I actually knew the man who invented this stuff. His name was Platt Montfort and he was one of the cleverest men I have ever known. After inventing Git Rot he went on to experiment with ferro cement boat building and eventually developed a chemically based method of doing this. From their he went on to build replicas of Rushton's famous miniature canoes (the 10' Wee Lassie). His first one was beautifully built using the traditional ceda wood construction. From there he moved to using cloth based construction techniques. I think the lightest one he built weighed 8lbs! A reL genius!
Before doing this to your boat, go to a salvage yard and ask if you can try it on a boat they will scrap. This way you can cut the repair open and see how much the Git-Rot has fixed and how much is still bad. Or save some time and look up UA-cam videos where someone did this. I wound up cutting the upper glass away and removing the rotten core before replacing some areas of core (I used Nidacore so it won't rot again) and glassing over the top again. It was almost as easy as drilling a million holes and re-doing it when the epoxy leaves you disappointed. Git-Rot exists because newbies are afraid to cut into their boat and fix it properly.
Very true. I never thought of a salvage yard to try it. But I did other repairs in years after this and for sone repairs you are right. For some Got Rot is a great fix too.
used git rot loads of times, great product and a little friendly advice is next time you use it drill your holes downward at a 45 deg angle and you'll get much more of your product in the wood ;) for wood even further gone stabilise with git rot then follow up with some marine tex :)
Lee CambsUK Thanks Lee. It's funny you mention the 45 degree angle, that was my intention, but I just ended up with about 20 degrees at best. I hope I don't have to use the MarineTex in conjunction with any GitRot given the comment about if it "being further gone", but if I do, I will certainly keep that in mind. MarineTex is pretty amazing stuff.
I wonder if it would work better if the back side were taped off? Or hot glued? Drilling all the way through obviously helps with drying. But of when the epoxy is applied, one side is sealed shut, then we could use positive pressure. I am probably going to have to do this on my boat. Have a 24' gelcoat bayliner ive rescued that sat in saltwater for likely 25 years. The antifouling was bad, muscles 1.5" long adhered to it, barnacles bigger than a dime and smaller than a quarter. When I sanded off the bottom mess, found hairline cracks and spider web cracks in spots of the gelcoat. Mirrored all the way through into the fiberglass. Im certain this has happened from the hand of the Marina it sat in when they took it out of the water [wrong fit trailer]. I know it's moist in the wood because when I drilled holes through into the transom for the fish finder transducer, the wood was wet. 😭 Been working on this boat for several months now. Sort of "losing it" to get her out. 😬 But it feels and sounds solid for now. I just want to get her on the water and will be addressing this at a later date using your video for reference and guidance. 😁 Thank you!
Glad the video is helpful. It held iup really well for me and while I sold the boat, the new owner says it is all still solid. I get your point on being ready to get out on the water. These refits cam take way longer than planned. Lol.
I've had great luck with Git-Rot. It is the thinnest non solvent type I know of. It is not thinned with volatiles nor should you add any to it. Solvent types thinned epoxy is great for brush on, never injection. When penetrating deep into wood and there are voids and pockets you don't want thinned epoxy with solvents like acetone, alcohol, toluene, MEK or xylene. When these are present, it does let it penetrate deeper but when the volatiles near the surface evaporate and the surface epoxy hardens it traps the solvents in the interior. If the solvents/volatiles are present the epoxy will never properly harden and form a gelatinase mass in the core that can be literally shredded by your hands years later. What's worse is these solvents can be trapped next to fiberglass and break down the polyester binding. Git-Rot like other epoxies can generate damaging heat in any volume so you don't want large voids. It's always best to pull loose wood and replace volume spaces with wood and/or loosely packed fiber glass mat/rove. Things to remember:....You can epoxy on polyester but not polyester on epoxy. Once epoxy has cured, an oily substance rises to the surface and this should be removed with solvent/scuffing/solvent before adding more epoxy layers. If the epoxy is wet or sticky it's ok to add more. 3M aluminum foil tape(duct) can be used to keep epoxy from running through, on the deck undersides or for makeshift walls or barriers. Foil tape adhesives withstands much more heat and epoxy than other tapes. Wipe the wood surfaces down with xylene where you intend to stick the tape for adhesion. Rub the tape down well and remove as soon as epoxy has gotten firm. Mix your epoxy very well (longer is better) and exact ratios, it does matter. Epoxy has a shelf life and last longer in a cool dark place. Applying epoxy to wood that's been treated with some anti fungal will reduce adhesion and penetration so treat it afterward if you do. Some people swear by Smiths CPES..I swear at it. Git-Rot and West System is all I use. Hope this helps
Great, I am glad it may have helped. Also you can typically find it "in-stock" at a local Marine store if you find you need more and don't want to wait for it to arrive..
