Hirilonde

If I am using a brush on and off for a couple days I freeze it in a baggy between uses.

I am glad to see some one reads the rules!!!!  Looking good.

The design of the centerboard has me puzzled as I fear that as soon as water infiltrates the glass, epoxy coatings, the laminated structure will start to come apart from internal expansion. 

Why will water infiltrate the epoxy coating?  If enough damage occurs, then it is prudent to remove the centerboard and repair it rather than contunued use which may lead to problems due to expansion from moisture.

 

Laminated plywood is no where near as strong as half (or nearly) of the layers have the grain running in a direction that does nothing to oppose the forces on them.  Solid wooden boards have all the grain in the right direction to resist breaking.

Hydrotek is a brand name.  Okoume and Meranti are the common names for 2 different woods.  Hydrotek is made with Meranti.  There are other brands of Meranti plywood.  BS 1088 is the standard you want regardless of which wood you choose.  Okoume is lighter and bends easier.  Meranti is tougher and stiffer.  It is all a matter of the characteristics you want as to which you choose.  There is no better or worse.

 I have been considering drilling a pilot hole just larger than the screw through the outside plank so the threads don't bite on the first layer. My common sense tells me this will produce a better clamping pressure.

 

 

Your common sense is correct.  If you drill the pilot hole through both layers not only will they be drawn together, but drawn to what ever it is you are screwing into.

Wow, just noticed the notes at the bottom showed that yesterday, 28 January was the most members on line in one day record.  108 members, and who knows how many guests visited the site.  Pretty active place here.

I never heard of soft Maple.  I use Maple for my coamings and find it quite hard.  I steam bend (hot water actually) the pieces over my form, let them dry and use epoxy.  Jeff seems to have no trouble bending his strips without moisture and uses Titebond III.  I have not found this to work for me.  I also use short strips, about 5 or 6 feet long.  I find that trying to glue a second wrap (3rd layer) at the same time as the first much too tedious and awkward, though maybe that is just me being a clutz.  I used to rip my strips on a table saw until I got my new to me band saw.  The strips were very uniform, but the kerf width was wasteful.  I don't bother planing after ripping with the band saw, though I some times touch up thick spots on my stationary belt sander and cull out any overly thin spots.  There is a knack to ripping on a band saw, I am getting better with practice.  It is definitely helpful to have a good resaw blade.

About the only change is to the interior layout, swapping the galley from port to starboard and losing a berth in the process. 

 

When the Pearson Triton (28') came out in 1960 it had 4 berths as the sales people suggested.  Carl Alberg, the designer called the sales people prostitutes.  His claim was that a 28 foot boat can only comfortably cruise 2 people.  It might be amusing to take 4 people on a weekend trip, but I think you will find that for anything more 2 is plenty. The added conveniences you can build in by sacrificing that berth will prove far more important than the capacity to cruise more people uncomfortably.  My starboard salon settee/berth on my Renegade converts into a table and 2 seats.  I dropped the table down once in the 6 years I have had her in the water.

 

Have fun, I will look for your pictures.

By the way, my girlfriend is still with me though there were some problems when I asked her to jump from the bow to the pier with a line once.

 

That is a minor issue.  If you can go long distance cruising with her and still be together, then something is right.

I think when you use the word strong in reference to 406 (aka cabosil)  you really mean hard.  No filler makes epoxy any stronger really.  Some, like 406 are better for bonding strength when used as a glue.  The cloth is what adds strength to the epoxy layers and hence the boat.   Some fillers are better for adhesive properties, some are better for sanding, some are more resilient and some are harder.  Some times the best mixture is a combination of fillers.  For fairing I like just a little 406 for hardness and bond, and 407 for flexibility and sanding properties.

I bet you found sanding the 406 filler fun  

Anyway, it is looking great.  The real pay off for all you fairing and sanding will show when you prime.