Cameron's FS14LS+5%

[bamaguy0]

Those fairing photos are making me (not) nostalgic!

Progress looks great. Nice work holding out for the tank with the filler neck.

I'm not adding any strakes/keel but I considered the same thing you are planning: strakes that will not add depth. Interested to see how you do those.

It's funny the levels of enthusiasm that I've went through while trying to fair. I started the new year with a hard push to get it done, then hit a wall feeling like there was no end in sight, but now I'm so close I'm excited again!

The current plan for the strake right now will include a 1"x1"x8' angle aluminum and using that to form it. I'll probably make it out of a mixture of graphite/epoxy(for the sharp edge), milled fiber/epoxy, and strands of fiberglass to give it some longituidnal strength.

[VT_Jeff]

It's funny the levels of enthusiasm that I've went through while trying to fair. I started the new year with a hard push to get it done, then hit a wall feeling like there was no end in sight, but now I'm so close I'm excited again!

Nice work getting your mind right and getting back to it. I'll admit that staring at and running my hand over my smooth hull/paint job is a favorite hobby. One of my myriad shortcomings.

The current plan for the strake right now will include a 1"x1"x8' angle aluminum and using that to form it. I'll probably make it out of a mixture of graphite/epoxy(for the sharp edge), milled fiber/epoxy, and strands of fiberglass to give it some longituidnal strength.

I like it, that's gonna be bomber!

[bamaguy0]

I think I've gotten the boat faired as least well enough that I'm OK with it. I'll work on it a little more once I get a couple coats of primer on it, but for now I'm working on the strakes.

Tried making my first one last night and it did not end well for some reason.

I poured some thick milled fiber/epoxy dams on both ends and then filled the bottom of the angle with the graphite powder/epoxy mix. I'd say it was pourable but not brushable as far as thickness went. You can see the strands of fiberglass that I pulled out of scrap pieces of fabric to lay in as well. I let it gel in this setup for a couple hours.



I came back and laid in the fiberglass. Not super packed, but 3-4 strands on top of the graphite/epoxy mix with generous overlap, most of the time about half the length of the next strands. After that I poured a fairly runny mix of milled fiber/epoxy over it all until I got it to a level I was happy with. Photo was a few hours after pouring and I noticed a lot of bubbles.


This morning it was solid, but tacky, like I could impress fingerprints in it still. And the bubbles were still there. I left it to sit all day. The lows last night were in the 50s and high today was 70. This afternoon, about 24 hours after I started it was still solid, but rubbery. I was able to peel it out, quite literally. It basically double backed on itself to peel out of the angle. I'll leave it to sit on the boat another day to see if it'll kick, but I think something was up with my mixture. Even the cups I mixed from were still kinda jelly. This hasn't happened to me before. I know I used the correct mixture because I have the pump heads for the jugs of epoxy. Temps weren't the most ideal for slow hardener, but I thought it would still cure at these temps and duration. Maybe not? It's been a while since I've used the epoxy for anything since I've been fairing since October/November with Quikfair.

Aside from that, I mocked up the console that I designed out of cardboard. I think it will work out pretty well.

[VT_Jeff]

A heat gun may help with those bubbles.

[bamaguy0]

Yeah, I wasn't too concerned about them because that's the bonding side of the strake. Just wasn't sure if that was indicative of something gone wrong.

I'll try again closer to next weekend. The highs are supposed to be near 80 later in the week. I'll also need to get more aluminum. I bent this one trying to get the strake out.

Maybe I'll go ahead with primer application tomorrow. I plan on digging the strake bonding area out to get back to bare fiberglass anyway. I'll have to fair that back in after they're bonded.

[VT_Jeff]

Are you using packing tape on the inside of the aluminum?

[bamaguy0]

I didn't this time. I tried waxing it. I'll be using packing tape next time.

[Fuzz]

I built spray rails for my dory the same way. When I first pulled them out of the angle iron they were pretty flexible. Made it easy to fit them to the style line I would think you are ok and they will cure more as time goes by.

[bamaguy0]

It appears you are correct. It's still not completely hard but has definitely stiffened up overnight.

We'll chalk this one up as a trial run and move forward.

[bamaguy0]

I was able to apply a coat of primer to the hull on Sunday. I was going for two coats, but noticed some pinholes once I started applying so I'm going to correct those before applying the 2nd coat.

Temps cooled off this week with even some frost a couple mornings. I didn't do any work outside in the evenings, but made a dent in creating a wiring diagram so I can start ordering materials for that. We'll be back in the upper 70's today so I'll be working on filling the holes and making strakes this weekend.