Hey Gil, great video. Thanks for taking the time to make it and share the information with us. It certainly would be a less expensive method to fix small area soft spots. SV Soleil
+justice tek - Thanks for the comments. I al glad you found it helpful. It really worked well and I think I have a spot on the new (to us) boat that will also have a use for it.
You might check out Smiths Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer. Others use the CPES term but only Smiths is made from wood materials and has similar structural and flexibility as the wood you use it on, and its penetration characteristics are better. I've used Smiths CPES and it works well for "less than perfect" wood. Most "penetrating epoxies" are just thinned, and so are less strong and leave voids. This is the common objection to GitRot, but is not a problem with Smiths. My only dislike is that you really need air filtration while applying and - if inside the boat - for days afterward.
An added improvement to the repair would have been, following this treatment, to add five layers of alternating 1708 cloth and CSM, along with epoxy resin, to make the bulkhead ultimately structural.
Good point. Isn’t it funny how much you learn over the years and in this case I agree with you based on what I know today. On our current Formosa, I built new frame work for some of the settee flooring and did just that after building it new. I tabbed everything over and in, to make it part of the structure. I will say that the Gulfstar git-Rot repair is holding up really good 6 years after task, which is good. :)
That is awesome to hear. Having just pontificated about your repair, I am about to embark on the injection of epoxy into the side deck of our Hunter Legend 40. The balsa core deck is not entirely compromised nor wet. It is suffering from heat-related delamination and maybe some dry rot. I am confident that the injection of epoxy will fix the issue and last for the expected life of the boat. I tend to take a more practical approach to repairs and going by the book isn't always the prudent thing to do. We are still very structural. I am just stitching to save nine.
We had a friend that did something similar and he injected it and then put a few screws in it to hold the skin against the core until it cured then removed the screws and patched gel coat. Not sure if that is best or not, but kind of made sense.
Given the age of the boat and our life expectancy, I think our repair will last longer than we do. Again, our core is intact. Just staying ahead of the normal aging.
I know you were using this on a boat but do you know if this could be used on a vintage trailer? There's a couple of spots that has some dry rot that I don't want to have to completely redo the wall because I would have to tear out an entire cabinet and refrigerator
Yes, I think it would be well worth the attempt. I will say that I am not quite following your comment about having to remove the fridge/etc. Typically in order to get penetrating epoxy in you would need to either drill holes all across the surface (or down the surface of the wall) The other option, but I haven't done this yet, is that you can put a hole near the top of the wall and then an opening in the bottom that you would put a vacuum on to pull the penetrating epoxy into the pores of the wood.
@@Svdreamchaser I don't think I'm going to need to drill holes into any walls. I wish I could send you a picture of the area that I need to work on. After doing a little bit more research I'm thinking that maybe it would be better to go with an epoxy type wood filler that's more of a paste because it's on a vertical wall. In terms of my comment about having to take out the refrigerator the wall in question is behind a cabinet with a built-in refrigerator in the trailer. So in order to replace that entire piece of plywood sheet I would have to remove the entire floor-to-ceiling cabinet that includes the refrigerator. Does that make sense? So because this product is so thin I'm beginning to wonder if it might not be the wrong application
@@Svdreamchaser also another question. I'm wondering if this product would B good for creating some strength and cohesion on old thin brittle plywood. This is a vintage trailer so there's a number of areas where the plywood is not dry rot but it's old and becoming brittle sooner rather than replacing it in certain areas I'm wondering if then application over the plywood so that it seeps in and creates more strength would be an appropriate application.
