Peel ply without fiberglass?

Builder's Forum
1

I'm getting close to sealing the bench seats on my Lake Union Swift with MAS LV epoxy.  I bought some peel ply at the start of this project, but haven't used it yet, and have no prior experience with it.

The benches on the Swift are a relatively wide, flat area.  They follow the general sheer curve of the boat, but have no compound curves.  I'm going to be varnishing them, and of course want them to look as good as I can get them.

Almost all the information I've read about Peel Ply involves using it over fiberglass or carbon fiber.  But I'm wondering if it can be used to positive effect on plain marine plywood without fabric, and if it can help achieve a smoother, even layer of epoxy with less sanding.

Anyone have any experience with this?  I'll be using the Peel Ply on the daggerboard, which does get glassed, and maybe on the rudder, that that doesn't get glassed, per the plans.

Thanks for any insights,

Jack

2

It's sort of overkill for that. You can get the same effect by just putting on the epoxy more carefully, say with a roller, and tipping it out with a foam brush.

Laszlo

 

3

Hi Jack, 

same answer as Laszlo....but i can give you a bit more color.

one of the main objectives of peel ply is to put texture into a surface so that no sanding is needed for the next coat or to put a texture into a top coat.  another reason for certain types of peel ply is to sop up extra resin improving fiber to resin ratios.

none of these come into play for the piece of construction you identified...so as laszo suggested, just a rolled on thin coat of epoxy tipped with a foam brush....and three or four rounds of that.... will be just fine to ensure your part is epoxy coated...with minimum sanding.

h