hull fairing

S

Sniper

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 Jul 2001
Messages
857
Location
East Coast
Visit site
I need to do quite a lot of fairing to the topsides this winter following a resplining a couple of years ago. Although the splines are all intact they have 'settled' a little due to differential expansion compared to the surrounding mahogany planking. This is therefore a purely cosmetic job.

My favourite filler is Interfill 100, but it only appears to be available in smallish tubes. Does anyone know of a similar filler which is available in larger quantities? I don't want to use anything epoxy based.

Thanks in advance
 
I assume you are painting the hull, and that you are not talking about stopping between the planks, just hiding small blemishes.

If you need to fair the hull all over, Reactive Resins of Bodmin make several grades of "Easy Fair" epoxy two pack, which is soft and easy to finish. You will probably want Easy Fair T. Some people just use car body filler, or "Plastic Padding" type elastic is best on wood. They never seems to fall off. Both will also fill small blemishes.

I also use International "Water tite" two pack epoxy, especially of larger blemishes, but it is fairly expensive and quite hard to sand

If you have small cracks I have just found a very good "3M Marine Acrly Putty White" (£7 for 200 gm). It comes in a tube, is solvent based, drys in a few minutes, and is very easy to sand. Ideal for little cracks between planks, you use very little, and do not waste any of it. Not yet tested at sea though!
 
Doesn't look like you're going to get any suggestions ... might as well use the Interfill with a wide palette knife ... get a cork rubbing down block and use 220 or 180 wet & dry ... used wet ... much easier.
 
No. If you're going to do topsides, cork rubbing blocks (which are fine for varnish work) just aren't large enough. Long boards 3 - 4 feet. Something nice and flexible like thin ply. Time spent in preparation ... OF
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top