epoxy and varnish on CLC kayak

Couple questions re: the CLC 17 kayak I'm building;

1) i have put two coats of epoxy on the exterior hull,second was appied by roller. could only find one with a 1/4 inch nap. i rolled it on but still see and feel the 'glass weave everywhere. Is this normal and will it/should it disappear with a third coat? was the roller brush at fault?  can i put a third coat in by hand with a flexable sqeegie like i did the first coat? Should i just order some of the roller brushes from CLC for this?

2) how many gallons of varnish should i order for this boat if i do the suggested 3-5 coats?

3) not clear about larger forward deck beam. are the screws suggested for holding in place while it is being glued to the boat included in the kit? do you do one on each end? what does one do about the hole in the hull you have created by countersinking it for the screw? 

Thanks,

Michael 


3 replies:

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RE: epoxy and varnish on CLC kayak

Michael,

1. Congratulations.You are putting on very thin coats, which is exactly the way to avoid runs and excessive sanding. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking 5 (or more) very thin coats to fill the weave instead of 3 thicker ones. In fact, it makes for a lighter, better looking boat and economizes on epoxy.

1/4 inch nap is usually on the thick side, but if its working for you don't switch. In my experience, rollers (possibly with tipping out with a foam brush to get rid of air bubbles) give a much better coat than a squeegee for the 2nd and later coats. Squeegees work best on bare wood and when wetting out the glass.

2. 1 quart should be plenty.

3. I didn't use screws for the 16LT deck beam, just clamps & glue. If you do use screws and don't leave them in, fill the holes with epoxy/woodflour putty. Alternatively, you could plug the holes with dowels. I believe the manual assumes that you'll be leaving the screws in.

Laszlo

RE: epoxy and varnish on CLC kayak

Rollers for resin & varnish:  Try 6" foam rollers made by Quali-Tech, "Contractor's Pack, Ultra-fine Foam for Smoothest Finish".  Available at Home Depot, ACE, etc.  They work great and hold just the right amount of resin or varnish.  Tip out with a foam brush for a great finish.  Good luck.   

RE: epoxy and varnish on CLC kayak

I believe that the number of varnish coats depends on how you will be storing your kayak (i.e.: how much time it be be outdoors) and your location.

The further South you get the greater the intensity of sunlight. If you will be keeping the kayak outdoors during prime kayak season, it will also be subject to more sunlight (i.e. UV) exposure.

I believe you your would be happier with more coats (5-6). The first two coats will be your learning curve. After that, as your technique improves (and you migrate from wet sanding with 300 to 400 and even higher),  your beautiful boat will become even more so. And you will have ensured sufficient UV protection.

Hope this helps.

Tim Clark

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