Buffing repairs????? VHF mounting 170CC

[mtty]

I finally got around to making some repairs to the hull of my '02 170CC. I bought the plastic welder from Harbor freight and with some finagling managed to fill some deep gashes I had in the port side chine. Once the shards were folded back into the gashes I added a little plastic the folks at Merritt sent me and over all the appearance wasn't so bad. In an attempt at perfection I sanded the repairs with five different grits starting with sixty and finishing with 180 or so. I attempted to buff the repairs out with an auto motive style buffer but apparently didn't have the RPMs I needed to do it right. Any of you folks with experience have any suggestions or tips to improve results? How about buffing out the repairs? What tupe buffer and how many rpms does your buffer turn? What type bonnet did you use? At one time I thought I had heard you could buff the plastic out with 3M Scotch Brite pads.

As with most of the stuff I see coming out of Harbor Freight the plastic welder will work but I can see where a more substantial piece of equipment could improve end results. The stream of hot air is a little inadequate but it got the job done none the less. Short of towing the boat a couple of hundred miles to Merrit I think the results will suffice.

I flush mounted a VHF on the console today. At this point, I have a FF, AM/FM/CD and now the VHF on the boat. At what point does it become necessary to add a buss bar for wiring the accessaries? Currently I have the AM/FM and Fishfinder wired to the accessory switch. I'm thinking I'm gonna disconnect the livewell pump since I don't use it anyway and use that circuit for the VHF. If I continue to add accessorys I'm eventually going to have to clear up a rats nest of wires under the console. I thinking adding the buss bars will enhance appearance and safety both.

Anyone care to comment? I'm looking for a better way but not sure in which direction to go.

Thanks JT

[Dick@merrittmarine]

JT, We take the sanding process to 6-800 grit paper on a DA sander. Then we use a 3000 rpm buffer with a 9" wheel to bring out the gloss. We use a 3M scotch brite 2" pad on a die grinder to get in tight places.

Dick

[chilidip]

Dick: what polishing compound do you use with the buffing wheel?

Thanks

[MolarBoater]

Upgrade to a BlueSeas covered fuse box (@$40) and you'll be able to keep your electronics separate with proper protection.

[k9reno]

Molar
I am thinking about undoing the add on electronics and adding a bluesea 12 position fuse box, but I am wondering what gage wire to run power to it. also should I pull the power form the power out on the battery switch or off of one of the positive pole on a batteryl

[cagrove]

Originally Posted by k9reno

Molar
I am thinking about undoing the add on electronics and adding a bluesea 12 position fuse box, but I am wondering what gage wire to run power to it. also should I pull the power form the power out on the battery switch or off of one of the positive pole on a batteryl

If I might chime in...I added the 6 position fuse box to my 170CC and mounted it under the console. I used 10 guage wire and ran it from one of my two trolling motor batteries that are under the console. That leaves my starting battery just for starting. In your case, if you want to kill everything off at the end of the day, mount it to the battery switch. If you want power to continue to your electronics (to maintain memory, etc.) run the wires directly to the battery. I hope this helped.

[OspreyVic]

We have two Lifeline, Group 31 AGM Batteries. We used Number 2 wire to go from the batteries to the Blue Sea Systems - Part Number 9006 ON/OFF (Fixed Knob) Mini Battery Switches. This system uses three OFF-ON battery switches as follows: one switch to connect the starting battery to your starter circuit; one switch to connect the house battery to your boat's distribution panel; and one switch to parallel your battery systems if either battery fails.

From the “House” switch, we used Number 6 wire to the Blue Sea Systems MAXI Fuse Block and 40 Amp MAXI Fuse. We also used Number 6 wire from the MAXI Fuse Block to the Blue Sea Systems 12 position with ground ATO/ATC fuse block.

The factory installed fuse block still serves as a ground for the original factory installed equipment and also serves as a constant on fuse block for the Floscan 5410-20A-1 so its calculations are maintained, the AM/FM radio so the station settings are not lost, and the bilge pump. The Floscan has a small 1/2 Amp in line fuse, and that is the only inline fuse we have.

Pictures are in my photo gallery and more detailed information in my “Article”. Hope this helps.

[Dick@merrittmarine]

CHILIDIP, Do not use any type of compound! A dry Lambswool pad will generate heat that brings out a gloss. Compound will penetrate the material and make a mess that can't be corrected.

Dick

[chilidip]

whew, thanks Dick! I was going to use the meguire's plastic cleaner on it this weekend.. glad to have checked the post before i did.