Bubbles in the cockpit

Posted by Brett on Jan 8, 2005

Hi all.

I'm getting ready to install the deck on my CLC double, and am cleaning up the inside while I still have access to it. When I glassed the cockpit I had some bubble problems where the thin glass cloth overlaped the thinker glass tape that covered the fillets. The overlap area is marked by a small airpocket that basically runs the whole length of the cockpit. I was intending to leave it, but on close inspection the air pocket has several tiny holes in it which will take on water unless I do something about it. So I figure I have two options.

Option 1: I have done some testing on some scrap wood and I can sand the top of the bubble off so it exposes the cavity and then a normal coat or two of epoxy makes it look quite good. My only concern with this is I am basically breaking the cockpit epoxy into 4 pieces (two walls and two bottom sections) because this process cuts through the thinner glass cloth, and I am concerned about how much the structures strength relies on the cockpit glass being one solid piece.

Option 2: Not as pleasing to the eye, but I can run some more epoxy over the bubble area and permanently encase it so all my small pinprick sized holes are gone.

Anybody have any thoughts or experience?

Brett

Replies:

• Re: Bubbles in the cockpi by Doug Judd on Jan 8, 2005
  • Re: Bubbles in the cockpi by Brett on Jan 8, 2005
• Re: Bubbles in the cockpi by terry on Jan 10, 2005
  • Re: Bubbles in the cockpi by Brett on Jan 10, 2005