All glass and no play...

Big update! This weekend with the assistance of the unsinkable Kate Jordan-Rivera we got the main stringer glassed in. I have to say multiple layers of fiberglass mat takes a ton of resin. But Kate and I worked out a good flow once I realized how much material it would take. We started by filleting in the base of the stringer with Fiberlay structural putty to create a smooth and rounded bottom surface to laminate to. From there I laid on two layers of 1.5oz Chopped Strand Mat and poured catalyzed resin on it. We started by mixing up 1.5 pints of resin per each 36" section. We quickly realized this was not nearly enough. So I would lay out the mat as Kate mixed resin and we would swap out cups as I used it up. The trick being that we only had about 15 minutes of working time before the resin "kicked" and began to harden. It took us about two hours to do the entire length of the stringer on both sides. It was messy, sticky, gooey, and most importantly SMELLY. Thank god there was a breeze, that stuff stinks.

I let the base glass harden and cure overnight. On Sunday I prepped and laid over two more layers to cap in the top. This was considerably easier since I had worked out a flow. This being the last coat on the stringer I mixed the resin with a wax additive. Polyester resin is oxygen inhibitive meaning that if it's exposed to air it won't harden completely. So on your last coat you add wax to the resin which separates to the top and seals it from the air and allows the plastic to harden completely. And harden it did, wow, it is like steel.

From there I bean removing the two small side stringers which I had left in for working structure. Now that the main stringer is in I can get those out. Unfortunately that turned out to be easier said than done. I'm guessing that since these are higher in the hull they were never soaking in water like the rest they haven't rotted to the same extent. The anchoring material is still like a rock, and as such they are a huge pain to chip out. I only got about half way through one before I had to bail to cook dinner. I hope to get them out tonight after work.

It's a thing of beauty. Yes it's messy but hey, I'm an amateur.