Marion Elizabeth

AQUATEC WATERPARK PROCEDURES MANUAL The initial scope of this manual will cover maintenance, repair, and recoating of the GRP surfaces of waterparks. The procedures will be divided into the following chapters. GRFX 1. Project preparation and sanding. 2. Fiberglass structure and surface repair. 3. Gelcoat and other coatings application. 4. Gelcoat - finish sanding and polishing. 5. Post service follow up / Gelcoat polishing and maintenance. VO Begin the project with the PROCESS DETAILS step 1 Project Preparation and Sanding In order to reach the end goal of a successful finished product, it is important to begin with a review of the vessel Work Scope and Service Report.  GRFX Determine the unique circumstances and conditions of the project Determine required assets including: Personnel, Materials, and Equipment VO Start by cleaning the surfaces using detergent and water.  Follow up with an appropriate solvent: GRFX Acetone - good general cleaner Lacquer Thinner - stronger than acetone to use on resin type splatters Prep-solve - use for paint related job to remove invisible contaminates such as wax and silicone VO Protect the surrounding area from dust, dirt, work traffic, spills, and overspray with a suitable cover to provide protection from the weather and contain overspray. Secure in place nightly. Connect to a safe and adequate supply of electricity using the proper gauge cable for expected load. Set up ventilation fans and vacuum to reduce the amount of dust. Use appropriate PPE.  GRFX 1. Protective clothing 2. Eye protection  3. Respiratory protection example N95/full face respirator  4. Gloves and knee pads  VO Consider the proper grit of sandpaper needed for each step  GRFX 1. Use a sanding guide: pencil, powder or spray. 2. 40 grit for rapid and deep removal of heavy material 3. 80 grit for light prep sanding and small damage repairs VO Remove all blisters by sanding and opening the area  to facilitate filling. Clean the area - vacuum, wash with detergent and water, or wipe down with acetone/alcohol  Inform the supervisor that the project is ready for  Step 2 - Fiberglass Structure and Surface Repair. GRFX Determine the unique circumstances and conditions of the project Determine required assets including: Personnel, Materials, and Equipment VO Determine the type of repair to be made after detecting the cause. Reinforce the underside with fiberglass lamination. GRFX  Repairs requiring fiberglass lamination:  1. Spider/stress cracks 2. Filling and bonding of seams  3. Hardware support damage/impact damage on a flange. VO Clean the surfaces using detergent and water. Follow up with an appropriate solvent. GRFX 1. Acetone - good general cleaner 2. Lacquer Thinner - stronger than acetone to use on resin type splatters 3. Prep-solve - use for paint related job to remove invisible contaminates (wax and silicone) VO Protect the surrounding area from dust, dirt, work traffic, spills, and overspray with a suitable cover to provide protection from the weather and contain overspray. Secure in place nightly. Remove damaged material by grinding as deep as possible. Ensure there is enough to fill with sufficient material to sustain the repair after fairing. Ensure the area to be worked on is clean and without residual dampness. If necessary, dry with heat or other means. Mask the surrounding area. Mix resin and MEK catalyst according to the FSM chart. Fill with fiberglass and vinyl ester resin. Consider the type/size of the repair when determining fiberglass material to use. GRFX Using 1708 Biaxial mat Scrim side down/against the repair surface Lay mat first to promote adhesion.  Final laminate layer should be 1½ ounce/ deep enough to cover the biaxial strands  Compact laminate with roller/remove air voids VO Cure lamination for proper length of time before grinding and sanding. Grind, sand, and fair lamination to allow for further filling. GRFX Fill the repaired area using filler putty,  ex. gelcoat and C-ab-o-sil putty  3M marine grade filler. Sand, fair, and repaint with gelcoat. VO  Spot repair by feathering to the outer edge a little farther with 120/220 grit sandpaper to aid in blending the edge. Mix the gelcoat as per FSM gelcoat mixing process. Spray repair area with gelcoat to a minimum of 30 mils (30 thousandths of an inch) or .762 microns.  