Boat Forum / Building / May 2006

I've got a 1" seam covered with fiberglass tape/epoxy.   Spec surf ski.
I'd prefer to avoid painting it so that I can inspect it for cracking easily.
Somebody suggested aluminized reflective tape as being the best UV barrier, but
that seems a little too unaesthetic to me.

I'm wondering if I have the quadrant set up right. At full stop on the
quadrant, looking at the rudder shows it's only turned about 45
degrees. Is this correct? Is that some theoretical limit of effective
angle or something? Thanks.

Sorry if this is off topic. I couldn't find a better boat-related
group for this question:
I've got this 1984 Bayliner 1650 Capri in pretty good shape. I'd like
to hit the lakes with it this summer. Obviously, I'd like to be

I plan on casting my own keel,   And I want to use a bathtub as the
crucible { Like Glen Ashmore]  My question is how is the elbow attached
to the Tubs drain hole?  Also For the tub to hold the volume of lead
that I need, I need to plug the overflow hole.  What would be the best

I was given 2 of these rather heavy red rubber items. they attach to
the transom with bolts or screws. They direct the exhaust flow down
into the water. They are cut at the bottom at an angle. and have a slim
profile where they enter the water. They must be over 15 yrs old or

I work in a shipyard where we do a lot of yacht work. We use a lot of sheet
PVC for structural applications such a decking and stringers whee they are
subject to weather exposure which has gotten me to wondering. I have wanted
to build a small stitch & glue runabout. Has anyone ...

Seems like with polyester resin, one needs to mix some wax with the final coat
so air cannot get to the laminating coats and they will harden fully.
Does the same thing hold with epoxy?   If not a finish coat, is a layer of paint
needed to make it harden fully?

Just finished applying about 40 feet of 1" fiberglass tape to a surf ski's
(long, skinny sit-on-top kayak...) hull/deck seam using West System epoxy resin.
99" of it went as expected, but I've got a few areas (2" max) where the
resin/tape is milky white.   In the longest area, it ...

Anybody have or seen any plans for a cartop boat carrier for my fiberglass
pickup cap? Made a set from a set of large suction cups made for building
such a carrier on an older van but was concerned about weight distribution
on the fiberglass cap.Any ideas or input would be ...

Had occasion to remove the u-fittings used to anchor the rear deck bungees.
No backing!   Just holes in the deck's fiberglass.
Is this normal practice?   Seems to me like there should be a little block of
something-or-other behind each screw.

I have two fiberglass/resin projects for which I'd like to have some
material recommendations:
1) A 1980s semitransparent fiberglass hatch whose top side is
worn/weathered, so that it is rough and fibers are sticking out. I

I use Sis404, 5200, sikaflex 61a etc and blue tape off the hardware or
window surrounds and so on applying a moderate layer of ikumpucky with
maybe a 1/8 inch border and wiping off the excess. When I peel the
tape there is never a good line like with paint, it's always ragged or

1" tape, covering a hull/deck seam on a surf ski.  Epoxy resin.
Somebody suggested using wider tape, but the original stuff was 1" so I stayed
with that size.
Looks like it's going to go on ok except up at the duckbill/hammerhead bow where

I discovered that most of the balsa core mateiral in the deck of my
18-ft boat is either rotten or fully wet.  I am in the process of
removing all the core material from the entire deck.  Now I need to
figure which alternative core materials I should use for these two

The scenario .......  hand rails attached to top deck, and through deck to
hand rails below.
The boat construction ...... fiberglass deck ( cabin roof ) , core balsa ,
fiberglass bottom ,, insulation ,, cabin liner.