Just starting JS II, and wondering if I should be putting on an epoxy coating on the port/starboard sides, on both sides , and the transom before stitching up? Didn't really see anything in the plans regarding when this barrier protection should be added. Seems would be easier to do this before assembling - thx
Great question Dick. I am at the stage of assembling the sides of the Peeler Skiff and wondered if I should pre-coat the components. Also the manual doesn't provide any information about coating the rabbet around the bottom of the Peeler where the sides will fit into. I would think this should get a coat of epoxy to protect the bare wood before the sides are stitched on.
I want all structural bonds to be chemical vs. mechanical.
I am considering taping any panel edges that will be glued/filleted to preserve bare wood and epoxy coating inside the tape pre-assembly.
Panels intended for fiberglassing would be kept bare.
If you epoxy the panels before they are bent into place and held with stiches won't you take away some of the flexability? Wonder if you will get as good of a fit? Let us know how it turns out?
When I built my Goat Island Skiff, I pre-coated the entire interior of the boat before assembly. There is very little loss of flexability when it is just epoxy (no glass). I also pre-sanded the areas that would be varnished later.
This picture shows most of the big parts precoated prior to assembly.
Here I am sanding the inside of one side panel. The areas below the blue tape are not sanded because they will not be varnished because they are inside floatation compartments.
The light is not the best, but here the boat is assembled with interior coated and sanded. The areas with tape were not sanded because they will not be varnished.