Gradually spray gelcoat towards the blend edge and apply enough to finish sanding without burning through.  Finish sanding with attention to the blend edge. Avoid burning through the surrounding gelcoat while hiding the blend. Refer to FSM Gelcoat and Coatings Application procedures for repairs covering a large area or entire section, such as a run out.  GRFX  Gelcoat and Coatings Application 1. Assess surface preparation and enclosure. 2. Check all materials for quality/set up area for mixing. 3. Set up air supply, check for adequate pressure and volume, drain moisture from air line and install in line filter  4. Set up air ventilation and filters. 5. Wear required PPE: gloves, suit, full face mask, respirator. 6. Mix gelcoat according to FSM mixing and catalyst chart. 7. Spray gelcoat with the proper nozzle size, (2.5 suggested) 8. Spray multiple thin coats approx. 3-4 coats,  recommended 30 mils (762 microns)  9. Test gelcoat after about 30-45 minutes for dryness. 10. Clean and lubricate the spray gun.  11. When the gelcoat has cured properly, advise the supervisor. VO Step 3 is Gelcoat Finish Sanding and Polishing.  Inspect the gelcoat surface to be sanded, check for curing, and defects.  Choose between “wet sanding” or “dry sanding”, based upon circumstances. Use a guide when sanding: pencil, guide powder or guide spray. Assess finish texture to determine initial sanding grit. Remove about 50 percent of the texture before moving to the next finer grit. Continue until there is an even finish/shine before continuing to the polishing operation. GRFX  Gelcoat Finish Tips  -Heavy orange peel texture use 180 grit.- 1. Do not remove too much material  2. Sanding with a heavier grit is fast but may be counterproductive 3. Avoid trying to remove all the texture with the first pass 4. Remove a portion of the texture (fifty percent), then move to the next finer grit.  5. Continue in similar steps until you reach 400 grit  6. Clean and inspect the surface, before starting with 600 grit  7. Consider 600 grit sandpaper as the beginning of the polishing operation. 8. Clean/inspect for an even finish/shine before moving on to the polishing operation. 9. Polish a small test area to ensure proper sanding, prior to moving on to the next step. VO Apply Sika seal as per FSM procedure, and clean surfaces of sanding dust. Polish with compound, using a clean white wool buffing pad made for compounding.  GRFX Polishing with compound 1. Clean the surface of all sanding dust  2. Use a clean white wool buffing pad 3. Determine the correct compound grit  4. Apply the compound to the surface and begin polishing.  5. Work in 3’ by 3’ sections.  GRFX Polishing with compound 2 6. Spread the compound at 600 RPM.  7. Move the buffer slowly over the surface  8. Increase to 1800 RPM as the area begins to shine 9. If necessary follow with a second, finer grit  10. Polish the entire piece/section with coarse compound first 11. Dust off and finish the entire piece with fine compound.  12. Clean with soap and water.  13. Inspect to ensure the gloss is even. 14. Apply sealer or wax. VO Step 4-Scheduled maintenance Polishing and Waxing (GRFX title card, too) Clean the surface to remove dirt, tanning oil and especially calcium oxidation. Use products like CLR, Power Blue scale off, or household vinegar, scrubbing with a soft acid proof brush or a white Scotch Brite pad. Rinse clean and allow to dry. Depending on the existing finish and shine of the gelcoat select the correct type of compound. Use a white wool compounding pad or white foam pad. Use a coarse grit compound on the areas that need it.  Use medium or fine compound over the area to affect an even shine. Rinse completely, using mild soap if necessary to remove compound residue. Check joints for missing or damaged Sika-sil. Decide if it should be applied before or after waxing based on the size or need of masking tape. Apply an even coat of wax. This may be done by hand or using a random orbit pad being sure to work the wax into the surface completely without missing spots. Allow wax to dry and set for a few minutes before polishing to a high shine.  Finish by checking any imperfections with a microfiber cloth.