Glassing the inside seams of the eureka

[MiLKey]

I did this today, and didnt knock down the round on the copperwire stitches for fear of it loosening up the stitching.

SO i glass taped the inside seams resulting in lifts in the tape.
My question:
The inside glassing, is it only to hold the shape so we can then cut the stitches out before glassing the hull? or is it important to get these perfect in order to keep water out.

I assume glassing the hull will do the trick in keeping the water out, so it it ok to sand out the lifts in the tape when they harden and remove the copper stitches entirely?
i only managed to wet the tape, i didnt have enough time to get another coat wet on wet so i might give it a sand and hit it with another coat next chance i get.

[Boatmik]

Howdy,

The stitching stays usually. There is a method of using little fillets between the stitches, removing the copper wire then doing a bigger fillet over the lot - but it is a lot more labour.

The boat is structurally sound as it is and it has to be waterproof from both sides of course!

If glass taping it is best to knock the copper wire stitches down into the corner to reduce the bumps in the glass substantially. It is best to do this just before the final tightening of the stitching - I think the plans say this.

Try to follow the plans precisely - they have been worked out over many, many boats with feedback from builders - so they document the easiest way.

You could try and grind out the stitches - try one or two up in the buoyancy tank area and then step back and observe the results to see if you are happy with it before doing the lot.

Best wishes
Michael

[colburge]

I had the same problem with the bubbles although I knocked the wires down into the groove. I got a few of those bubbles in 2 areas about 40cm long because I didn't pay enough attention and go back over my work. I think by the time I got to the other end of the tape with the pox I had pulled the tape a bit tight which lifted it either side of the wire. They look terrible because they come up white and you cant hide them. I tried cutting the bubbles out and filling the hole with epoxy, but it was a waste of time because it looked crap and didn't work. I bit the bullet in the end and just sanded the tape off in that section along with the wires and did it again, didn't take much at all really, and you wouldn't know I had done it except there are a few wires missing. I just wish I had paid more attention when I did it the first time, but it is like anything, you learn from your mistakes.

Col

[colburge]

I should also add that I had glassed the outside of the seams before I turned it over and redid mine.

Col

[Boatmik]

Good follow up point Col!

Also good to know it works - I've never done a patch up in this way. Replacing like with like makes the best sense aesthetically.

MIK

[MiLKey]

I hate hindsight, but thinking back i had a stanley near by, i should have cut the tape while it was wet and popped the wire loops through... :doh:

i think i might leave it, i might even highlight it by tracing around the bubbles with paint. if im not gonna hide it i figure i may as well make it look artistic...
that being said ill do a test to see how it looks in the ballast tanks hahaha