Kayak fiberglassing timeframe

Builder's Forum
1

Hi all,

I just finished stripping my Petrel strip kayak! I am so psyched!!!

My question is this...

I will be leaving soon for an 8 week trip when I won't be able to work on the boat at all. So I either want to do all the major glassing before I leave, or none of it. What would the minimum time frame be to do the major glassing on a kayak?

Ex.: Day 1: Seal coat hull and deck exterior, Day 2: Fiberglass hull and deck exterior...

Can I do it all in a week? I feel like that is pushing it, but since I've never fiberglassed anything, I wanted to ask. Also, would there be an acceptable point to stop glassing and keep things on hold?

Thanks in advance!

Karmi James

2

Add one more day and do the hull on one day and the deck on the other.

Each chunk of glassing (hull or deck) wants to be done pretty quickly, like a couple of hours. Once you get the fabric all laid out, smoothed, darts cut, etc. and start wetting it out, you really are committed to finishing that operation and finishing it pretty quickly. You need to get the glass wet out before the epoxy kicks and you need to add new batches of epoxy before the previous one kicks, so it's pretty much a continuous process.

The good news is that it's pretty quick and simple - mix, pour, spread and repeat.

If you do want to break off, any of the 3 major steps is a good breaking point - pre-coat, hull or deck.. If you do break off for 8 weeks, you;ll have to do a light sanding of the precoat when you get back before applying the glass.

Good luck,

Laszlo

 

3

Hi Karmi,

congratulations....looks great

i recently completed a petrel....and i would hold off if you only have one week. http://www.clcboats.com/forum/clcforum/thread/37124.html

you really do not want to be away from a boat like this with it only partly glassed or even completely glassed if it is not sitting on a frame to ensure that it's shape is held.

first of all....if you just finished the stripping (and based on your picture)....you still have a couple important steps and a lot of work that needs to be worked in with the glassing.

  • complete the recessed cockpit installation
  • sand and prep the outside of the hull and deck.
  • sand and prep the inside of the hull and deck

these steps....depending on your workmanship to date and time available....is easily two weeks.

from where you are to finishing the major glassing here is what it looks like to me:

install sunken cockpit. (1 day)

outside hull and deck sanding (2 to 4 days)

outside hull and deck -  deal with filling cracks/gaps between strips (1 day)

final sanding (1 day)

remove deck and place aside

glass outside of hull and two fill coats (2 days)

remove strongback/frame and sand/prepare inside of hull (2 days)

glass inside of hull  and two fill coats (2 days)

put hull back on strongback/frame to hold shape

glass the outside of deck plus two fill coats (2 days)

sand/prep the inside of deck (2 days)

glass inside of deck plus two fill coats (2 days)

put deck back on strongback/frame to hold shape

some of these steps can be moved around...but it still all adds up to about the same time.  for me i took the better part of three weeks to move from completing the stripping to my major glass work being done.

i think the thing i would emphasize is keep it on the strongback/frame any time you are away from it for more than a couple days to hold its shape.    it will make the hull/deck attachment go very smooth if you follow that basic advice.

H

4

   Thank you hspira! That is exactly what I needed to see. With this being my first time, sometimes it's hard to get a grasp on the big picture, but your perspective really helps (your boat looks beautiful too!). I will take care of all the sanding and gap-filling this week and be ready for fiberglass when I get home in August. Will update with more pictures then!