Re: Why glass the deck?

Posted by LeeG on Jul 3, 2004

reasons for glassing the deck: 1.you want to

reasons for not glassing the deck: 1.you don't want to.

Thought I'd condense the issue to it's essentials.

But if you want to not glass the deck "to save weight" here are some things that will allow you to "save weight" without losing structural/wear advantages that 4oz deck glass can provide which will add all of about 1 1/2lbs. The following could save at least that amount without any structual/wear penalty. 1. make the fillets as small as necessary to allow the chines to be about 5mm thick at the thickest,,which is about 3/4" wide. 2. put in a few oz. of epoxy in end pours,,or eliminate them altogether. 3. eliminate 3"9oz tape and replace it with 6oz cloth cut on the diagonal. 4. cut the inside edge of the sheer clamp down significantly or better yet use 1/2" wide sheerclamps and eliminate ring nails. 5. eliminate all deck beams,,make the big deck beam temporary to be removed with the coaming/deck glass is cured. 6. eliminate hatches,bulkheads,use floatbags. 7. don't get a big kayak.

The old marketing line "deck glass isn't needed" was a justification for not glassing the deck on a Cape Charles 17 so that it could come in one pound under a Pygmy Golden Eye. Both boats without hatches and bulkheads. If you were paddling on flat water with no need to do rescues one was built for the purpose and one was overbuilt. If you paddled in the ocean where rescues were a possibility one was built for the purpose and one wasn't.

In Response to: Why glass the deck? by James Williams on Jul 3, 2004

Replies:

• Re: another option by Myron on Jul 4, 2004
  • Re: easier way by Myron on Jul 4, 2004
    • not fair by LeeG on Jul 4, 2004
      • Re: not fair by Myron on Jul 4, 2004
      • Re: not fair by Gary Turner on Jul 5, 2004