epoxy, bracket, and secondary fuel tank questions

[natchalkley]

I am about to start a 23 restoration and I have a bunch of questions:

1.I was wondering what type of epoxy people usually use. I am used to West systems, but im not sure I can afford 10 gallons of it.

2. I know that a lot of people like the Hermco brackets. I was wondering if many of yall have used a Stainless Marine or Armstrong brackets, and how you like them.

3. I also was wondering if anyone had taken out the fish box in front of the console and replaced it with a secondary tank . I am thinking about adding a secondary tank there ~50 gal

[Old'sCool]

I bought my 23' CC with Armstrong type (aluminum) bracket already installed w/single Yam. 250. It's my first bracketed boat and I like it a lot especially compared to an open transom. I think this hull would benefit with less weight there though, as in lighter bracket. It sits lower in the water and with a 4s repower will probably require a bracket with more flotation. Good luck!!

[sponge]

I really like West System but it is expensive.
I also bought some of the stuff from a auto marine store and it was real cheap and it is really hard stuff and it sands good.
Joes Auto Marine Stuart Florida

[1bayouboy]

look at the thread titled "supplies".....
There are much less expensive sources than West Marine.

[JohnB]

I get my epoxy here. 1.5 gal kit to the door for a little over 100 bucks. Just about 66 bucks a gallon. I use about 25 percent less epoxy than glass when I wet out material, so it is more expensive, but not outragous. I would suggest using epoxy to stitch anything together, like stringer attachment, transoms, anything that is high load and needs alot of strength. I use regular layup glass for panels, livewells, caps, and hatches. Also, I use alot of their milled wood flour as a thickener/extender, and it works great.

As for the bracket, I will be putting an armstrong on in the next week or 2. Once I get it up and running, I will let you know what I think of the performance/etc. I threw a lot of changes in this boat over the last couple of months, hope it all plays well. If I was putting twins on, I would probably go big with the hermco, for a single 2 stroke, Armstrong or DnD.

[htillman]

I am using Raka on my 23 Sceptre restoration. Pictures will be posted this weekend.

[Keyscruz]

Check out US Composites on the web. The epoxy is good and the prices are reasonable. A&J welding in Miami made me custom aluminum bracket with an extra large flotation chamber. It cost about $1,000 less than Armstrong's quote. The Hermco is probably the best.

[Bigshrimpin]

Screw west systems it's way way over priced . . . if you want epoxy then uscomposites.com. Why not use polyester or vinylester?

Seriously you can buy a 55 gallon drum of epoxy and hardener through composites one for the same price as ten gallons of west systems.

[billythekid]

natchalkley

do yourself a favor and call Joe Merton at Mertons fiberglass. He is in springfeild Mass. He is the extremely knowledgable in the fiberglass supplies. Do yourself a favor and use polyester resin for any fiberglass work. You will go broke just buying epoxy. I has restored numerous fiberglass molded boats and used polyester with very good sucess, It is all in the preperation work. I have worked on two different colded molded boats and used expoxy on them and with good results, but really expensive.

[fishhunter]

thanks for the help we are cleaning out the garage and are in teardown state now i will try to post some pics