Fiberglass inside stems

[dogbrain]

My last 2 canoe builds have been stemless and I haven’t tried fiberglassing that sharp turn inside the stems. On my latest Pal I did thicken some epoxy and try to do a fillet to round out that area thinking that would make it Easier to fit a bias cut strip in there. The fillet turned out to be a little bit of a mess, so I ditched the idea and scraped out the epoxy. Does anyone worry about fiberglassing the inside stem? It seems like there’s plenty of strength with multiple bias strips on the outside.

Mark

 

[stripperguy]

I always glass the inside of the stems, and I always build stemless.
It takes a while to trim the cloth to lay in nicely inside the stems, but it's much easier to do so before wetting it out!!
I think Conk does his stems with some shorter pieces that are easier to manage, then buries the overlap inside a bulkhead.

Even if your inside glass is a bunched up tangle inside the stems, that will just make for a stronger stem!!
Are your stems gonna be left open? Or do you have at least some flotation chambers?

 

[Alan Gage]

I use thickened epoxy to add a fillet to the inside stems. I often round over the end of a cut off strip (think long tongue depressor) and use that to reach down and smooth it out. I usually use two pieces of cloth that overlap at the stem to make it easier and let them extend 6-12" along the side of the hull. I do all this the day before I glass the inside of the hull. Then when I do the full inside layer I don't have to run it all the way to the stems and it covers the seam.

Alan

 

[DeniseO30]

It's been I guess over 20 years now but if I remember right, we would turn the canoe on its side and lay glass flat on only one side inside the stem, (it was also only 2 or 3 feet long). When set we'd do the other side, it was so much easier to have gravity working with us rather than against us.

 

[Alan Gage]

I use thickened epoxy to add a fillet to the inside stems. I often round over the end of a cut off strip (think long tongue depressor) and use that to reach down and smooth it out.

Alan

I forgot that I also put peel ply over the fillet. This makes it much easier to smooth out and leaves a much better surface than I could ever get without using peel ply.

Alan

 

[Jim Dodd]

The very last thing I tend to do while wetting out the inside, is the stems.

I make sure I'm happy with the rest of the hull, before I fuss with the ends, as they can take a lot of time.

With every thing wetted, I tuck in one side, and with a squeege, get the cloth to lay right ! At this point the cloth is covering both sides of the hull, and tucked into the stem joint. .

Then the other over the top of the first. I bevel a scrap strip, and carefully as I can, poke the cloth, and smooth the over laps . The overlaps are usually a couple of inches or more.

I haven't used any Filleting mix, After dropping a few hulls off my truck going down the Highway, and none of those gave way ! I'm satisfied with just overlapping the ends !

Now if I was a 100 miles up in the Canadian Bush, I might build my stems with a good fillet, as Alan does !

I like my inside stems to seal the hull and look good, as well as be strong.

I wish I had pics to show, but my gloves are always dripping with epoxy, when I get into the stems , not the time to mess with a camera !

Another reason, I feel my stems are Tough Enough, I glass in flotation chambers,



Jim

 

[dogbrain]

I was only asking about this because I didn't remember this exact topic coming up before. I'm not doing floatation chambers, but I'm pretty sure in canoecraft he cuts the glass short of the stem on the inside, so i went with that. They are using internal stems there, so maybe they feel thats enough in that case. Maybe I should reconsider putting a strip of glass in there before I varnish the inside.

mark

 

[Guest]

When I helped build vacuum infused composite canoes we used to lay app 4" strips of cloth along the inside length of the stem and stern. You had to cut slits so it would make the curve without wrinkles. It was a real pain, but made a stout boat.

 

[DeniseO30]

Let me go on record saying, stems are not that hard to make! unless you try you'll never know! Whether they be steam bent or laminated they look "right" in a canoe


(they are not needed in a strip build)

 

[dogbrain]

I've done stems, I just don't think they're necessary.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Two methods both work, one is easier, takes less time and materials. Builders choice !

Jim

 

[DeniseO30]

Jim, I know this is a total derail of the topic I know, but for those that may be wondering about purpose of a stem in a traditional boat (Delaware Ducker I'm restoring). It is a major structural element in traditional boat building,


The last photo, I really like outer stems, they look good on strip boats to!

 

[Jim Dodd]

Yes Denise !

Restorations, you need to stay with tradition ! That was the best way of the time !

Inner and outer stem are a carry over from that time !

But now we have Epoxy !

Those lap joints are cool in the old Ducker ! Looks like a lot of rot on the ends of the planks ! What are your plans for them ?

Interesting rebuild ! Good Luck !

Jim

 

[DeniseO30]

The plank ends look worse than they really are, if epoxy doesn't save them, I'll scarf on new ends or spline the splits. there will be an outer stem covering the ends of the planks also, the old was one piece sawn white oak, but I made the new as just the inner for now. You probably know there's only one way to chisel the rabbet on curved stem!