Boat Builder Central

Thanks for the information. I have the fiberglass canoe stripped of rotted wood and am cleaning up years of dirt and neglect. I have tiny black specks (likely mold/mildew) on/in the fiberglass and have cleaned most of it using bleach/water and elbow grease using a kitchen sponge/abrasive pad. While ...

It has been six years since I built my NC16. During that time we have had a blast with it. During that six years I wanted to build an Orca 17 but delayed the action. Now, my wife recently bought a 17' fiberglass canoe and paddles for $50 at a yard sale. The only problem with the canoe are the rubrai...

I fully agree with the site and pics; they are a wealth of help for novices. I have asked my share of questions already answered in some form in the posts. I found answers using the ole page after page after page search method rather than the search function. Because of the posts, my workmanship was...

I finished multiple coats of the S3 primer (white), sanded the primer using 220 paper, and started painting the hull with S3 camero red paint, using roll and tip. After the first coat, I noticed the paint was not covering as completely as I thought it should. I had white blotches showing through the...

Rick, is there a Paul Harvey style "rest of the story?"

I am using S3 WR-155 primer for my NC-16. Instructions say surfaces must be clean, dry.... I find I continue to have sanding dust after vacuuming/brushing, anything short of turning the hose on the surface. I thought I read here that I could use rubbing alcohol or something similar on a rag to wipe ...

Is one paint coat using roll and tiping sufficient, or is it a see-how-it-looks kind of approach? Does one wet sand between paint coats? How long after paint application does one "wet sand?"

Thanks again for the help and your patience with my very basic questions.

I read in the posts the term "wet sanding" the paint to get a better finish when one "roll and tip." I search using the term "wet sanding" and I get posts talking about "wet" and "sanding" but nothing else. How does one go about "wet sanding&quo...

I'd appreciate knowing what is meant by "thinning and tipping." I know of thinning house paint but have not had the experience, up to this point of thinning primers/marine paints. I have not heard of "tipping" other than in a restaurant. I am finishing my NC-16 and will start nex...

Oops, I thought this was the Hiawatha. The Chenoa is more stable, no problem to paddle from the seats. I was thinking of getting plans to build a Hiawatha 16 after completing my NC16. I also have not paddled from the canoe bottom. If the seats on the HC16 are spacers more than seats, then why do th...