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Vacuum Bagging a Boat Deck: Did it Work!? | E015

21 October 2023 · 18 min · 35K views

What this video covers

Jon repairs the bow deck of his boat, Antidote, by vacuum bagging two layers of Kusa foam core to replace rotted plywood.0:09 He maintains a temperature above 60 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure proper epoxy curing, using a vacuum pump to hold 24 inches of mercury for 24 hours.0:26 To improve resin distribution during the second layer, he uses perforated peel ply and drills holes in the foam every six inches, though he notes that spacing the holes every two inches would have allowed better resin flow.11:30 A dial indicator confirms the structural integrity of the new deck, measuring only 0.050 inches of deflection under load.14:18 Jon also shapes a G10 block to reinforce the stem head fitting area, using thickened epoxy to fill gaps in the irregular cavity.15:50 He concludes that while the process requires tuning, the vacuum bagging technique successfully creates a stiff, solid deck.3:35

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Boats in this video

Liberty 458Their boat

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