Living For Sail · video

What this video covers

Restoring the deck of a 1989 Liberty 458 requires removing rotted balsa and plywood core material around the forward hatch and replacing it with new foam core.0:30 To maintain the deck’s structural crown and water-shedding shape, the repair involves tabbing foam panels to existing bulkheads and the underside of the deck.0:51 Before bonding the new core, the underside of the deck is cleaned with acetone and sealed using vacuum bagging techniques to ensure a strong epoxy bond.3:08 A vacuum pump powered by a Bluetti B210 and AC240 inverter system provides consistent pressure for over 10 hours during the curing process.11:05 After removing the old core, the process includes grinding the remaining fiberglass skin down to the base resin using an angle grinder with a diamond cup wheel for superior dust collection.20:06 The removal revealed original brass or bronze backing plates for the hatch, which had oxidized and failed.23:46 These will be replaced with threaded G10 inserts to restore structural integrity.24:18

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