Re: Foredeck curvature

Posted by LeeG on Mar 4, 2005

The "right shape" is what happens. Don't try and use the straps to get the deck all the way down to a tight fit. Use the straps to get the deck down far enough that you can take it the last 1/2" by hand and nail, or if you're doing tape the tape takes it the rest of the way. Using the straps to take it the whole way is just the right amount to start breaking the edge of the wood or introduce a gap over the front bulkhead if there's lots of overhang and it's used as a lever to bow the deck up more.

You don't have to put the deck on with a wet sealing coat, a couple thin ones partially cured is MUCH better than a sloppy thick one that in all likelyhood would have tiny pinholes in it. Single thick sealing coats look impressive and quick but won't cover the way a couple thin coats will. The last time I did one of those decks it was one medium thick sealing coat, when it was tack free another one went on,,then I waited until that was tack free before putting on the deck. On a couple other CLC decks I pre-glassed the underside with 4oz glass and put the deck on with one thick fill coat over a well squeegeed wet-out that was also partially cured. The underdeck epoxy sealcoat is thin and flexible enough that it won't complicate the bending unless the air/wood is very dry and the sealing coats are thick and fully cured,,in which case you can lay a damp towel over the deck and it'll bow up on it's own. It'll fit,,it's a process with some variation but nothing about the effort means it'll warp out of fitting. One thing that might help besides the leapfrogging straps is to start off tacking the tip and deck beam edges down so the fore-deck piece can't shift off as you nail forward. Usually the grain is parallel to one edge and not the centerline so the convex bend introduces a little bias to one side going forward. I mean a tiny one 1/4" or so but if the deck is near the edge at the ends then that 1/4" will get you off enough that straps will be bending one side more than the other. After nailing the first four nails on both sides starting at the deck beam you can pop the front nail off.

In Response to: Foredeck curvature by Jon Loraine on Mar 3, 2005

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