Hi, I'm in the planning stages for my weekender. My plans are ordered and now I'm working on $$ costs and have a few questions if anyone can answer. My question is how much total epoxy amount am i going to need to build my weekender? Also what kind of paint should i look for? I'm currently reading about Frank Hagans "Aslan" at the moment and he went with exterior latex from home depot.....   I have seen some builders epoxy everything, a coat of epoxy before laying glass and some not and just lay glass then epoxy on top.... which is the better way to go? Also should i plan on laying down a coat of epoxy inside the cabin and lazerette before painting?  I apreciate any help or direction I can get.. ;D
When my spars and mast are done and finished I'll have used about 7 gallons of epoxy. I encapsulated everything with three coats (except the keel) and glassed the entire outside, and all deck and inside surfaces that will see any wear and tear. The glassed areas use more epoxy than non-glassed. Also, remeber to match your hardener to the temperature. I used Marinepoxy from bateau.com. There's a chart there regarding drying time related to temperature and some epoxy tutorials.
Dave
Thanks, was that 7 gallons total resin and hardner? The cheapest deal for epoxy resin I've found so far is through
www.raka.com
Mike: Right, 7 gallons total finshed epoxy. Don't worry if you buy too much...you'll use it on your SECOND boat!!!
Dave
Some more advice. Don't "paint" the epoxy on with a brush. Use a plastic spreader to apply the goo. I used those cheap plastic drywall knives. When you mix a batch, pour it out onto a tray (Like a cafeteria tray, with the raised edges) so it can assume as small a mass as possible. It will slow down the cure time. Epoxy "dries" by a chemical reaction, not by evaporation. The reaction generates heat, which hastens the reaction further. If you leave the epoxy in a concentrated mass (like in a plastic cup) it will heat up, melt the cup and turn solid in no time! I did it myself with my first small batch
Dave
I used about 2-3 gallons for gluing and sealing. I only sealed where the cloth went on the outside and like Dave said, use the plastic to spread it. For sealing cloth I would mix a larger amount and pour it right on the cloth/hull, then get to spreading with the plastic applicator. At first mix smaller amounts. I would go with an oil based exterior paint on the outside and a water based inside. I used regular paints, not marine. I have built many boats and tried most combos of paint, this works for me and protects the wood just fine. Others will use what they are comfortable with. Remember, wood itself is mostly waterproof and doesn't always need heavy protection.
Is it true that we don't glass the keel? ??? Even then I've seen tons of builders do it. Or do we just expoxy the crap out of it and paint it real good?
Mike: There are several posts on the board showing the consequences of glassing or epoxying the keel. The problem is the completely watertight seal the epoxy provides. The keel gets banged up a lot and if water gets in, it won't get out. The result will be rot. The consensus here is to prime the keel and paint it. You should be fine.
Dave
Here's what happens if you glass the keel (courtesy of Pat Mellema).
Dave
Thanks for the info and pics. Now gotta find the cheapest place to buy epoxy. I havn't gotten any cheaper than
www.raka.com so far. Any sugestions?