help on closing gaps in stitch and glue

[chris stevens]

I've just had the fine experience of stitching my spindrift together but have ended up with a relatively large gap between the boards at the keel. Picture attached.

 

Trying to pull the hull boards together with the zip ties I'm using for stitching is not making much difference, one of them is even slipping backwards if I try too hard to tighten it.

 

I'm wondering what is the best way to proceed. Should I try to push the hull boards together in order to close the gap? 

Do I even need to close it when I could just fill it with thickened epoxy ? If I do this will it compromise the boats strength ?

 

all help gratefully received.

 

Chris

 

[Captain Tim]

If you look at most of the build videos that you can find on this forum you will notice the bottom panels are stitched together before opening up the boat. Not sure if you will need to back up a little and then move forward.  For some help search                          Spindrift 11' build videos

[chris stevens]

Thanks for the reply. I did have the keel stitched but fairly loosely. I guess I can go back and repeat the fold. 

Can I also put in a strip of ply and glass the bottom anyway?

[Captain Tim]

"Can I also put in a strip of ply and glass the bottom anyway?"

I would not recommend that. You will change the performance and not in a good way. It might make putting in the center board trunk difficult. The bulkheads would then have to be changed. I think it would be a lot less work to back up a little then going forward things would be easier.

[Captain Tim]

You might fine putting ties in between the ones you have will help pull the bottom together.

Sometimes wire ties work better than plastic zip ties. you can twist them tighter.

[Hirilonde]

13 hours ago, Captain Tim said:

You might fine putting ties in between the ones you have will help pull the bottom together.

Sometimes wire ties work better than plastic zip ties. you can twist them tighter.

This would be my first attempt to repair.

[chris stevens]

Ok thanks for these. In the end I have closed them without I stitching everything.. phew. I put the boat on a pair of sawhorses without the cradles so that the whole weight bore down on the keel at the point where it touched the horses. The gap closed and I was able to pull the zip ties nearest to the horse tighter. Moving along and adding the weight of a small toolbox to the bow bulkhead I was able to get them all tight.

 

[Paul356]

Similar to what you did, but when I had a similar issue Graham said, just push up on it from the bottom.  Duh.  Worked great.

[Don Silsbe]

I prefer wire over  zip-ties.  Zip-ties aren’t as positive as wire.  (I’ve tried them.) I can really crank in on a wire stitch, which I can’t do with zips.  And the hole can be smaller with wire.  If they get a little glue on them, I just heat ‘em up with a soldering gun.  That melts the epoxy, and they slide right out.

 

[Hirilonde]

21 hours ago, Don Silsbe said:

  If they get a little glue on them, I just heat ‘em up with a soldering gun.  That melts the epoxy, and they slide right out.

I used wire both boats.  I did my filets and tape right over them, no tack welds. I heated the wires with a torch and pulled them out with pliers. I find the sanding and cleaning that is saved more than worth a little hassle getting the wires out. I sanded/trimmed the edges of the tape. And then I went so far as to do all 3 coats of epoxy as hot recoats and didn't do any sanding till the end. I hate sanding and will go to great lengths to avoid it except when absolutely necessary. I don't skimp on sanding, but I want to be damn sure it is necessary first.  If fairing is needed, it will come after epoxy coating.