Tanzer 16 seat repair continues --making the patch

Tanzer 16 seat repair continues --making the patch  -- October 29, 2015  With the bad material removed, it's time to start putting the seat back together.  The first item was to glue some of the detached small blocks back into the bottom of the seat where it meets the vertical wall of the seat.

The small blocks that fell out were slathered up with a
thickened mixture of resin and clamped to the underside
of the seat.  When the glue set up, the seat was already
stronger.

A piece of thin, 1/8-inch plywood was cut--4 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the the hole.  It needed to be thin so it could be drawn up to the hole by shop-built clamps.

Two layers of cloth were laminated to the plywood.  One was cut straight, the other was cut on the bias--which probably didn't make any difference, but it couldn't hurt.  After the epoxy resin set up, some 1/4-inch bolts were inserted and tightened up.  These will hold the clamps.

Thickened epoxy was added to the edges of the patch.  After inserting it into the hole, the plywood strips went on the bolts.  They were tightened up and the patch was pulled up tight against the bottom of the seat.  With the clamps removed the patch was quite secure.

The bolts dropped down into the seat where they will
probably rust  Wish I used stainless.

Small blocks of plywood went on top of the patch held in place by thickened epoxy.  The level of the patch is now below the finished level or the seat.  This will leave room for the matt glass top of the patch to bring the whole think back up the level of the top.

Since the boat is still out in the "Covered Bridge" it needed a little heat to help the epoxy set up.  A small space heater set on low worked nicely.  The cardboard is just to contain the heat.

Next:  Building up the top with matt.