It is a good repair. Surveyors would know that too. Certainly I agree they would/should bring it up but if you were to sound tap test it, it sounds and is solid now.
I'm about to try Git Rot on a camper floor. I'm curious if and how you cleaned the applicator bottle between uses. The only guidance I see is not even in the instructions ... on the box it says that uncured product can be cleaned with vinegar.
Good question, It has been a while since I did this. I think, but don't recall for sure that I rinsed it with a bit of acetone. Candidly speaking, If I were to do the camper floor, I would plan to do it all in one day or at one time. The penetrating epoxy doesn't pot quickly like my work with regular epoxy where you have 20 minutes or so. I can recall working on this for at least an hour and it remained liquid the whole time. I think that is part of the properties fo it to ensure it penetrates all the way through the rot. If I did need to do this in more than one setting or time, or intended to use it again down the road, I would pick up some cheap little ketchup/mustard style squirt bottles and use those and just throw them away after each use. Something like this would also work fairly well. They are about a buck a piece and will save you a lot of time bothering with trying to clean them. 4oz size like this work well - amzn.to/2GhNPgQ
@@Svdreamchaser I think you're right and it should be easier to work quickly on the horizontal surface. I'm just thinking about contingencies in the event there is an interruption. Thanks for the reply.
Soldier53flyer It took about 3-4 hours to do the work (drilling the holes and applying the epoxy). It then dried over night. It cured as hard as a full sheet of 3/4 ply and felt more solid then the wood alone was. Keep in mind with the timeframes above, I did not include the time to sand and finish the surface as I considered that part of what I was going to do in the entire salon, but if you are "spot fixing" you would have to add time for sanding and finishing. If you found this useful, please feel free to share it on Facebook, or any forum that you happen to subscribe to discussing such topics.
I just drilled out holes for thru hull exhaust. the port side was damp but not bad. still solid. however, the starboard side was gone as far as I could reach my hand in.I was told about that stuff and plan on using it. do you have to put the epoxy in in small doses or can I dump it in the 4 inch hole that I cut for the exhaust? I plan on drilling holes on the inside to spread it around also.
+David Frees - David, Glad you found the video helpful I am certainly not an expert in this, but after using the product, I would say that you would nOT be able to dump this into a 4 inch hold. The consistency of penetrating epoxy is very thin so that it will travel down and through the rotted wood fibers. IF filling a hole, I would recommend a more traditional method for patching a hole that size, (Especially given it may be below the water line at times). That would be layers of glass matt and epoxy, you may need to start with taping a backing on one side, so and adding a thin layer of thickened epoxy resin into it until it sets and you can use that to add your layers. I also would add layers one at a time and not try to fill something that is 1/2" or so thick in one shot with just epoxy. I would think it may heat up too much during activation, but that is more speculation than anything else. For some reason, it just doesn't pass the sniff test for something I would want to do on my boat. I would be nervous that it could cause issues down the road. I hope this is helpful, sorry it is not 100% definitive, in that I tried this already and can speak first hand to it, but I would not recommend the process you mentioned. Best of luck, I am sure you will however be able to patch that spot and still make the best out of the situation.
+SVDreamChaser Ah, and Please do check out our new Blog, UA-cam Channel and Website documenting all of the refit/repair and work we are doing on our 51' Formosa. www.svdreamchaser.com for the website or ua-cam.com/users/svdreamchaser for the youtube channel
+SVDreamChaser . THANKS. IM NOT TRYING TO FILL THE HOLES BACK IN. I CUT THEM OUT TO PUT THRU HULL EXHAUST IN. HOWEVER, I AM TRYING TO SOLIDIFY THE AREA AROUND THE TIPS AND THE ENTIRE AREA THAT IS ROTTEN AND SOFT. I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME .
I am glad you found it useful. Subscribe to the channel for many more updates including a project coming up to repair a rotted coach house roof and possible a couple of soft core sections. All kinds of refit and live aboard lifestyle videos (new ones every week).
