Justin C

Keel and stringer locations are marked out in pencil. Should I coat the stringers and keel with epoxy now? Should I do it after they are attached? What’s the best/easiest method to glass around the corners of these pieces? Possibly add fillets to the edges thus rounding them and avoiding corners altogether?

I’m ready to install the keel and stringers. In thinking how to properly affix straight pieces of wood to a rounded hull, what is the best method to accomplish this? I have considered using screws through the keel/stringers just enough to grab into the hull. I have also considered weight - plain old bricks. Possibly a combo is best?

I forgot to mention that. I did use a plastic bondo spreader when I was filling the weave with slightly thickened epoxy - it worked well. The roller did not lift the fabric at all. I poured it down the side of a centerline and let it soak in. Once it was clear, I spread the rest around and it rolled easy. It actually went much quicker than I anticipated.

I had my father over last weekend to help with glassing the hull. I laid the cloth out the night before and I played the part of a tailor and trimmed it to fit like a suit. I mixed the epoxy by pouring it in measuring cups and mixing thoroughly. We just poured it along the keel and let it run down one side of the hull bottom. We wet it out with foam rollers. We then did the same for the hull sides and up the sides of the rub rails. (Despite trying my best to work the bubbles out of this area, I’ll have to sand out and re-glass) We then rolled the boat out of the garage and let it bake under the midday sun for a few hours. Just after the epoxy set up, we rolled on a coat of slightly thickened epoxy to fill the weave. I have three areas about the size of a quarter that did not take the epoxy. It’s still gummy and I was able to soak up the liquid and dry the weave. Not sure why or how this happened as this is the first time I’ve experienced this. Overall, it was a fairly easy day.

Chines are faired as best I could and another coat applied. Glassing the hull is up next.

I appreciate the detailed description though I may not use this exact set up. This will be valuable for future builders referencing your post!

@Nick C thanks for sharing pics of your set up. Prior to seeing this, I was considering wrapping the jugs in a heated blanket and just setting it on low overnight. In fact, I brought the jugs in and placed them in front of the lit fireplace last night. Looks like a lot less floating in the resin this morning. What forced air heater did you use? I have a small space heater that I would consider using as well.

I brought them back indoors where it’s just above 65. We are expecting a freeze warning tonight and wind chills in the 30s tomorrow. It’s May 9th🤬. I may just need to snuggle the resin up with me at night all nice and warm😂.

Any advice on how to get the resin pump to pump again? I went to apply another coat of epoxy and the resin pump is not filling up and it pushes out air. I disassembled the entire pump and cleaned some hardened pieces out of it. Even got the part with the plastic ball out. Put it all back together and nothing. Being so messy, I’d rather not take apart the hardener pump to compare them. Again, any advice on this?

I have the hull and sides coated with epoxy. I sanded them with 150 grit using an orbital. The glass cloth is up next once it gets out of the 50s here for a few days.

I actually glued sandpaper to a scrap piece of azek I had laying around. I didn’t take a picture of that though. Since it’s thinner, it’s harder to hold. I’ll have to fabricate handles for it - something like a plane handle where I can push/pull.

2 days of boat work in a row! I rounded the chines to what I think is a nice radius. I also slightly flattened the keel line. I then cut some 60 grit sandpaper and spray glued it to a piece of scrap 2x4 - my version of a longboard.

I got the boat flipped over for work on the bottom, chines and hull sides. I modified the cradle with some 2x stock to give it a better platform. I used a block and a hand plane to remove the excess material where the gears meet. I also made a few longitudinal passes on the keel and chines. When I epoxied the interior pieces, I squeezed out the excess epoxy on the rollers on the hull sides. This probably wasn’t the best idea as there were a lot of hardened drips I had to sand off today. Anyway, I’m going to focus on prepping the chines and keel then I’ll get the glass cloth laid out.

As Alan mentioned, it’s the best way to hold everything in place. Even though the finger joints are tight, it can be a bit difficult to make sure they are lined up perfectly as there can be movement. I also drew thick pencil lines across the joints once I had then aligned and dry fitted perfectly. Once the epoxy went on, I could still see most of them. I also used screws to align all the interior bulkheads - I screwed partially into the hull in front of and behind the bulkheads to secure them vertically as of allow for some tack welding.

@Alan Stewart Sorry if I’m over thinking this, but glass tape over the outside chine first, then covered in glass cloth? I get the overlapping on the keel section as I did on the inside with the tape. Also, I received the extended hatch cover in good order - thank you. Can you recommend a piano hinge? I’d there a method to affixing this that is different than normal? What would be a good mechanism to keep the hatch closed - simple pop up swivel closure?