70 degrees during and then 75 degrees for the next 14 hours. Was mixed with 2% Mekp.
Alan
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Happy 1st Sighting of Pacific Ocean by Lewis & Clark (1805)! 🧭
Barrens build
- Thread starter Alan Gage
- Start date
70 degrees during and then 75 degrees for the next 14 hours. Was mixed with 2% Mekp.
Alan
That should have been perfect. I've been learning a lot about VE lately but know I have a lot more to learn. Have you used it much? So far I've layed up about 15 hulls with it and I do like working with it. Have to keep reminding myself that the 2% is by weight ant volume, different than mixing equal parts for epoxy.
Back to work on Barrens again. After the vinyl ester debacle I was in no hurry to make another run at covering the gunwales with carbon until I was sure any remaining vinyl ester resin still on the hull was fully cured. The last thing I wanted was to rush it and wind up with a gooey layer of VE resin trapped between two layers of epoxy.
So a week or so later, while working with epoxy on another project, I brushed some epoxy on a few spots of the hull that had been covered with vinyl ester. After a few days I tried to remove it and it seemed to come off a bit too easy with a sharp chisel. So I waited a couple more weeks and did the same thing. That time it stuck real good. The only way I could remove it was with a sander. So once the outside weather warmed up a bit I cranked the heat in the shop and went for round #2.
This time I used 4" bias woven cloth. I believe it was 13oz/yard. I got it at Soller composites and the price wasn't bad, about $75 to do the whole boat. This is the method Stripperguy used on his Kite. This is the 5th different method I've used and I believe it's by far the simplest, easiest, fastest, cheapest and best looking. Sure wish I would have tried it in the first place. I don't think you could use this method with regular woven tape. I think the bias weave is a must.
Keeping a straight edge with the tape is difficult so I didn't really bother trying. After a few fill coats I sanded it down a little. There was a very distinct edge where the tape met the hull and I really ground that down with the sander. Using peel ply over those edges would have saved time in the long run. I've put a couple more fill coats on since then and it's looking pretty good.
20170102_001 by Alan, on Flickr
20170102_003 by Alan, on Flickr
Alan
So a week or so later, while working with epoxy on another project, I brushed some epoxy on a few spots of the hull that had been covered with vinyl ester. After a few days I tried to remove it and it seemed to come off a bit too easy with a sharp chisel. So I waited a couple more weeks and did the same thing. That time it stuck real good. The only way I could remove it was with a sander. So once the outside weather warmed up a bit I cranked the heat in the shop and went for round #2.
This time I used 4" bias woven cloth. I believe it was 13oz/yard. I got it at Soller composites and the price wasn't bad, about $75 to do the whole boat. This is the method Stripperguy used on his Kite. This is the 5th different method I've used and I believe it's by far the simplest, easiest, fastest, cheapest and best looking. Sure wish I would have tried it in the first place. I don't think you could use this method with regular woven tape. I think the bias weave is a must.
Keeping a straight edge with the tape is difficult so I didn't really bother trying. After a few fill coats I sanded it down a little. There was a very distinct edge where the tape met the hull and I really ground that down with the sander. Using peel ply over those edges would have saved time in the long run. I've put a couple more fill coats on since then and it's looking pretty good.
20170102_001 by Alan, on Flickr20170102_003 by Alan, on FlickrAlan
Yes, not problems at all. The clear section near the stems was covered with regular 6oz fiberglass tape and the 13oz bias carbon conformed better than it did.
Alan
Alan,
That stuff works great, doesn't it!? When I ordered that material from Soller, they were having problems with their supplier...they took nearly 2 months to deliver. I had to alter my build schedule, but it still worked out OK, logistically.
Fully agree that the bias woven tape is perfect for this sort of application. Not just because of the bias weave and the way it conforms to compound curves. But also for the clean edges it has. I had considered buying bias woven sleeving, and cutting it into tape, but I couldn't keep the cuts straight on a trial piece, and the fraying was impossible to avoid.
The bias woven tape solves all of that.
Anyway, your build is looking great and I'm looking forward to see the photos of it on your next adventure!
That stuff works great, doesn't it!? When I ordered that material from Soller, they were having problems with their supplier...they took nearly 2 months to deliver. I had to alter my build schedule, but it still worked out OK, logistically.