I have a boat that has a transom that is partially rotted. Can this stuff fix that or do I have to go with a new transom? The boat isn't worth a lot of money but I do not have the replace it and don't want to have to junk it.
I am thinking if the transom is truly rotted completely it may need to be replaced. I am not an expert on this, But here are my 2 cents. If the boat isn't worth the replacement of the transom, and it is skinned (in other words rotted wood between fiberglass), then I would attempt the fix and see if it works well for you. Here is how I might go about it. If the transom is cored, I would drill holes in the top and bottom of the skin (or if you have access to the top of it, you could pour it in from there and only have holes in the bottom). Much like in this video, I had enough holes drilled to see the flow of penetrating epoxy from the higher holes to the lower ones. I would starts at the low ones and slowly introduce the epoxy above it until you see it come from the ones below. You may also have to do holes every 3-6 inches apart across the transom as well as it will flow better "Down" then it wil at an angle or across the transom. does that make sense? If not you can email me and we can talk in more detail as well. Reach out via our Facebook page as I don't know if UA-cam lets you message me directly. Facebook.com/svdreamchaser.
The biggest difference is the viscosity of the mixed solution. Penetrating epoxy tends to be very thin and can run into small openings much easier than a thicker or viscous epoxy like west systems or Total boat.
@@Svdreamchaser, the thinness is due to the high percentage of solvents in any "penetrating" epoxy. A small percentage of what you apply is the actual epoxy. The majority of what you apply are solvents and they evaporate. This is why multiple coats are key to reasonable repair and why you need to wear a respirator when applying.
Thank you @MarineMan. That makes sense for sure, kind of like thinning the first coats of varnish,l to make it more runnable (Lol, not sure that is a word)
Nice job on the video. You did talk about water displacement. Have you ever tried using CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) from RotDoctor com. Ive used it on my boat with wonderful results and it claims to displace water and resin in the wood. Im going to be using it on my house to fix some rotted sills.
Good demonstration, bad application. Load bearing bulkheads need to be homogenously sound material. it is a good quick fix for a quick sale. I hope you sell your rebuild as soon as you hope too!
I would like to see a structural test of this stuff, I would suspect the epoxied rotted wood would be stronger than the original wood, but that would be an interesting test.
It has been 7 years now since this repair. The boat is solid and we have cruised all over the south coast of the US with her. My daughter is now using the boat full time and it is solid as can be. I think the proof on the application stands on this one but I don't disagree that a solid bulkhead is better and this was only a small portion of the bulkhead, not the whole thing.
I would agree that git-rot would not be appropriate if an entire wall specifically a bulkhead was rotted. However, in this particular case, the rot was a small section of the overall bulkhead and git-rot, as a solution, will be more than sufficient for long-term ownership of the boat. I actually don't intend to "quick sell" my boat but rather little aboard and sail her. Thanks for viewing and commenting and I hope you have found the other videos helpful or at least interesting :)
I agree. large areas need new wood. But if it is a small and structural, git rot would git the job done at a reasonable price. I have a shovel nose mini hydro that has a 1/8in skin over the entire front. it was saturated with straight fiberglass and is tougher than one can imagine. I hit a cement wall at 20mph avoiding a drunk jet ski buddy trying to swamp me....the damage was only a scuff and it redirected me to better waters. lol
I actually knew the man who invented this stuff. His name was Platt Montfort and he was one of the cleverest men I have ever known. After inventing Git Rot he went on to experiment with ferro cement boat building and eventually developed a chemically based method of doing this. From their he went on to build replicas of Rushton's famous miniature canoes (the 10' Wee Lassie). His first one was beautifully built using the traditional ceda wood construction. From there he moved to using cloth based construction techniques. I think the lightest one he built weighed 8lbs! A reL genius!
Very cool.
Before doing this to your boat, go to a salvage yard and ask if you can try it on a boat they will scrap. This way you can cut the repair open and see how much the Git-Rot has fixed and how much is still bad. Or save some time and look up UA-cam videos where someone did this. I wound up cutting the upper glass away and removing the rotten core before replacing some areas of core (I used Nidacore so it won't rot again) and glassing over the top again. It was almost as easy as drilling a million holes and re-doing it when the epoxy leaves you disappointed. Git-Rot exists because newbies are afraid to cut into their boat and fix it properly.
