My first build and questions...

[lpm]

Well, got the plans last night via email and have been reading over them and started trying to plan my course of attack.

Before I go any further, I'll apologize (shoulda at the get go) but I tend to get a bit wordy and will probably have more questions than a 4 year old hyped up on pixie stix.

Anyway...When doing a fiberglass butt joint, how far on each side of the joint does the glass need to lay? And, what oz fiberglass do ya use?

 

[Kayak Jack]

LPM,

Some builders may use a special glass for the joints, most use the same stuff as for the rest of the boat. Some instructions will say a 6" piece, centered over the joint, one on each side of the panel. What ever Matt says, follow him.

I've always used reinforcing panels over my joints, because the one time I tried glass, it snapped when I was turning it over to glass the other side. AARRGGHH!! Next build, I'll do glass. I'll do either two 4" or 6" wide strip per side. I'll lay the first one with, say, 4" on one side and 2" on the other side of the joint. I'll lay another one on top of that asymmetrical in the other direction. Same thing on the back side of the panel after I CAREFULLY roll it over.

This will provide four layers of glass, two on each side of the joint. Additionally, by offsetting the patches, I spread the load out over a larger distance, and make a smoother bump in the boat.

My boats don't seem to come out as pretty as ones all other builders produce; I'm on the bottom of the totem pole for pretty boats. But - mine are rugged as all get out. I don't intentionally misuse a boat, but it is a tool. If I have to land or launch on rocks, go over beaver dams, etc. I do it with an open conscious. A well scratched boat is a well loved boat. They are there to serve me, not the other way around.

 

[oldsparkey]

On the pirogues I have made when doing the butt joint it is epoxy saturated about 6 inches on each side of the joint.

Then using a spare piece of fiberglass 3 to 4 inches on each side of the joint is glassed.

I need to add at this time , have some plastic under the panels to be joined , then a piece over the glass and a flat object ( I use a small piece of the spare wood from the build) placed over it to hold it down and keep it from moving. A light weigh is placed on the top of that to hold it down.

Basically it is a sandwich.... Starting from the work table and building up....It is plastic , then the panels , fiberglass & epoxy , plastic , the wood plus a light weight over the joint to keep it flat.
Forget the plastic and the panels will be epoxyed to the work table. If you think the panels are going to move a push pin threw the panels and into the table will hold them with thin wood , thicker wood a couple of heavier weights , small bricks work great placed a ways from the joint.

Let it cure or set over night then turn them and do the other side the same way. When done trim the glass that will be over the edges.


I use a thin ( 1/8th inch) piece of plexaglass under the joint then plastic over the top as in this picture.

Plus I like to have my work area covered with plastic , just for safetys sake.

The pictures are from the Freedom Build.

Chuck.