Video

Epoxy through 1708 biaxial fiberglass.

Thank you. A different look at customizing a mahogany kayak.

This one was 60 hours. The extra carbon fibre took time to get right.

The graphite coating is not structural, its only to reduce deep impacts and scratches. The graphite isnt a filler so it just duplicates the fiberglass surface and texture below. It could be used as a water proof barrier.

@@timberboatworks I think adding scilla to the graphite and epoxy mix increases strength as well. But my goal here is to coat a already fiberglassed hull with three layers of epoxy. So I can get away with paint or varnish for uv protection. I happen to live in a place where epoxy is much easier to get than marine paint.

0.032" stainless wire. Copper wire has become too expensive to be used in repairs and constructions. This wire is sourced from the concrete and cribbing industry. Its cheap and easily sourced.

0.032" stainless wire. Copper wire has become to expensive for constructions and repairs.

The hull design will dictate the location of the seat, if you are unsure of the location a 1/3 and 2/3 method can be used for approximate positioning and then small adjustments can be made off this concept. We do not want to move the paddlers too far to the rear of the canoe because this will shift the weight of the load in the canoe which can affect performance. The paddlers should be kneeling when paddling for the most stability and power, seating that is too high will make the boat unstable unless there is enough weight in the boat (gear, people, etc.) to compensate for a top heavy load. It is paddler position vs. draft of the hull that calculates stability of any craft.

Gel coat contains styrene which dissolves foam. If you purchase solvent resistant rollers they can be used but will leave significant texture that would have to be sanded and cut/polished away after. Bristle brushes will also leave some texture. You can spread gel coat with a squeegee or trowel if the surface is relatively smooth, if not a bristle brush has to be used.

Graphite undercoating is an hard slippery surface, so rocks and other sharp impacts do not penetrate deeply and potentially damage the fiberglass hull and it also reduced resistance in the water making the craft more efficient. The cost of doing the coating is about $15 and it greatly increases the lifespan of the hull.

I haven't worked with line tape in the past but I am certainly willing to give new techniques a try. The electricians tape has a higher edge and can handle the heat of the epoxy as it cures without bleed through. The three coats of graphite powder in epoxy are about 1mm thick, the three coats of varnish are also about 1mm thick. I think its a good idea and I will give it a try. Thank you for the idea.

@@timberboatworksFine line tape is a plastic strecthy tape used in automotive painting to demarcate lines, pin stripping etc. I used it in the past on waterline separation, boot stripping and when i epoxied the upper hulls on small boats. It is not a cheap tape but boy it is effective......good luck....by the way the black bottom paint looks great with the upper hull natural. I may try this on my S&G build this spring. How much graphite powder(% to epoxy) did you use for coating the bottom...my boat is 16ft, 25" wide.

​@timberboatworks what's the purpose of the graphite? Is that the same stuff that people use to lubricate locks?

Yes. Regular paper will allow some epoxy to transfer. Wax paper or butcher paper (as seen in the video) has a wax coating that resists epoxy. Its always best to wipe up epoxy drips with acetone even on the paper.

Yes. Epoxy will offer water proofing depending on the quality and type of plywood. Fiberglass with epoxy will add strength and durability. Epoxy still needs varnish or paint to protect from UV damage.

​@@timberboatworks awesome, thanks so much! Did you have to thicken this epoxy at all so it didn't run/sag?

36 pounds. 16 feet in length, 22 inch beam, 275 pound carry capacity. www.timberboatworks.com/collections/touring/products/solace-16ex

Absolutely, any excuse to use carbon fibre is worth it. Its just thin application of polyurethane varnish for UV stability. Thank you for the comment.

Thank you. I hope that it has been helpful, there will be more repair and build videos in the future.

Yes, this model is far more aggressive than our other kayaks. We are looking into a skin on frame conversion for this kit as well.

Sadly this canoe was lost on the highway on its way back to the client. The stem on the bow was crushed. The client has since fibreglassed and varnished the damage. Thank you.

I promise there is more to come for this Quick Build 14 as we get set to release this new design. Thank you.

@@timberboatworks I'm suggesting a showcase trip up to the canoe circuit in Lac La Biche featuring your products and builds. Lovely scenery, great fishing, and epic wilderness. I'll chat more in person in a few weeks, got some ideas to run by you. Love your builds so far.