Very true. I never thought of a salvage yard to try it. But I did other repairs in years after this and for sone repairs you are right. For some Got Rot is a great fix too.
used git rot loads of times, great product and a little friendly advice is next time you use it drill your holes downward at a 45 deg angle and you'll get much more of your product in the wood ;) for wood even further gone stabilise with git rot then follow up with some marine tex :)
Lee CambsUK Thanks Lee. It's funny you mention the 45 degree angle, that was my intention, but I just ended up with about 20 degrees at best. I hope I don't have to use the MarineTex in conjunction with any GitRot given the comment about if it "being further gone", but if I do, I will certainly keep that in mind. MarineTex is pretty amazing stuff.
What is marine tex?
@@KMF3 It's a 2-part epoxy
Thanks! Need to fix my boat, I appreciate the pointer.
I wonder if it would work better if the back side were taped off? Or hot glued? Drilling all the way through obviously helps with drying. But of when the epoxy is applied, one side is sealed shut, then we could use positive pressure. I am probably going to have to do this on my boat. Have a 24' gelcoat bayliner ive rescued that sat in saltwater for likely 25 years. The antifouling was bad, muscles 1.5" long adhered to it, barnacles bigger than a dime and smaller than a quarter. When I sanded off the bottom mess, found hairline cracks and spider web cracks in spots of the gelcoat. Mirrored all the way through into the fiberglass. Im certain this has happened from the hand of the Marina it sat in when they took it out of the water [wrong fit trailer]. I know it's moist in the wood because when I drilled holes through into the transom for the fish finder transducer, the wood was wet. 😭 Been working on this boat for several months now. Sort of "losing it" to get her out. 😬 But it feels and sounds solid for now. I just want to get her on the water and will be addressing this at a later date using your video for reference and guidance. 😁 Thank you!
Glad the video is helpful. It held iup really well for me and while I sold the boat, the new owner says it is all still solid.
I get your point on being ready to get out on the water. These refits cam take way longer than planned. Lol.
I've had great luck with Git-Rot. It is the thinnest non solvent type I know of. It is not thinned with volatiles nor should you add any to it. Solvent types thinned epoxy is great for brush on, never injection. When penetrating deep into wood and there are voids and pockets you don't want thinned epoxy with solvents like acetone, alcohol, toluene, MEK or xylene. When these are present, it does let it penetrate deeper but when the volatiles near the surface evaporate and the surface epoxy hardens it traps the solvents in the interior. If the solvents/volatiles are present the epoxy will never properly harden and form a gelatinase mass in the core that can be literally shredded by your hands years later. What's worse is these solvents can be trapped next to fiberglass and break down the polyester binding. Git-Rot like other epoxies can generate damaging heat in any volume so you don't want large voids. It's always best to pull loose wood and replace volume spaces with wood and/or loosely packed fiber glass mat/rove. Things to remember:....You can epoxy on polyester but not polyester on epoxy. Once epoxy has cured, an oily substance rises to the surface and this should be removed with solvent/scuffing/solvent before adding more epoxy layers. If the epoxy is wet or sticky it's ok to add more. 3M aluminum foil tape(duct) can be used to keep epoxy from running through, on the deck undersides or for makeshift walls or barriers. Foil tape adhesives withstands much more heat and epoxy than other tapes. Wipe the wood surfaces down with xylene where you intend to stick the tape for adhesion. Rub the tape down well and remove as soon as epoxy has gotten firm. Mix your epoxy very well (longer is better) and exact ratios, it does matter. Epoxy has a shelf life and last longer in a cool dark place. Applying epoxy to wood that's been treated with some anti fungal will reduce adhesion and penetration so treat it afterward if you do. Some people swear by Smiths CPES..I swear at it. Git-Rot and West System is all I use. Hope this helps
+Karl Jensen Great post and comment. Agree on all fronts.
