More Wood Duck(ling) questions

Builder's Forum
1

You out there, Lazlo?  I was looking at your web site with the Wood Duck build and had a few questions for you and others more experienced than myself.  Here's the site: http://morocz.com/BoatBuilding/DuckBuild.htm

 

1. You made the coaming so it was detachable until the last step, it looks like, by covering the boat with plastic.  Is this so you could do a better job with the fillet under the coaming?

2.  When you covered the deck with fiberglass, it looked like the seam would have ended up across the middle of the shear panel and created a step-off.  How do you layer the top fiberglass so that you don't get an unsightly step-off?

3.  Finally, I recently had "spot-welded" the panels in the deck, as directed and let the epoxy set while wired to the hull.  I then removed the deck,removed the forms, and applied fillets and fiberglass tape as directed.  Once this epoxy set, I placed the deck back on the hull and found it was suddenly wide and a bit of a struggle to press the sides inward to fit the hull.  I'm guessing this is because I removed the form just forward of the hatch.  I guess I don't have much choice but to "go with it" and make it fit the hull as best I can when connecting the two.  It was just sort of a bummer to see they didn't match that well..

 

Hope that's not too many questions, thanks for any help you can provide..

2

   On the last point - I've made one of these, and yes the deck will need some prying back in. I had to lever it a little, and use a few more ties. You will need to be assertive with it. 

3

I've also had problem #3 with my SW17 S&G (first time builder).  I found that stretchwrap works better for me than continually putting in and taking out the wire stitches.  A second pair of hands is helpful.

To pry the edges into place, I found some cheap flexible (i.e. thin) metal putty knives at Walmart that work perfectly (i.e. not damaging the panel edges).  I have also learned not to worry - holding things in place until the epoxy does it for me is just part of the process.

Enjoy!

 

4

   It was for a smoother fillet, easier sanding of the coaming and easier application of the deck glass. There was no seam,I used a single seamless piece of glass cloth. As the other guys point out, springback is a normal occurrence. It's easy to fix, your boat will be just fine. Sounds as if you're getting close. Have fun, Laszlo p.s., excuse the excessive brevity, I'm typing on a plane.