Final Interior Glass installed!!

I installed the final pieces of fiberglass tape in the bow and put a few extra pieces of fiberglass tape in certain spots for extra strength. Below is a picture of the bow with a couple coats of epoxy. I just finished putting a coat on and other areas of the boat.

Bow Section with added glass tape and multiple coats of epoxy. 

I have been keeping a log of when I added coats of epoxy, since it has taken me a while. I have been doing a little at a time and it has taken me about a month to get everything done. Tonight I finished up the interior fiberglass and epoxy as outlined in the manual, but I think I am going to add some tape in some key areas, specifically on bulkheads 1 & 2 . Since I sometimes went days between coats, I had to did a light sanding with 120 grit. This has caused a little extra work, but I have also been able to keep some of the edges smoother. 

Record of epoxy coats. 

Section with additional coat of epoxy. 

Another section with additional coats of epoxy.

    Next up is probably start sanding some of the areas of the interior and start to work on the cleats and floor boards. I have been doing some research on what to finish the floor boards with. I have not made up my mind completely, but I am leaning towards Danish Oil. I also need to get my router table out that I borrowed from my dad and figure out how to work that.

Not looking forward to Fiberglassing Bow Section!

I was not looking forward to fiberglassing the bow section, but it has not been that bad. It is a little difficult to get to the sections between bulkhead 1 and 2, but I have managed. I first did the starboard side and used the access by sitting in the boat. For the port side, I reached down into the section while standing on a portable work bench. Out of the two methods, I found reaching down and applying the epoxy easier than sitting in the boat and reaching through the holes in bulkhead 2.

Starboard side between bulkhead 1&2. 

Starboard Side Bulkhead 1&2 epoxy applied. 

Starboard side between Bulkhead 1&2 epoxy applied. 

Bulkhead 1&2 first coat of epoxy applied. 

I did the above earlier in the week. Today I spent time working on the lower breasthook. I had to use a block plane to trim the edges to have it fit correctly.  I should have placed the lower breasthook into the boat prior to applying the epoxy fillets. I used some big fillets in the bow and it is nearly impossible to move them now that they have cured. The piece of wood for the lower breast was deforming the shape when being pressed forward, so I removed enough wood to not effect the shape. I am talking about 1/8 to 1/4th inch on both sides toward the bow. No one will notice except me!
I applied the epoxy to the fiberglass and then inserted the breasthook and pulled it towards the bow.
I took a 2X4 and made a little jig so the clamp had some flat to pull against. I cut a V in the piece and used 1 screw to hold it in place.

After I did the lower breasthook, I applied the fiberglass and epoxy on the starboard side as well as another piece in the very front of the bow. The manual states multiple layers of fiberglass and fiberglass tape, so this is the first of more to come.

Starboard side fiberglass and epoxy in very front of bow.

The above work was completed over about 3-4 sessions. I usually try to work on it in the evenings for  a couple hours.  I should finish up the fiberglassing in the interior and complete the multiple coats of epoxy in the coming sessions.  I will be glad to move on to another task. Oh boy I think sanding is next! :-)  But I also get to start on the floor boards and stringers. Everything is coming along good!

And Yet More Interior Fiberglassing!

I accomplished a lot last night and this morning on fiberglassing the interior. I was able to get 5 sections completed and 2nd coats on some other sections. I would say I am over 75% complete on the inside fiberglassing. I am going to try to get a little work done in the morning, but have other obligations with the family.

I have one half of floors 2&3 to fiberglass then I will need to work on the bow sections. I am not looking forward to it, since I have to reach down a lot to apply the epoxy, but I guess like everything else, I will get it done. The interior fiberglassing actually has not been that bad. I think taking a section or two at a time has been ok. When I try to get too much accomplished I usually end up rushing and going to fast. One thing I have learned is you need patience and you can't force anything. Taking your time usually pays off!

Between 3&4 and 5&6 before applying epoxy. 

All wetted out for 3&4 and 5&6. 

Cut Fiberglass awaiting epoxy between floors 2&3. 

All wetted out between floors 2&3. 

Port side between 5&6 wetted out. 

Port side between 3&4 wetted out.

More Fiberglassing

I had a couple sessions this past weekend and last night installing more fiberglass and putting the 2nd and 3rd coats on other areas that I previously did. It had been over 24 hours since I did some of them, so I did a light sanding with 120 grit. Just enough to scuff up the fiberglass/epoxy.  

Below is the fiberglass between floors 7 and 8. I first had to sand the larger fillet I made to fill in 2 screw holds. I think I did a pretty good job of getting the glass down and cutting darts to allow it to ride up floors and under the cleats. 

Port side between floors 7 & 8 before wetting out the glass with epoxy. 

Fiberglass wetted out. 

I also cut the glass for between floors 4&5. I then used it to cut the starboard side. I only wetted out the port, since I needed the board shown in the pitcher to lean on.  

Port side between 4&5. 

Port side wetted out.

I installed and wetted the starboard side (between floors 4&5) out last night and applied additional coats to the other areas. 

I am not sure I am going to continue with doing a pattern on one side and using it to cut the other. I am finding that handling the fiberglass too much causes it to start to come apart on the edges. I think I will just measure and then cut it to fit for each section. 

More Interior Fiberglassing

I got a couple sessions this week to work on the boat. I was able to get fiberglass laid between floors 6 and 7. I cut the fiberglass and made a pattern on the port side and then used that to cut out the starboard side. I got them both installed this week.

Port side fiberglass between floors 6&7.

Port side fiberglassing floors 6&7.

Starboard side fiberglassing floors 6&7.

The fiberglassing was not that bad. I took my time and used the hints from the last post to install it. I did try an idea I found to cut the brush to make it shorter. The shorter brush seems to work better for dabbing epoxy and pressing down on the glass. Below is a picture with some of the brush cut off.

 

I was going to install fiberglass between floors 7&8, but I noticed some holes that I didn't fill on the keelson.  They were where I temporarily used screws to hold the keelson to the keel assembly while the epoxy cured. I filled them with some thickened epoxy and basically made a larger fillet out of the two small ones. I will sand smooth and probably install glass over it tomorrow.