Great, I am glad it may have helped. Also you can typically find it "in-stock" at a local Marine store if you find you need more and don't want to wait for it to arrive..
Hey Gil, great video. Thanks for taking the time to make it and share the information with us. It certainly would be a less expensive method to fix small area soft spots.
SV Soleil
+justice tek - Thanks for the comments. I al glad you found it helpful. It really worked well and I think I have a spot on the new (to us) boat that will also have a use for it.
You might check out Smiths Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer. Others use the CPES term but only Smiths is made from wood materials and has similar structural and flexibility as the wood you use it on, and its penetration characteristics are better. I've used Smiths CPES and it works well for "less than perfect" wood. Most "penetrating epoxies" are just thinned, and so are less strong and leave voids. This is the common objection to GitRot, but is not a problem with Smiths. My only dislike is that you really need air filtration while applying and - if inside the boat - for days afterward.
Gary Bickford Thanks for the tip
Thanks for posting. I've got some on order to repair the bathroom floor in the 78 Argosy Motorhome I am renovating.
I am glad you liked it. This was a great test for us and really fit the need.
An added improvement to the repair would have been, following this treatment, to add five layers of alternating 1708 cloth and CSM, along with epoxy resin, to make the bulkhead ultimately structural.
Good point. Isn’t it funny how much you learn over the years and in this case I agree with you based on what I know today. On our current Formosa, I built new frame work for some of the settee flooring and did just that after building it new. I tabbed everything over and in, to make it part of the structure.
I will say that the Gulfstar git-Rot repair is holding up really good 6 years after task, which is good. :)
That is awesome to hear. Having just pontificated about your repair, I am about to embark on the injection of epoxy into the side deck of our Hunter Legend 40. The balsa core deck is not entirely compromised nor wet. It is suffering from heat-related delamination and maybe some dry rot. I am confident that the injection of epoxy will fix the issue and last for the expected life of the boat. I tend to take a more practical approach to repairs and going by the book isn't always the prudent thing to do. We are still very structural. I am just stitching to save nine.
We had a friend that did something similar and he injected it and then put a few screws in it to hold the skin against the core until it cured then removed the screws and patched gel coat. Not sure if that is best or not, but kind of made sense.
Given the age of the boat and our life expectancy, I think our repair will last longer than we do. Again, our core is intact. Just staying ahead of the normal aging.
What are the items you mentioned. Newbie here.
I know you were using this on a boat but do you know if this could be used on a vintage trailer? There's a couple of spots that has some dry rot that I don't want to have to completely redo the wall because I would have to tear out an entire cabinet and refrigerator
Yes, I think it would be well worth the attempt. I will say that I am not quite following your comment about having to remove the fridge/etc. Typically in order to get penetrating epoxy in you would need to either drill holes all across the surface (or down the surface of the wall) The other option, but I haven't done this yet, is that you can put a hole near the top of the wall and then an opening in the bottom that you would put a vacuum on to pull the penetrating epoxy into the pores of the wood.
@@Svdreamchaser I don't think I'm going to need to drill holes into any walls. I wish I could send you a picture of the area that I need to work on. After doing a little bit more research I'm thinking that maybe it would be better to go with an epoxy type wood filler that's more of a paste because it's on a vertical wall. In terms of my comment about having to take out the refrigerator the wall in question is behind a cabinet with a built-in refrigerator in the trailer. So in order to replace that entire piece of plywood sheet I would have to remove the entire floor-to-ceiling cabinet that includes the refrigerator. Does that make sense? So because this product is so thin I'm beginning to wonder if it might not be the wrong application
@@Svdreamchaser also another question. I'm wondering if this product would B good for creating some strength and cohesion on old thin brittle plywood. This is a vintage trailer so there's a number of areas where the plywood is not dry rot but it's old and becoming brittle sooner rather than replacing it in certain areas I'm wondering if then application over the plywood so that it seeps in and creates more strength would be an appropriate application.
Great video and technique. Thanks.
Broxty Glad you liked it
Thanks I am glad you enjoyed it.
At least the surveyor knows where to start now.
It is a good repair. Surveyors would know that too. Certainly I agree they would/should bring it up but if you were to sound tap test it, it sounds and is solid now.
