At this
point, I am satisfied with the finish of the hull. I have put packing tape
on the shear clamp to keep the epoxy from making drips. Then the cloth
is laid out on the hull, and the excess cloth is trimmed off, leaving a
couple of inches extra. In order to achieve a chemical bond between coats,
the layers of epoxy must be applied before the previous layer has fully
cured. I have budgeted some time to make sure I can get three coats of
resin on.
Epoxy is
applied with a plastic squeegie. The epoxy must be allowed to soak in to
the wood, then the excess is scraped off. In the process, the cloth is
pulled tight against the contours of the hull. The cloth is very pliable,
and conformed to the bow without any cutting. This boat has a plumb stern,
so I had to slit the cloth to make it conform there. After the first layer
gelled, I cut off the excess glass with a razor knife. The subsequent coats
are to fill the fiberglass weave and make a smooth surface.