Re: weave showing

Posted by Dave Houser on Apr 22, 2004

Pocks are bubbles that were entrapped in the epoxy that the tops were sanded off, i.e. 1/2 a bubble. More sanding will eliminate some pocks only to find more new ones. Sanding will not eliminate the pocks.

Glass cloth is best encapsulated in epoxy. Glass exposed by sanding will disappear with varnish (at least is does with Zspar Captain's). However some have cautioned that with time the exposed fibers reappear as specks under the varnish and may lead to delaminating. (I think delamination occures from fibers exposed from wear being left unprotected; I haven't been doen that road.)

Varnish does not fill, or a least very little. Pocks will still be pocks on the final finish. In fact, coarse sandpaper scratches will also still show. I always roll on a coat of epoxy after fairing (yes, I use a fairing board after ROSing the fill coats) to fill the pocks, 80 grit scratches and to bury the touched glass. Then I do a final, 220-grit-smooth sanding. I always seem to find the glass in a couple small spots that I just touch through the last epoxy coat.

Epoxy flows and/or shrinks while curing. Final sanding without a full cure may cause imprinting, the weave texture raising the finished surface. It seems to happen with a good baking of the finished boat on the car roof rack. Slow builders have the advantage here.

Some varnishes and paints do not cure well over partially cured epoxy, so I work a few days on the seat to give that after-fairing fill coat some cure time, heat is also a good thing.

It all depends on whether your kayak is going to be a beater or a show boat. A working kayak will get scratches and paddle dings all over the deck and the bottom will get thrashed. A well-used boat will get scratches repaired and revarnished every year. So it is an aesthetic call by the builder as to how much time and perfection is invested for that initial show room finish. You could just slather on some varnish and go paddling.

If the exposed spots are few and small I would do a good brush varnish 4-5 coat job and keep building.

Keep on stroking, brush and paddle.

In Response to: weave showing by William Le Blanc on Apr 22, 2004

Replies:

• Re: weave showing by William Le Blanc on Apr 23, 2004
  • Re: weave showing Hey Ter by Mac on Apr 23, 2004
• Re: weave showing by Terry Mcadams on Apr 23, 2004
  • Re: Fairing Board by Dave Houser on Apr 23, 2004
    • Re: Fairing Board by Terry Mcadams on Apr 23, 2004