If you are looking for a smoother application of gelcoat with less refinishing then air dry is added to the gelcoat mixture during application. If you are creating a air tight barrier other materials like wax, plastic, tape, acetate, pva or wax paper can be placed on the surface after application. This will leave far more texture and will require more sanding instead of just polishing the surface.

@@timberboatworks I am looking to refinish/refurbish a kayak which has scratches down to the fiberglass but I don't know if I need to buy both gelcoats (with and without wax).

Waxed Gelcoat will cure hard every time you add the catalyst. This means that every layer that is applied must be scuff sanded and sovent wiped to remove the wax on the surface. Unwaxed Gelcoat can be applied in multiple coats and on larger surface areas because each layer remains tacky until the final air tight barrier (as mentioned in the previous comment) is added to force all the lower layers to cure (this is called "kicking down.") If you are new to applying gel coat purchasing a waxed gelcoat will generally be easier to use but will require the sanding and de-waxing step every coat.

​@@timberboatworks Okay, thanks!

Firstly I know virtually nothing about fiberglassing. A boatbuilder who builds kayaks as well, was complaining to me when I asked about that sort of thing, about people coming in for him to refurbish their skis who have done DIY repairs on their skis hull outside who used the flowcoats that have the wax. He said they go yellow over time and it gives more work to fix.

No they are a thin gauge steel wire so that the adhesive doesn't glue them into the plastic permanently. Zip ties and other things can be used, but they are difficult to retrieve once the inside is fiberglassed.

@@timberboatworks Thank you for clarifying that! I wasn't sure whether or not the ties stayed in or not after the gluing. I assume you pull them out with pliers?

Yes, we sell a Delta Repair kit that has the glue that i've used in the video along with fiberglass. Its easiest to try and use the broken pieces of thermoform from when the hull was damaged. Molding new pieces is challenging. A pure fiberglass repair can also be done if the thermoform is prepped correctly and the correct adhesive is used.

Looks great though, nice work!

Generally ABS is very flexible. Since the material is fractured and kinked the load has to be backed by another material internally. A layer of ABS behind the damage would work, but does need to be moulded to shape and will add weight. I saturate 6 ounce fiberglass with the Delta manufacturers adhesive so that it remains thin, light and smooth. We dont want any sharp edges inside the bulkheads that could damage gear. Thanks for your comment.

Thank you for watching. As long as you are using the correct adhesive for ABS plastic your repair will be a success.

Thank you, we are very invested in the quality of our kits. If you'd like to watch our other tutorials you can see they are easy to build and perform well.

Thank you for your comment. All products are available through our site. Boat Kits are now on sale 20% off.

Yes absolutely. We sell the 3K carbon fibre twill through our online store, it can be added to any kit. The only word of caution is making certain that the carbon fibre is fully saturated, as mentioned in the video so that the epoxy can be sanded smooth for varnish. Kits are now on sale 20% off.

Both roll and tip and spray applications work well with varnish. There is always some risk when it comes to chemicals and solvents in enclosed spaces. Protect yourself accordingly.

In a few days there will be a video published on how to repair fiberglass kayaks as well. Thank you for the comment.

Fiberglass is lighter & stiffer, but ABS boats are less expensive and more impact resistant (but obviously not impact-proof).

After an auto collision...c'mon man, get real. In how many pieces would FG have been all over the ground? ABS is strong and flexible enough to have lived through this.

The boat was in strapped in a roof rack when the owner hit another vehicle with the boat. The boat was overhanging so it took all of the force. The boat creased before it cracked, so the tension on the stern was high. This situation definitely shows the strength of ABS and that it can be repaired easily.

Hi Robert, We do have 16 other builds with the full wood look to show the beauty of the wood grain. We also get lots of questions as to customizations from builders as to carbon fiber and wood in combination, so we are just showing what it would look like for those interested. There are many ways in which someone can cover mistakes and carbon, paint, pigments, stains could all be options. Glad to hear that you still have wooden craft being constructed in your country as so many items are now so highly manufactured.

We recommend installing the patch on the inside of the hull because the hull flexes inwards when the boat is in water. If the patch is on the outside the crack is still able to flex inward which will ultimately cause more cracking. Structural work has to be done on the inside and cosmetic on the outside. It is easiest to remove the rib, do the repair and reinstall the rib.