I'm about to try Git Rot on a camper floor. I'm curious if and how you cleaned the applicator bottle between uses. The only guidance I see is not even in the instructions ... on the box it says that uncured product can be cleaned with vinegar.
Good question, It has been a while since I did this. I think, but don't recall for sure that I rinsed it with a bit of acetone. Candidly speaking, If I were to do the camper floor, I would plan to do it all in one day or at one time. The penetrating epoxy doesn't pot quickly like my work with regular epoxy where you have 20 minutes or so. I can recall working on this for at least an hour and it remained liquid the whole time. I think that is part of the properties fo it to ensure it penetrates all the way through the rot. If I did need to do this in more than one setting or time, or intended to use it again down the road, I would pick up some cheap little ketchup/mustard style squirt bottles and use those and just throw them away after each use. Something like this would also work fairly well. They are about a buck a piece and will save you a lot of time bothering with trying to clean them. 4oz size like this work well - amzn.to/2GhNPgQ
@@Svdreamchaser I think you're right and it should be easier to work quickly on the horizontal surface. I'm just thinking about contingencies in the event there is an interruption. Thanks for the reply.
Thank you, I have looked all over to find your video. how hard did it dry, and how long did it take?
Soldier53flyer It took about 3-4 hours to do the work (drilling the holes and applying the epoxy). It then dried over night. It cured as hard as a full sheet of 3/4 ply and felt more solid then the wood alone was.
Keep in mind with the timeframes above, I did not include the time to sand and finish the surface as I considered that part of what I was going to do in the entire salon, but if you are "spot fixing" you would have to add time for sanding and finishing.
If you found this useful, please feel free to share it on Facebook, or any forum that you happen to subscribe to discussing such topics.
Is the epoxy waterproof. I want to fix the woodrot on my deck outside.
Yes it sure is. It is kind of like reinforcing the wood with plastic from the inside in the example of what I did in this video.
Thanks. Found this to be very helpful.
I am glad you liked it. This was a great test for us and really fit the need.
I just drilled out holes for thru hull exhaust. the port side was damp but not bad. still solid. however, the starboard side was gone as far as I could reach my hand in.I was told about that stuff and plan on using it. do you have to put the epoxy in in small doses or can I dump it in the 4 inch hole that I cut for the exhaust? I plan on drilling holes on the inside to spread it around also.
+David Frees - David, Glad you found the video helpful I am certainly not an expert in this, but after using the product, I would say that you would nOT be able to dump this into a 4 inch hold. The consistency of penetrating epoxy is very thin so that it will travel down and through the rotted wood fibers. IF filling a hole, I would recommend a more traditional method for patching a hole that size, (Especially given it may be below the water line at times). That would be layers of glass matt and epoxy, you may need to start with taping a backing on one side, so and adding a thin layer of thickened epoxy resin into it until it sets and you can use that to add your layers.
I also would add layers one at a time and not try to fill something that is 1/2" or so thick in one shot with just epoxy. I would think it may heat up too much during activation, but that is more speculation than anything else.
For some reason, it just doesn't pass the sniff test for something I would want to do on my boat. I would be nervous that it could cause issues down the road.
I hope this is helpful, sorry it is not 100% definitive, in that I tried this already and can speak first hand to it, but I would not recommend the process you mentioned.
Best of luck, I am sure you will however be able to patch that spot and still make the best out of the situation.
+SVDreamChaser Ah, and Please do check out our new Blog, UA-cam Channel and Website documenting all of the refit/repair and work we are doing on our 51' Formosa. www.svdreamchaser.com for the website or ua-cam.com/users/svdreamchaser for the youtube channel
+SVDreamChaser . THANKS. IM NOT TRYING TO FILL THE HOLES BACK IN. I CUT THEM OUT TO PUT THRU HULL EXHAUST IN. HOWEVER, I AM TRYING TO SOLIDIFY THE AREA AROUND THE TIPS AND THE ENTIRE AREA THAT IS ROTTEN AND SOFT. I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME .
Thank you, very helpful vid.
