Installing strakes after or before fiberglassing?

[galamb]

I installed mine after.

My reasoning was as follows.

First, it made laying down the cloth a whole lot easier - nothing to work around, cut around etc.

Second, if the strakes ever get damaged, rubbed, hard grounding etc they could be replaced or repaired (ok, a bit to a lot of work) without messing with the integrity of the (sealed) hull.

[Bill Edmundson]

Peter

You might consider solid vinyl (PVC) for the strakes. you can get it at the big box store.

Bill

[galamb]

Great tip Bill on the PVC - never would have thought. Used the PVC (boards) to trim out all my house windows when I replaced them - machined great and never have to mess with it (paint etc) ever again.

Peter - I installed them (epoxied to the hull which was covered in cloth/epoxy). Then I just went over them with three coats of un-thickened epoxy (no cloth of additives) - basically just "painted" them with three coats. Then painted over everything (Interlux VC Performance epoxy - wanted a white bottom and didn't really care about true anti-fouling - run in fresh water and trailer the boat).

They are holding up well (fifth season now), but I haven't grounded the boat and it lives on a trailer in between trips.