Tabbing and Squeek Problems

[lenz]

<div>This was sent to me via e-mail
and I am listing it for Bill.
LennyWe are back on the high seas,
in Golfito, Costa Rica, enjoying
the cruising
life. Internet and email access is
poor here. I could use some
help in finding the
email address of a member of
the Morgan group. His name is
Robert A.
Gustafson. He sent me some information
about tabbing breaks in the
head and cabinet
areas. I see some tears, but do
not know what this means or
how serious it
is. They seem to be superficial
or top layer tears. But I am getting some
squeaking of the cabin sole in
areas outside the head
and up near the sinks. I
wonder if I am getting some
separation in floor
support that need to be
addressed, or whether these
types of squeaks are just
something that can develop in
time. Robert had told me earlier
about adding glass tabbing to
the bulkhead areas
and the hull and the mast well
box. Additionally, glassing was
done at the
galley bulkhead, and a small
bulkhead was glassed into the
keel bilge
approximately adjacent to the
wet locker and chart table. The areas he mentions are the
areas I am getting the floor
squeaking. I am
not in a place where this type
of work can be done, nor are
materials
available. I just need to know
how critical this is, thus how
soon I must
address it. Thanks for any help you can
provide. Hope all is well with
your boat and
cruising activities. Best wishes
for the holiday season. Bill Gloege
Gaia
Banana Bay marina
Golfito, Costa Rica

</div>

 

[crichard]

I am the one mentioned in the e-mail. I did some tabbing work in the mast step box area, and the bulkhead that makes up the galley sink and storage area. I took out the entire settee and cabin sole to do the glassing. I also did glassing in under the head vanity along the shower/ head flooring and down along the hull curve there into the bilge just forward of the mast step. There is some squeaking/ movement of the companion way ladder when going up a down. This is most likly because of the sole in that area is essentially unsupported other then along the back edge of the deck just in front of the engine bed. I don't think the deck squeaking is of any concern other then the fact it makes nosie and can be eliminated. The original tabbing and glassing is what MORGAN did as their fiberglassing retro fit. Some of had come apart, seperated from the hull with time and probably because of poor preparation of the surface to get good strong "keying" of the resin/epoxy. If the tabbing is coming apart from the hull it probably should be redone. A question I ask is what kind of movement or working of the forward bulkhead do you have when sailing. Is there any movement/seperation of the deck from the bulkhead around the maststep box? I added some galvanized tie rods to the head door bulkhead and forward cabin door bulkhead and deck joint to tighten it up as well as the front of the maststep box and bulkhead. I have maybe 1/16 or slightly more movement that you can feel when sailing if you push you finger against the bulkhead and deck seams and the seam along the port cabin side and bulkhead above the reading light that covers the port upper shroud chain plate. I would think this is not much of any movement, but would like to her comments from other 382 owers about this. You are most likely fine. My work effort was to try to strengthen up everything more with adding glass. Comments from other owners please. Hope you get my address and look forward to comparing notes on this. I can explain more of what I have done if you like.
Andy "BEOWULF"

 

[bschnur]

<div>With regard to any repair work on fiberglass, especially in areas that require strength -- such as tabbing that may have broken loose, it's vital that repairs be made with epoxy resin and glass cloth. You should never do serious repairs with polyester resins because you'll end up with a relatively weak bond between the new and old materials. With all things being pretty much equal, epoxies will always form a better and seriously stronger secondary bond when used over cured polyester resin/cloth.
In the "something to be aware of" category, many professionals prefer polyester resins for repairs -- not because of any strength issues, but mostly because it's more convenient for them. Polyester resins kick off faster, thus they can get more layers on in a given time frame, finish up, and be off to another job. If you insist, however, they will grudgingly use epoxy and the job may cost more.
</div>

 

[crichard]

Sounds like good information, I have done all my glass work and anything else including the bottom with epoxy. It seems to work great for me, easy to mix and always cures perfectly. I work at a boat yard in Ft Lauderdale and all that is used there is epoxy. Thanks for the adivce