Crusader Repairs Question

[Alex T]

I have broken the inner finishing on the side-decks of my crusader. The individual strips of wood that make up this "plank" have seperated due to them flexing.
I'm going to fit another stiffener under it, right in the area that flexes to stop this happening again, but need advice on what glue to use to stick the seperated strips all back together.
It looks like this has split apart before and been repaired very well, but without the extra stiffening, this was a bit of a lost-cause.
can anyone suggest a good glue to stick this all back together? it needs to be reasonably runny, so it will flow into the gaps before I clamp it all up,

thanks
Alex.

[Overomtimistix]

Alex, I would use one of the modern resins.
Polyester is cheap and easy to get hold of. Epoxy is more expensive but has better water resistant properties.
If there is much gap filling to do, try a foaming polyurethane glue but be very sparing in the application.
dan

[chalky]

Alex,
I now understand where your decks have failed, I have seen the same problem on a Rowsell Merlin which was left uncovered for too long.... but we never had a problem with 3232 which would be of very simialr construction and there were no extra stiffeners. Is the inwhale securely fixed to the knees?
Epoxy must be the way forward, use microfibres to get the right thickness of glue. I have always used pumps to measure the 2 parts, but others will advise that weighing the components is the only way to do it.
Good luck John
 

[Alex T]

cheers for the pointers.
there are no gaps - the inwhale (yup - thats what its called - I for the life of me couldnt remember) has just come apart - its a fabricated plank with 5 parts to it and these 5 planks (2 are really thin strips of lighter wood)have become unstuck!
The plan, after looking at it last night, is to use West epoxy to stick it back together, then add a small knee behind it, right at the point I seem to be applying my (not inconsiderable) weight against, to stop the flexing.
It doesnt actually appear to be particularly well attached to the knees - it looks like this is not the first time its come off them and really needs stuck down a little better.

ordering the stuff today, so I can get stuck (hopefully not literally) into it this weekend.
ALex.

[Tim Gatti]

Avoid polyester resin at all costs.

Epoxy is probably your best bet but you could try a marine grade polyurethane.  Whatever you go for, you'll need to get some course sandpaper between the surfaces to be glued ... to (a) remove any of the old glue  (b) roughen the mating surfaces.  Ideally you should get back to bare wood if you can.  Gently warm both the timber and the resin to aid penetration and flow - but only slightly or you will accelerate the hardening process and the epoxy will have gone off before you have had chance to apply it.
Remember to mask off well to avoid splashes and drips in unwanted areas. Tim