C17 in New Zealand.

[piperdown]

Piper down; a few of us have these underway. I didn’t fuss over close tolerances too much and mine worked out fine. I did double check constantly to make sure the over all shape stayed true and level. You can fill a lot of gaps with resin mix. It will be fun to watch you progress!
Crabby Scott building CrabbyPatti.

I should have said strongback not jig. The GF16 doesn't use jigs. So the only thing I had to make sure was in close tolerance was that it was level and square.

Believe me I've filled a LOT of gaps with thickened epoxy

Build on, love seeing the progress!

[OneWayTraffic]

Hull panels cut out. I screwed the panels together where possible to get a mirror image. Cleaned up the cuts with a power planer. Probably not needed, but I have one on loan from school so why not? I also rebated a little channel for splicing the panels together. Also not needed but hey.

[OneWayTraffic]

And this may explain why I had issues with the fast hardener. The greenhouse was open at both ends but still stinking hot. It fogged over not much later and temperatures dropped to 17C.

This is good news for the winter though. We have plenty of settled sunny days at anytime in the year. I should be able to get work done in July and August.

[OneWayTraffic]

OK I’ve spliced the panels. Not having done this before I simply butted them without putty and glassed then weight over the splice. Flipping to do the other side the next morning I heard a CRACK as the glass flexed at the slight void between the panels.

Took the day off and went hiking to reconsider and then read that putty was needed. I cleaned out the excess on the second side as best I could using a dermal like tool to get into the gaps. Filled with putty and glassed.

Attached is a photo of the cleaned panels and the one with the worse air bubbles along the join. I used an awl to confirm that they have air in there. Is it better to grind and patch now or just leave it to after planking? I’m thinking that the bottom glass will cover it if I grind out the air bubbles after I’ve got the hull glued together on the jig. Voids are about 1/4” 6mm wide and a few inches long right at the panel join.

[OneWayTraffic]

Just to clarify. Both sides have now been done. There were some voids in in the first side and probably places where the glass popped loose a bit while flipping the panels. I did the second sides better using the glass underneath to act as a scrim for the putty. The photo is of the worst voids on the original side after glassing both sides.

Do I grind and fill now or later? I am tending towards later.


Next time I do this I might try doing both sides at once.

[Fuzz]

The panel flexing and cracking will happen even if you had used 2-3 layers of tape. It is the glass on two sides with a core that gives the stiffness. For me with glass on just one side I clamp a board across the joint to keep it from flexing while I flip the panel. After getting the glass on both sides the bracing is not needed so much.

[OneWayTraffic]

Cheers Fuzz, I may try that or something similar when I splice the top side panel. I'm considering very small butt blocks on the inside only. Just enough to hold it in position.

I have started preparing the transom. This is modified from the original design. A side benefit is that I needed fewer sheets of ply. At the moment I have used one sheet of 12mm, 4 of 9mm and 9 of 6mm and have a lot of usable scrap left over even after my stringer booboo.


It looks a bit like swiss cheese at the moment, but four of those holes will be putty filled. I have two holesaw bits one 60mm (2 3/8") and 31mm (1 1/4")
I measured, measured, measured and cut the holes oversized for the outboard, then measured again.

Small hole in the middle is for the drain plug, at this stage I am thinking a 25mm expandable plug.

The two big holes will be for scuppers. I'll make them myself with layflat hose on fibreglass pipes. They work well under the waterline if the boat is moving forward. It will not be left unattended at a dock.

[Fuzz]

Slick move cutting the holes now when it's easier to do it. I was never that smart It will be interesting to see how those scuppers work out.

[piperdown]

Just a FYI. Those panel joints are going to be weak if you just butted them together. A bit of thickened epoxy should have been put between the panels, then pushed together and the excess wiped off, then the fiberglass over the top.

I made the exact same mistake and will have to grind the inside splice when I work on the interior, fill with thickened epoxy and then patch the splice.

The strength of the splice is in the core and the fiberglass. If you have a void where there is no core to support the fiberglass it is a stress point and will eventually break.

[Bogieman]

Very nice! Love your shelter. I've kicked myself a bunch for not building one. Maybe next time.