Glen-L.com

Perhaps I should add the topic title lead in - "Hull-elujah" - to my possible boat name list!?

Berfore I go any further I wonder if anyone would care to volunteer what they used for the top and side 'brightside' finish on their boat, haven't made that decision yet, think I may well wait until the topside is done and shoot it all in one swell foop.

Been a marathon month plus - but finally almost 100% satisfied with hull. The only outstanding issue is some glass 'ghosting' or fiberglass weave showing on one small part of the transom. I applied on light coat if epoxy using a drywall taping knife and sanded - still there - then tried two light coats the same way and sanded and still there - guess I'll have to bite the bullet and roll and tip the left 1/4 or 1/3 of the transom and 'feather' it in unless someone has a better solution.

Other than that I can declare the hull ready for 'paint', I used two gallons of epoxy on her, but am absolutely certain that I sanded at least half if not more of that off. Only the bottom got fiberglassed, overlapped onto the opposite side of the bottom and up to the 'waterline' overlapping onto the sides.

The intersting thing about the 'paint' I'm using for the bottom is that it can go directly onto epoxy with no primer, so I have to have my 'bottom' extra smooth since I don't have the luxury of having a high build primer for final smoothing.

It may seem out of order to some, but elected to install a 'keel guard' now, seemed the perfect time with the hull surface freshly sanded and clean as a whistle, not to mention being easier to do with the boat upside down. I also think that running the bottom and side finishes up to the 'keel guard' may help seal the edges of the 'keel guard' a tad better.

As to the 'keel guard' coming up past the breasthook, well, that's another idea of mine. For starters I kind of like the look. For seconds my bow stop on my trailer is quite a bit higher or above my winch/bow eye and I figure that the 'keel guard' will buffer the front of the boat from the ravages of the bow stop. Eventually I intend to make my own rub rail (3/4" x 1 1/2") and cut down the extended part of the 'keel guard' so that it dies into the bottom edge of the rub rail for a clean look.

And yes Virginia, I am going to take a shot at a 'true' water line, I'll let you know in about a year or so how that turns out.

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This is my first, last and only boat build.

http://www.gdzipbuild.blogspot.com

Looks good.
Unless the glass is on/in the surface, the only thing that will cover it, part from a complete sanddown and redo, is paint.
However.
If what we see in the photo is the only hull blemish I'd be obliged to say you did a very decent job indeed!

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You'd be surprised if you added every extra cost that isn't much in the "big picture".

I had a couple of these ghosting spots too. I think Whistler is right, they aren't going to come out at this point... I guess you could sand through the existing glass, and patch with another piece of fiberglass, but that seems a little excessive to me, and I'll be keeping mine the way it is. From 10ft. away, after varnishing, it's not going to be that noticeable anyway.

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Malahini Build Gallery:

http://picasaweb.google.com/11229065623 ... directlink

I agree with both!

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Bill

I told my wife we needed a three-car garage for my projects...she told me to ask her for permission next time before I buy a house.
http://www.unitybuild.net

Good thing I don't shoot the messangers, at least I now know any further 'fixes' are futile - just have to live with it I guess.

Decided to send her out for paint.

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This is my first, last and only boat build.

http://www.gdzipbuild.blogspot.com

Yup, that "Ghosting" as you call it looks like starvation, as if it was not fully "wet out", the other way that it happens is with the binders and other agents that the glass companies add to the glass...you might not have been able to do anything about that regardless of what you tried, it could be a "built in" defect with the glass., It is certainly small and, since it is not "print-through" you will never see it once the color is on....it sure looks good from my house!

And none of us would have ever known it if you hadn't spilled the beans!

Steve

But my only question is: how did you get your boat to levitate???

The levitation was easy- the chain blocks hung from the rafters - nervous as could be despite the preparations. - visions of a years worth of work crashing down.

As for the blemish - I'll just have to live with it - and it won't be painted - maybe folks will just think it's a reflection of the water?

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This is my first, last and only boat build.

http://www.gdzipbuild.blogspot.com

I cannot even imagine the courage that took !!! It is looking good. Don't slow down now, I want to see that puppy hit the water. (But I am also a fan of " some things take longer than they take"...and I would rather have it perfect!)

Steve

People will be so overcome by the rest of the boat they probably will never see the Ghost!

I have automotive paint on mine, no 'marine' paint anywhere. No problems. Automotive urethanes adhere well to epoxy.
all the natural finish on mine is automotive clear over epoxy....no varnish. I like it.
I have my share of scrapes & bruises and the auto paint holds up fine.

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God Bless our Troops; especially our Snipers

I had some ghosting as well but it all but disappeared as the varnish went on.

I have about two coats of epoxy and five of varnish on the sides. Topsides I have about five coats of epoxy (I was trying to fill in some low areas caused by my poor handling of a belt sander) followed by 15 coats of Epifanes varnish. I had planned to stop at 10 but kept getting a run, bug, brush mark, or some other defect I didn't like. I decided the fifteenth coat was "perfect enough" and now, nearly a year later, I can't remember what I didn't like about it. In fact, I find myself amazed that I actually rolled and tipped such a perfect looking finish!

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My Webalbum: http://picasaweb.google.com/Buckeyesmith1/Gem#

The best part about a manual screwdriver is not needing to remember if you left it in reverse.

Completion is but one step in the process and not one bit more important than the others.