair the areas you have described, you can take a sander and
sand the areas that the gel coat has released to remove all old gel coat. I
would even sand approximately 2or 3 inches beyond where the release ends so
that you can be sure there is no release that has not shown itself. After
you have sanded the areas good and cleared all the old gel then it is just a
matter of re-gel and splatter those areas that have been sanded. I will be
happry to send you at no charge the gel and splatter you need when you
determine how much you need. Please keep in mind that we may not have that
color in stock since this boat is eight years old but I should be able to
order some. If you will contact me thru e-mail when that determination is
made I will start the ball in motion for the gel, etc.
Charles Dansby
Dynasty Boats Inc.
Boat repair 
