Fiberglass Removal From Wood Hull

cenger · Post by **cenger** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:45 pm

I recently purchased a 1931 16' Runabout with layer of fiberglass placed over the wood hull. I want to remove the glass and do a Dannenberg 5200 bottom. Can anyone recommend the best way to remove the fiberglass?

Bill Basler · Post by **Bill Basler** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:40 pm

Cenger, most of the time when a person happens upon a plank hull that has been fiberglassed, the stuff is already starting to come off on its own. I am usually not a fan of using heat guns, but this might be one application where you could use one—just enough to slightly soften the resin. Keep an extinguisher handy, and do it with ventilation. Slightly scorched resin would be pretty nasty stuff.

I know some of our other members have dealt with this. Click on the Search link at the top of the page and enter "debiby" in the "Search for Author field. Under the search results, go to the bottom and you will see a post by "debiby" regarding his removal of glass. He didn't complain too much and before you knew it he was done...so from my vantage point it was a cinch.!!! Maybe he knows something he can share.

Al Benton · Post by **Al Benton** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:59 pm

As I recall, Dan (debiby) removed the loose stuff with a scraper and sanded the remaining resin down to bare wood (correct me if I'm wrong, Dan). Like Bill said, one day a photo showing fiberglass and a couple of days later another photo showing nice bare mahogany. Nothing to it! It doesn't sound like a pleasant task though, does it? Try the heat gun and if it doesn't work out get the scraper and sander. I doubt that anyone makes a solvent that would work. Well, short of sulfuric acid, that is (but trade the extinguisher for a fire truck or two).

Al

lstyles · Post by **lstyles** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:08 am

Cenger,
Can you post a picture of your boat. I have a friend who is trying to figure out what kind of CC he has and we are currently entertaining the possiblity that it might be older than he thinks and may be a 1931 16ft runabout. I would love to be able to compare yours to his.
thanks,

Lori
1961 CC ski boat

cenger · Post by **cenger** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:08 am

lstyles, while I am the proud owner of 2 Chris Crafts ('46 Deluxe and '42 Special Runabout), the '31 16 footer is a Dodge.

lstyles · Post by **lstyles** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:05 pm

Thanks for the response....I guess I made one too many assumptions...but you never know my friend may not have a CC but maybe a dodge. If he sends me some photos I plan to post them to get others opinions.
Lori

debiby · Post by **debiby** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:47 pm

Al was part right, we scraped the loose stuff off and then used a heat gun to soften the other. It actually came off easier than I thought it was going to, once it gets hot it just peels right off. Still it was a lot of work, left us with sore necks from working upside down for days on end. Good luck.
Dan

Fiberglass Removal From Wood Hull

Fiberglass Removal From Wood Hull

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