Recoring under deck hardware. Plywood or Solid Laminate?

[Midday Gun]

Thickened poly works quite well. Add some kitty hair (1/2 inch chopped fibers), and only lay in 1/4 inch at a time to avoid excessive heat and shrinkage.

This sounds like a nice simple way to go about it.
Should I catalyze at 2% or go a little less to try and manage the heat better? Its the UK so I imagine this time of year the temp will be around 20 degrees.

Would this technique also work to 'cast' a base for my mainsheet traveller? I'm fitting a mainsheet track but the cockpit seats are both angled so it needs some sort of base / shim to take up the gap. Normally people seem to make them out of wood which normally looks pretty naff after a few years. I was thinking of casting it in epoxy or polyester with some layers of glass to help build the thickness and as long as the boats correctly upright it should self level. It won't be under much compression, mainly tension through the bolts.

 

[DCockey]

Should the edges of the inset "core" be tapered to prevent stress concentrations along the edges?

 

[Blueknarr]

DC

Depends. Canvas cover snaps only get enough reinforcement for the screws to grab. I usually increase the thickness of the skins around significant load points such as winch bases. The increased skins won't allow the core to flex at the reinforcement joint. Tapering for a thickened resin core would be a good idea.

Midday Gun

The mix should be too thick to self level. I mix mine to mashed potato consistency. The kitty hair is required to hold it together, but makes it very difficult to finish smoothly. I recumend taping off the deck and traveler. Laying down a layer of "mashed potatoes" , press the traveler in and use a rounded stick to remove the excess. After it kicks pull it and the tape away. Sand then add another coat of neat resin before permanent installation.

 

[Midday Gun]

That seems a better idea actually.

I'll probably use a taped up piece of plywood cut to just wider than the base of the traveller as I want the pad to be a little wider than the track itself. Thanks for the advice.