Fully agree that the bias woven tape is perfect for this sort of application. Not just because of the bias weave and the way it conforms to compound curves. But also for the clean edges it has. I had considered buying bias woven sleeving, and cutting it into tape, but I couldn't keep the cuts straight on a trial piece, and the fraying was impossible to avoid.
The bias woven tape solves all of that.
Anyway, your build is looking great and I'm looking forward to see the photos of it on your next adventure!
Kept working on the hull and gunwales until the end of January and then the hull sat while I got ready for my Arizona trip. After I got back it took me a week to get up the ambition to head back into the shop. Started by sanding down the shiny finish and slapping some paint on the girl. I'm really happy with the color; which isn't something I normally say after picking out paint.
20170126_003 by Alan, on Flickr
20170305_005 by Alan, on Flickr
It's the canoe in the background:
20170305_002 by Alan, on Flickr
After I give the paint a week or so to cure I'll flip it over, epoxy some tie downs to the floor, and then paint the inside and gunwales. I'll miss ice out but not by too much.
Alan
20170126_003 by Alan, on Flickr20170305_005 by Alan, on FlickrIt's the canoe in the background:
20170305_002 by Alan, on FlickrAfter I give the paint a week or so to cure I'll flip it over, epoxy some tie downs to the floor, and then paint the inside and gunwales. I'll miss ice out but not by too much.
Alan
I've had her out on the water a couple times now and I'm happy with the performance. With the high sides and extra width and rocker it won't be my top choice for local day paddles, especially on windy days, but I think it will perform very well loaded down on moving water. Today Jim and I got out for a paddle which meant we swapped boats so we could each have a chance to see how our canoes actually look on the water from the outside.
20170404_001 by Alan, on Flickr
20170409_003 by Alan, on Flickr
I need to give it one final weigh-in but it came out a little higher than I would have liked. I was hoping for upper 40's but it looks like I'll have to settle for lower 50's. Considering the large volume (16'x32" with sheer of 21/14/18) and stout layup (1 1/2 layers 6oz glass outside and 1 1/2 layers of 5oz. kevlar inside) I guess that's not so bad. I could still shave off a little weight by switching to carbon fiber or aluminum thwarts but I'm getting to the point where the extra work and expense doesn't seem to be worth it. We'll see if I still feel that way at the end of a hard 2 mile bog portage.
Alan
20170404_001 by Alan, on Flickr20170409_003 by Alan, on FlickrI need to give it one final weigh-in but it came out a little higher than I would have liked. I was hoping for upper 40's but it looks like I'll have to settle for lower 50's. Considering the large volume (16'x32" with sheer of 21/14/18) and stout layup (1 1/2 layers 6oz glass outside and 1 1/2 layers of 5oz. kevlar inside) I guess that's not so bad. I could still shave off a little weight by switching to carbon fiber or aluminum thwarts but I'm getting to the point where the extra work and expense doesn't seem to be worth it. We'll see if I still feel that way at the end of a hard 2 mile bog portage.
Alan
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Hi Alan,
I take it that Sadie is an integral part of the balance of your design, and therefore could not also try out Jim's canoe with you.
I don't know if you have tried poling much, but I would be very interested to know how the Barrens performs as a poling platform. I have successfully poled my Swift Osprey, but would not consider it a great platform for poling.
Bernard
I take it that Sadie is an integral part of the balance of your design, and therefore could not also try out Jim's canoe with you.
I don't know if you have tried poling much, but I would be very interested to know how the Barrens performs as a poling platform. I have successfully poled my Swift Osprey, but would not consider it a great platform for poling.
Bernard
Not really. With the seat slid all the way back on the Barrens trim is right on with Sadie in the bow. If I'd brought her into Jim's boat I would have needed to fill a water bag for ballast in the stern. So it was easier to just leave her in the boat with Jim.
I have paddled standing up in this canoe and others but haven't tried poling yet; though I plan to. When standing up this boat feels a little tippier than I'd like for rough water but I think with gear it will settle down nicely.
Alan
I know it's an old thread, but a point I wanted to make about added weight (Sadie) to a canoe.
I make my seat deep enough, fore and aft, to allow me room to shift My weight fore and aft, to help compensate.
Most factory seats don't give you much wiggle room in that respect ! Make your seats to fill your needs.
Jim
I make my seat deep enough, fore and aft, to allow me room to shift My weight fore and aft, to help compensate.
Most factory seats don't give you much wiggle room in that respect ! Make your seats to fill your needs.
Jim
