davidpm

Do you think it would be safe to work inside the spindrift if it is on land? It looks like some of the interior sanding etc. would be easier to see and work If I could get in the boat. Seems a lot more stress than if in the water.

Thanks Ken, Good post. I'll make a long board from some 1/4" Okume left over.

Thanks, Good Pictures

I was hoping it would dry smooth at the third coat but it is not. Is this normal? What could I be doing wrong?

I've got the wood plug epoxied to the 2" alum mast. The mast step is in. My old carpenter ways would have me use a chisel and notch the mast step till it fit. Now that I'm trying to do things the epoxy way would this work. Bore 2 1/8" hole. in mast step. Wrap mast plug with a few layers of masking tape. Cover with saran wrap. Put thickend epoxy in oversized mast step hole. press in mast and level epoxy. After epoxy is hard remove wrapping on mast and presto a perfect fit. Will this work?

The plans for the SD call for a epoxy fiberglass bearing on the 1 3/4 piece so it will just fit inside the 2" piece. Then a collar so it will not slide all the way in. Any recomendations on how to do this?

I'm planning on painting the inside of the sd white the outside blue and the trim varnished mahogany. The mast is the two piece aluminum 1 piece fir as per plans. I'm planning on using the lpu as per recommendations from this board for the boat. What color for the mast, white or blue. The boom, varnished mahogany or painted? I suspect it is largely a builders choice issue but would appreciate comments from those who have gone before.

What is long board sanding?

OK so I'll nix the Penofin finish and go for varnish. I just bought the Brightwork book by Wittman. So the only question left is I should epoxy first then varnish or start with the varnish. What are the pros and cons. Based on the post above epoxy is better at keeping out moisture.

Thanks Tom nice pictures

I just got my 36" piece today. Figured I might as well as I have a son in the business and he borrows things!! I'm used to the yellow hard plastic squeegies they have at West Marine. This is rather soft. Are their times that the hard plastic ones should be used or are the Thaco soft ones always better?

I'm building a SD10N. I live in Connecticut so we have a short sailing season. My friend just bought a 30' Catalina, and we take the boat out as often as we can during the week for really short after work sails. On week ends we may take a run out to Block Island or LI. I suspect that the SD will be used very little. Special weekends when we have the time to actually go somewhere will be the main usage. He has a daughter about 10 who maybe we can get interrested in sailing if she has access to a little boat. But most likely she will use it twice and that will be it. Mostly I'm using the spindrift as a way to learn as much as possible about boat building. I'm leaning towards epoxy, varnish for transom, gunnels, dagger board, rudder, tiller and boom. LPU for plywood. So yes this is to some extent a show off boat.

Wow, just about 50 50.

OK what is the best way to finish brightwork assuming a epoxy base varnish finish. I've read many many posts but none answer exactly what i'm looking for. For example: Sand 80 , 100 Brush on neat epoxy Sand 100, wipe with acetone Brush on second coat Sand 100 grit with acetone Brush on 3rd coat Sand 120 with acetone Varnish using mfr's directions usually 3 coats. I'm looking for the process details as I've head that some of the details make all the difference. What brands have you tried and like the best. I'm looking for a satin finish as I prefer it over the high gloss plastic look. I'm finishing a poor grade of maghony probably meranti. It's pretty dark. I know this is one of the most discussed subjects but I would appreciate one more pass.

What options are there for finishing the aluminum masts sections? Leave it alone. If left natural what do you do with the epoxy wraps? Paint? Home Anodize Process?

So what are you suggesting. Paint, epoxy then varnish.

I've got the flotation seats and foredeck seat done on a Spindrift. In both cases there is a piece of 3/4" wood between the verticals and the seats so strenth is no problem. But for durability reason do folks put some glass tape over these joints too or just epoxy it and paint it?

In my test panel the strips got epoxy on the edges mostly but yes it it a little tricky.

OK how did you learn this. Also should it be just a small plug or be just like the dagger board but stop at the bottom of the boat? [quote author=Hirilond

No i'm talking about the mast collar which the plans show has a 2" hole. My mast is exactly 2" so of course it needs to be a little bigger. I'm just asking what the epoxy plus paint adds up to so I make the hole big enough. I'm thinking that even a 2 1/8" hole will be too small. The mast step shows a 2 1/4" slot at the widest point but that may be a little sloppy on purpose to allow for minor adjustments of the main. [quote author=Hirilond

When rowing and not using the dagger board is it a good idea to have plug to keep out splash?

I tried laminating some 1/8" by 1" mahagony to a piece of Okume plywood as a sample. It looks great. What I want to do however is use that technique to laminate the transom and oil the wood so it looks the same as the gunnels, dagger board etc. Doing this I'm breaking a major rule. The rule is that all wood is completly encapsulated in epoxy. This boat will be on deck most of the time, not in the water much. What are my chances of this working if I keep it oiled up really well?

I have the 2" aluminum mast and have a 2" hole saw. But that does not allow for epoxy and paint. Would I be better off boring a 2-1/8" hole and being liberal with the epoxy? What is the ideal clearance?

Absolutely. I plan on leaving the solid wood epoxy free before Penofin. Just hope my drips don't cause me trouble.