Fiberglass Tape on seats?

[Doug Cameron]

I see that the plans for the CS 20 only show fillets for the edges of the seats against the hull, but I keep  thinking that they need a strip of 3' tape just like the bottoms of the seats where they meet the sole.

Also, how do you finish the inside corner of the seats where the horizontal meets the vertical?  just a simple roundover?

Thanks

Doug

[Charlie Jones]

Yes- I taped those filets-on both the 17 and the 20 I've built. That gives you a nicer landing for the edge of the glass that you put on TOP of the seats and doesn't really take that much extra work to do- gives you a prettier fillet IMHO.

I would certainly round over those inside corners- I let the seat top glass run over that edge also and feather it onto the sides of the seat fronts- those inside seat corners will see lots of abrasion- from feet, lines, legs, etc.

[Peter HK]

Charlie Jones said

the glass that you put on TOP of the seats

This is a fortuitously timed thread as I am in the process of gluing the seat tops down. I was going to tape the seat to side join as well as the rounded inner edge but I had not thought I would glass the seat tops.

So Charlie, do you do this simply for abrasion resistance or is there some other reason?

Peter HK

[Charlie Jones]

Peter- I do it strictly for abrasion resistance. Both the CS 17 I finished last year and this cs20 will have crews with a pair of children in them. The CS 17 has twin 7 yr old girls and the 20 has two slightly older kids. So those seat tops will take a pounding. I just feel it takes little extra time, adds very little extra weight and the benefits are well worth it.

[Norman Colter]

I like to use drywall screws as temporary clamps. But I use a small washer under the head so I don't get those dimples.

Norm

[TIM MAUSER]

Peter:  I fiberglassed the seat tops and sides on my CS-20, lapping the top over to join on the sides.  Its proved        its worth.  My guys are rough on the seat tops, lots of running and jumping around, sand and grime every time I'm                      out, as well as gear dropped and scraped over the tops.  So far all is well, some touch up of worn awlgrip,  but no gouges or edge wear.

          However, the floor is taking a beating but I fiberglassed that as well, 10 oz. , so I do not have any real problems going on there.  I am going to put in floor boards this winter as I believe they will provide better floor protection, better footing and a better look.

                                                                                                            Tim Mauser

                                                                                                            CS-20 #53

[Charlie Jones]

I've found some dry wall type screws that come with a washer as part of the screw head- it's about 3/8 inch in diameter. They are a brass color and I use those a LOT. They do need a torx driver but I've got several sizes of those;)

I ALWAYS remove anything other than bronze or stainless fasteners before fishing.

One thing I found with dry wall screws- if you wait til the epoxy cures, they often snap off when you try to remove them- heating them with a soldering gun frees them nicely. Of course, removing them JUST before the epoxy gets rock hard works well too

[Doug Cameron]

Graham mentioned using staples as temporary fasteners (ie. clamps).  I did this (smaller holes) and did it through a piece of cardboard.  It left no surface scars and they were easy to remove.

[John Burritt]

Another variation on the theme - hex-head screws through a fender washer.  Not as tender as a drywall screw.