Epoxy on wood

[DownWest]

Tip for getting epoxy off is to use a heat gun (gently!) and a carbide scraper. I am just about to redo my little boat (clinker ply) and expect to finish in a day. The new build is getting a thin layer of glass cloth and epoxy. Nice and tough and stops the ply 'checking'.
The clinker ply boat has been kept out of the sun, so after 7 years it is just in need of recoating with epoxy and now some paint for the UV. The rails were done a couple of years ago, but go faster as more exposed.

 

[pmagowan]

I am in the middle of constructing a workshop, supposedly to build the windows for my house, but I am keen to build a boat in the future. I have been looking at a lot of techniques and the one that seems most prominent with wooden boat construction is to build with narrow planks, glued and screwed/riveted and then to coat this in a number of layers of thin wood, laminating the hull in different directions to add strength. Then the whole thing is glassed over, including the inside. Looks like a very strong structure. Often the ribs and stem post are made by laminating rather than steaming. Glue IS stronger than wood so the only concern is its ability to survive the conditions on a boat and also to last. I think old glues had problems with this but the new stuff will likely outlive the wood or, at least, the sailor,

 

[DownWest]

If you are not on the wooden boat forum, have a look. Several builds in strip going on, one very nice catboat in France to an Aitkin design.

And here; http://www.whisstock.com/page_02.php?page=02&page_id=2.05&design=55 is one built by a local friend. Strip, two layers of veneer and epoxy cloth over. It is a very tough hull.
Also of this parish is Michael Chapman,s Westernman 50, by Covey Island Boatworks. They have built several big boats in strip plank.
DW

 

[pmagowan]

If you are not on the wooden boat forum, have a look. Several builds in strip going on, one very nice catboat in France to an Aitkin design.

And here; http://www.whisstock.com/page_02.php?page=02&page_id=2.05&design=55 is one built by a local friend. Strip, two layers of veneer and epoxy cloth over. It is a very tough hull.
Also of this parish is Michael Chapman,s Westernman 50, by Covey Island Boatworks. They have built several big boats in strip plank.
DW

Thanks, I am lurking on all the boaty forums although this is the only one I regularly post on. Once I get the time to start I will take more of an active interest in them to get all the advice I will need. I will probably start by making a couple of small rowing boats until I get the feel for it. I would love to, one day, build a full size long keeler (maybe 30' plus) but there are obviously a lot of logistical problems with this. It was a bit tricky geting my own 28' long keeler to our shed which is over 10 miles from the sea. We had to knock the top of the gable down to fit her in and I am not sure the traffic was overly chuffed at a tractor towing a yacht all that way! Still, having the boat at home gave me an oportunity to put every waking hour into it and so we got a lot done. It is all wood, carvel with splines, about 50 years old. We restored it through traditional means and so no epoxy was used but if I was starting from scratch I think this might be the way I would go. I love the way you can work wood but then I also like the idea of having a dry bilge.

 

[DownWest]

Roger Dongray has larger versions of his delightful Golent Gaffer, might be worth a look. And Dudley Dix did a 30ft version of his Cape Cutter/Cape Henry (I have a CH in the shed, but on hold.)

Here is my little effort, but in gunter rig. http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/details.asp?Name=Whilly+Tern Could be a good starter project? Great fun to sail.

For a bit of fun, I am currently building a Bolger Micro, but not so square. Canted the sides for a more dory look. Always liked the basic, effective simplicity of it.

 

[pmagowan]

That's an interesting looking craft. I am keen on Bermudan sloop design as, for various reasons I don't like mizzens and other complications. I don't mind gaffs but I like to keep the number of sails to a minimum for ease of use. This may be silly but I also prefer the look of a bermudan sloop. Thanks for the images, it is good to see other designs. The main problem I have with my design of boat is the poor amount of space down below. It is quite narrow in keeping with yachts of its era. I would like something a bit chunkier to be more comfortable down below without losing too much in terms of looks and performance.

 

[single]

Have a read of http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Epoxtest.htm . Its a bit out of date but interesting.

 

[charles_reed]

Isn't that "sheathing" the hull. from everything I've read thats only good to help a dead boat to live its final few years. As the wood moves the epoxy and Gf doesnt, leaving gaps that water in and eventually the wood rots.

Far from it, there are a number of boatbuilders (mainly in France) building in wood-epoxy from new. And producing some very nifty economical designs.

This site might prove interesting for some http://www.bruceroberts.com/public/HTML/WOOD-EPOXY.htm