FINAL EPOXY COATS DAY 2

[Doug Hermann]

You are never really done with epoxy. I have dreams about epoxy….right up there with sanding.

Anyway, flipped all the cockpit pieces over this morning and epoxied the bottom sides. Then I spent some of the day ordering some last minute items – hinges for the thwarts, pintel and gudgeon for the rudder, topsides and interior paint! Then is was back to sanding all that pretty shiny epoxy I did yesterday. I left the watertight bulkheads alone, just epoxy.  Tomorrow I may start laying some primer down in the storage compartments. I am just going to get some basic white topcoat. Nothing fancy. Will leave the money shot paint colors for what everyone will see. Stay Tuned.

The artist (my bride) has asked me to have some more bright finished elements. So that effort will be getting underway while finish paints get shipped. She was also the final arbiter on paint colors and combinations. Nothing exotic, but it should be pleasing to the eye.

IT WAS SOOO SHINY YESTERDAY!!

BACKSIDES EPOXIED

[Tim Economu]

Hi Doug,

How does “the watertight bulkheads ” achieve waterproof-ness? Do you actually seal with epoxy?

Thanks,

Tim

[Ted Guild]

Lot’s of epoxy, sealing the wood surfaces, the seams and polyurethane paint same as keeping water coming up through the hull. I fiberglass taped all the seams in my bulkheads.

I’ve never submerged to test if they’re truly water tight but at most there may be some small leaks and air should remain trapped.

I know of one Oonagh that was purposely flipped and understand it was difficult to do, the floatation compartments worked as expected and it was fairly easy to right.

[Tim Economu]

I guess my question is more about the hinged doors. What are you doing with gasketing to keep the doors from leaking? Or are you not worrying about water splashing in from above?

For a flipped boat, you would want locks on the hinged doors, and good gaskets to keep the water out. That would give you more natural floatation, no?

t

 

[Ted Guild]

The floatation compartments should be adequate to keep it afloat if flipped. The designer had safety and stability in mind.

The storage compartments with air may trap some air as well in a capsize. Water splashes in but the weep holes lets it flow out into the lower, open cockpit areas when upright. You wouldn’t want a storage compartment that can get flooded, not drain and affect the balance.

I contemplated some sort of latch to avoid kicking lids up when moving around but it hasn’t been an issue. I tread carefully when standing. I do use some gaffer’s tape to hold them closed when I flip and store it for the winter.

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