> I know this is a little off the subject but I could sure use
> some advice on reattaching a fiberglass deck to the hull. I bought
> a good "project sail boat" some time back and finally have
> time to work on it. The original owner reattached the deck with silicone
> and pop rivits which to say the least was ugly and dangerous! I took
> it apart and cleaned up all the rubber mess and am ready to reattach.
> Should I use some glass cloth or matting between the deck and hall
> to help fill the voids along with epoxie? Thanks for the help!

If you have not filled in the rivet holes, why not do it like a stitch and glue? Use copper wire in the rivet holes to get things aligned, use a layer or two of fiberglass tape, or bias-cut strips on the outside. On the inside, a fillet of thickened resin covered by a layer or two of glass cloth or tape should give great strength and be relatively easy to do.

Do one side, snip off the excess wire and do the other side

If it is possible for you to do the outside first, then when you apply the thickend fillet material to the inside it will be forced into the gaps and voids. When it cures it will bond and fill. If you do the inside first, consider covering the outside seam with duct tape or masking tape to keep the fillet material from falling through.

Obviously you will sand to roughen the surface a bit before glassing, and then blend that into the hull and deck with a feather-edge job with your sander before finishing with a good marine paint. Paul Jacobson