Glassing the Stringers

Well, it has been a couple of weeks since my last update. We had alot a rain a couple of weeks ago, and something happened to the internet line in my area. you could browse the internet, but you could not upload a large file. They finally got it fixed, and I have been trying to get caught up.

So when we last left off I had just got my Us Composites order in and we were just about to start tabbing in the transom. I put two overlapping tabs of 1708, skinned it with two layers of 1708 and the a final coat of CSM to make it pretty. I then glues the stringers in the hull with PL, made my fillets with PB, and put two layers of 1708 over each stringer. I went ahead and did the PB fillets again because it is fast. It takes alot more resin to do this (1.5 gallons), but it sure makes it easy, and it cures in an hour. I was also able to get the stringers covered in one layup, instead of tabbing them in and then adding a cap. It is really hard to do it this way, but it sure looks cool. Once that was done we measures out the deck with 1/2" foam to get the fit correct and then cut the deck out of high grade A/C exterior ply. We then coated the back of the deck with CSM and glued and screwed this entire thing down. We then put down more PB around the edges and the seams to join the deck to the hull. 

After all of that, I ran out of 1708 and I could not do the tabbing for the deck until I got more 1708 from US composites. So you will have to wait till next time for that update.


So on to the fun stuff... pictures and video.

I installed a new style Drain instead of the old mushroom style.



Here you can see how I did the drain to keep water off the bottom of the transom. This is just a piece of PVC that is glued to the drain, and then I filled in around it with PB



Tabbing in the Transom



Two overlapping layers of 1708 for strength.



I used PL just to glue the stringers in, and then held them down with some weight.



My son decided he wanted to start helping on this project. He really wants me to restore a car, but I told him he needs to show some interest in learning all the other skills needed first. You know "wax on, wax off"! So he started to come around and asking to help. Thats my boy! I think it will have to be a car next time guys.



I had to use a 2X4 screwed to the center stringer to hold it straight.



Here is a good shot of the stringers getting glassed





This little bugger was a PIA! I finally got the glass to lay down all around it.



Here is the foam board that we used to make templates. This tuff is waaaay cheaper that that PLY. 



Getting closer!



One we got it just the way we wanted it, we could cut the deck



This wood I found sure is pretty.





We then pulled out the deck and coated it with CSM, and I glued and screwed a 2X2 that was saturated in resin to provide a "cleat" to screw too.



I screwed the deck down with SS screws coated in 3m 5200, and then went around with PB to fill all the gaps and glue it to the hull.