Re: there is a better way

Posted by CLC on Jun 4, 2005

>>>>>>>>Since there's no structural reason for overlapping deck glass onto the hull

:>>>>>>>

Not true. The 'glass is a requirement to protect the exposed endgrain of the deck plywood. A 1/2" overlap of the deck 'glass onto the side will do it, but this requires more finesse, not less, with the sanding and fairing compared to overlapping the prescribed 1-1/2". With the minimum 1/2-inch overlap, one false move with the sander and you've ground right into the edge of the deck---exposing the endgrain to deadly water incursion. Love or hate the sanding, over thousands of boats we've had better results among the builders with the larger overlap.

If you're especially facile with fiberglassing you can do the small overlap. Otherwise, the 1-1/2 to 2-inch overlap is just easier.

What DOES work well, however much overlap onto the sides you choose, is to mask off the side with masking tape, and razor off the overhanging 'glass along the taped line at the moment when the epoxy has gelled but not quite hardened. That does away with sanding the frayed edges.

If I directed 10 kayak builders to do it that way, I should note that 2 or 3 of them would cut too deeply with the razor knife and score the plywood. The knife mark would show up beneath varnish while the standard sand-the-overlap approach never does.

In Response to: there is a better way by LeeG on Jun 4, 2005

Replies:

• Re: there is a better way by James Eager on Jun 4, 2005
  • Re: there is a better way by CLC on Jun 4, 2005
• ok, another way by LeeG on Jun 5, 2005