More coats of epoxy needed?

Builder's Forum
1

This is a Shearwater Sport Hybrid, on the hull.  I haven't gotten to the deck yet.

I have three layers of epoxy on the hull.  Some of the fiberglass weave is still visible on the reinforcing tape on the keel and chines, but seems mostly filled.  It's certainly filled everywhere else.  When I sand with 120 grit, many low spots show up.  If I sand enough that those low spots start to disappear, you can clearly see weave - not just where the reinforcing tape is on the keel and chines, but everywhere in places.

Am I right in surmising that I need more layers of epoxy?  I don't want to make the boat too heavy.  Or is that not a problem, given that by the time the low spots disappear without revealing any weave, I'll have sanded any excess epoxy away?

Thanks for any hints!  I'll post pics if that's helpful.

Bruce

 

2

Bruce,

In case you haven't seen this before

Filling the Weave

If you've got holes and sand them out, you may be sanding into the glass. It's safer to apply a thin coat of epoxy, only where there are low spots and holes, not over the whole boat, and then sand.

If you wipe the sanded area with a cloth soaked in denatured alcohol and the weave disappears, you aren't into the glass yet. If the weave doesn't disappear, you're in the glass and need to immediately apply a coat of epoxy to seal the glass. In that case, the weave will never be invisible and it's time to consider paint.

Good luck,

Laszlo