I am glad you found it useful. Subscribe to the channel for many more updates including a project coming up to repair a rotted coach house roof and possible a couple of soft core sections. All kinds of refit and live aboard lifestyle videos (new ones every week).
I have a boat that has a transom that is partially rotted. Can this stuff fix that or do I have to go with a new transom? The boat isn't worth a lot of money but I do not have the replace it and don't want to have to junk it.
I am thinking if the transom is truly rotted completely it may need to be replaced. I am not an expert on this, But here are my 2 cents. If the boat isn't worth the replacement of the transom, and it is skinned (in other words rotted wood between fiberglass), then I would attempt the fix and see if it works well for you.
Here is how I might go about it. If the transom is cored, I would drill holes in the top and bottom of the skin (or if you have access to the top of it, you could pour it in from there and only have holes in the bottom). Much like in this video, I had enough holes drilled to see the flow of penetrating epoxy from the higher holes to the lower ones. I would starts at the low ones and slowly introduce the epoxy above it until you see it come from the ones below.
You may also have to do holes every 3-6 inches apart across the transom as well as it will flow better "Down" then it wil at an angle or across the transom. does that make sense? If not you can email me and we can talk in more detail as well. Reach out via our Facebook page as I don't know if UA-cam lets you message me directly. Facebook.com/svdreamchaser.
#svdreamchaser #LiveAboard #GitRot #Cruisingwithkids
What is the difference with this epoxy and just a regular epoxy?
The biggest difference is the viscosity of the mixed solution. Penetrating epoxy tends to be very thin and can run into small openings much easier than a thicker or viscous epoxy like west systems or Total boat.
@@Svdreamchaser thanks
@@Svdreamchaser, the thinness is due to the high percentage of solvents in any "penetrating" epoxy. A small percentage of what you apply is the actual epoxy. The majority of what you apply are solvents and they evaporate. This is why multiple coats are key to reasonable repair and why you need to wear a respirator when applying.
Thank you @MarineMan. That makes sense for sure, kind of like thinning the first coats of varnish,l to make it more runnable (Lol, not sure that is a word)
@@Svdreamchaser, "runnable" is indeed a real word! As proven by every varnish job I have ever done!
Nice job on the video. You did talk about water displacement. Have you ever tried using CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) from RotDoctor com. Ive used it on my boat with wonderful results and it claims to displace water and resin in the wood. Im going to be using it on my house to fix some rotted sills.
I am glad you liked it. This was a great test for us and really fit the need.
Mr Scotty,
I have not tried that product.
Good demonstration, bad application. Load bearing bulkheads need to be homogenously sound material. it is a good quick fix for a quick sale. I hope you sell your rebuild as soon as you hope too!
I would like to see a structural test of this stuff, I would suspect the epoxied rotted wood would be stronger than the original wood, but that would be an interesting test.
It has been 7 years now since this repair. The boat is solid and we have cruised all over the south coast of the US with her. My daughter is now using the boat full time and it is solid as can be. I think the proof on the application stands on this one but I don't disagree that a solid bulkhead is better and this was only a small portion of the bulkhead, not the whole thing.
I would agree. At least based on time passed since application.
thanks.
No Thank you
wear gloves--good video
Tom Donahue thanks Tom, I agree with you glove should certainly be worn. If I only knew then what I know now a couple years later. LOL
I would agree that git-rot would not be appropriate if an entire wall specifically a bulkhead was rotted. However, in this particular case, the rot was a small section of the overall bulkhead and git-rot, as a solution, will be more than sufficient for long-term ownership of the boat. I actually don't intend to "quick sell" my boat but rather little aboard and sail her.
Thanks for viewing and commenting and I hope you have found the other videos helpful or at least interesting :)
I agree. large areas need new wood. But if it is a small and structural, git rot would git the job done at a reasonable price. I have a shovel nose mini hydro that has a 1/8in skin over the entire front. it was saturated with straight fiberglass and is tougher than one can imagine. I hit a cement wall at 20mph avoiding a drunk jet ski buddy trying to swamp me....the damage was only a scuff and it redirected me to better waters. lol