My Official build thread. 27 1/2’ GA

[Todd j]

Labs are great dogs. We’re hooked on boxers. They are just happy clowns.  This pup is our3rd and probably last puppy.  I forgot how much work they are.  Just like kids, when they grow up we say remember when.

[Brian.Dixon]

Labs are great dogs. We’re hooked on boxers. They are just happy clowns.  This pup is our3rd and probably last puppy.  I forgot how much work they are.  Just like kids, when they grow up we say remember when.

Yup ... I've always liked Boxers too.  Our neighbor has two beautiful brindle ones.... always playing and happy

bd

[Todd j]

I got my fencing project finished in time to tape 1 chine flat before I left for work again. 

[Todd j]

Changed title since we have a new GA

[Brian.Dixon]

Changed title since we have a new GA

[Todd j]

Yesterday I got home from work early enough to tape the other chine.   Today I covered the inside of the fairbody with the 10 ounce cloth.  I used a lot of epoxy. I think I used about 4 gallons of resin so far.   I have been pouring out of laundry detergent container.  It’s great because it has the anti drip son of a gun in the spout. 

[Rbob]

I like your station with all the fiberglass on conduit / dowel.  Mind is still in boxes on a table.  You are making good progress.

I used a lot more epoxy than necessary in the beginning and by the time I get finished I will be close to an expert.  I now spread epoxy around with a big plastic spreader / 6" putty knife.  I also have been using a aluminum roller (3/4" round with grooves in it) to make sure the cloth is sitting down on the wood and go back with putty knife / spreader with firm pressure and low angle to remove the excess resin onto unsaturated cloth. Its amazing how much resin you can move and not have starved cloth.

I also started precoating the wood before glassing also using a 6" putty knife or whatever size fits the area, dump the resin out and spread it around and after you get it spread out go back with putty knife and use firm pressure (smash it!) and move the excess epoxy onto uncoated wood.  You can wait until green state and carefully roll your glass out and continue or wait another day or more and give it a good scraping / cleaning and roll out glass.
I am still amazing how far the epoxy goes when pre-coating, then you do not have to worry about wood soaking up epoxy.

I am certain I could have saved 5+ gallons doing it this way. 

Rbob   

[Todd j]

The station works well.   Cutting cloth is t real easy but not too bad.  I  have been using method 3 in the construction manual. I like having epoxy on the wood before I lay the cloth onto it.  It’s still plenty easy to get the wrinkles out

[Brian.Dixon]

Cutting cloth:  I like using scissors (dedicated to the task) for cross-cuts such as cutting fiberglass tape to length, but prefer a wheel cutter (for fabric) to convert cloth into strips of fiberglass tape.  Cutting diagonally across cloth to make strips of tapes creates tape that has the yarn crossing the seam at a 45-degree angle without having to buy biax.  When yarn crosses at a 45, it follows hard turns (like chines) a LOT easier without tending to lift up and create bubble spots.

Precoating and ridged rollers:  I find that the ridged rollers work well, but are primarily useful for when rolling multiple-layer wet-on-wet layups or layups with mat layers (not recommended).  Otherwise, if I precoat, scrape and sand, then the hard smooth surface that results really makes it easier to use a plain foam roller alone for all of your work - no ridged roller to clean.  I quit using mine after I accidentally set it aside (and forgot about it) with epoxy and it cured hard all over it .... now I only use foam rollers.  Everyone's techniques vary a little....

Brian

[Todd j]

I got the bottom panel assembly turned over and  it’s patiently waiting it’s next bit of attention.  I thought I was being careful.  Making things just right before I committed to glass and tape.  I set the molds back onto the fairbody just to see if anything moved.  I was less than excited to find I cannot even for e it to fit the molds now. Also the last 18” or just about every aft of the glass and tape tends to hook up when I lay the level on it.

[Todd j]

At Mold 1 the fairbody is too wide.    At 2 & 3 it’s too narrow.  At 4 it’s pretty darn close to where it was when I turned it. 
  Brian, am I just being too picky?   I think I should be more concerned with the hook in the aft end.

[Brian.Dixon]

Once the transom is supporting the aft end and the bottom panels are screwed/glued to the stringers, you'll want to take a look at things then.  I expect some variation to occur, but this is OK.  Trust your eyes.  You want fair curves where curves exist and straight runs aft.  If you're careful to guarantee straight runs on the chine flats before you lock them in by installing the side panels, then you're good.  If after building the exterior hull seams and you're getting ready to add the sheathing (glass cloth) over the whole outside of the boat, then that's when you want to give it all a careful analysis and fix any hollows and fair-in any minor humps.  It's not unusual to need to fill and fair - it's a big boat, unlikely to be naturally flat everywhere you look.  Once the hull has been faired the first time, and you've glassed the whole thing, you'll again look at it all carefully, sighting the long way (fore to aft and vice versa) to look at the bottom etc before putting final epoxy coats on.  You want 2 coats on top of any fairing compound or mix that you apply.

Can you take some longer perspective pictures of your boat?  It's hard to tell for sure what you're pointing out.  As far as I know, nobody's tried fitting bottom panels onto the assembly after putting it on the stringers.  I care mostly that all curves are fair rather than how precisely the bottom fits the molds now that it's not supported in the same way.

Brian

[Todd j]

The close ups were to demonstrate the amount that the shape changed after rolling it over.  I held the side of the mold down that was not in the photo.  She is fair.  I expect to cut off some of the aft end of the bottom panels when I fit the transom.  I will post a pic when I get out side so you can see the whole bottom. 

[Brian.Dixon]

How do the bottom panels fit the stringers?  I expect some settling (flattening) of the deadrise, but it won't be much and the curves ought to remain fair.  In your last picture, all look A-OK to me

Brian

[Todd j]

I’m a long way from fitting the stringers. I still need to tape the outside seams.  I did fillet  the keel.  Maybe by next weekend I will be ready to lower the bottom onto the stringers.  I still need to glass them. 
  I put the aft end straightening 2x6 back on the outside of the hull.  I got it pretty much whipped.  I think they will stay until I get the stringers in.