9. West System Epoxy Resin for my Grainger MTB920 Trimaran

The Epoxy resin that I chose to use was 105 West System manufactured by Gougeon Brothers, Inc.
I really like using West system as I learnt to use it for many different jobs on my Trimaran.

Not only was it used on the obvious fibre glassing work, but thickened up with additive powders it was used to bond in the bulkheads and furniture, as well as the final water barrier protection before applying the 2 pot undercoat and top coat paints.
I also fitted all my hardware fittings without having to use nuts and washers, as all that was required was too drill an oversized blind hole, fill it with a thickened epoxy resin mixture, place the fitting such as a winch over the filled holes, and drop the stainless bolts through the mounting holes into the epoxy filled holes. It is a superior methodof attachment to the conventional nut and bolt technology.This proved to be a fantantastic solution to preventing water leaking down through bolts into the hull or inside the hull etc. If used on wooden boats it would also prevent ingression of water rotting timbers etc.

The resin is a clear, light-amber, low viscosity epoxy that can be cured in a wide temperature range to yield high strength, rigid solid bond which has excellent cohesive properties and also is an outstanding moisture barrier.
There are two types of hardeners formulated for use with 105 resin.
205 and 206 hardeners require 5 part resin to 1 part hardener mixing ratio. 207 and 209 hardeners require a 3 to 1 ratio, and solid state 6 to 8 hours.
205 hardener is mostly used for general bonding, barrier coating and fabric application. It was also formulated to cure at lower temperatures and to produce a rapid cure that develops its physical properties at room temperatures. Its pot life is 9 to 12 minutes at 22 degrees C, and cures to solid state 9 to 12 hours.
The 206 hardener is a slower hardener and provides a longer working time especially when working in climates of higher temperatures. I tended to use mostly this hardener as its pot life is 20 to 25 minutes at 22 degrees C.
Special pumps can be purchased to dispense the correct amount of resin per 1 full stroke of the resin pump, and the correct amount of hardener per 1 full stroke of the hardener pump.Mixing containers can be bought, however being a scrooge I preferred to put my money into the boat and not the rubbish bin. I had my wife and our neighbours saving plastic milk bottles and other suitable containers for me. My supply of milk bottles was insane at times. I cut the tops off those to make suitable containers.