GP build

[Mihun09]

Was just thinking... up here they have a white plastic they use for winterizing boats, it is a heat shrink wrap system. If you could get that and wrap the GP then heat shrink it tight to the boat you would have potentially a better system than saran wrapping the entire thing. If you could also wax the heat shrink film it might just give you the ideal form for your Carbon copy.

 

[Alan Gage]

Was just thinking... up here they have a white plastic they use for winterizing boats, it is a heat shrink wrap system. If you could get that and wrap the GP then heat shrink it tight to the boat you would have potentially a better system than saran wrapping the entire thing. If you could also wax the heat shrink film it might just give you the ideal form for your Carbon copy.

I've seen that. Looks like interesting stuff. I imagine you'd have to wrap the boat with it which would be difficult but not impossible with the forms in place. Wonder how much compressive force it has and if it could distort the hull shape between forms?

Something to keep in mind for future projects but for the GP I'm planning to give the hull a real good polish and waxing and then cross my fingers that it releases.

Thanks for thinking of me!

Alan

 

[Boatman53]

I have actually done quite a bit of shrink wrapping on big boats. The plastic is pretty expensive even if you can find someone to sell you 18 to 20' . When it is in full contact with something behind it it often wrinkles. The forms would not be a problem and I don't think it would deform the hull but ending at the stems would be a challenge. If the hull shape has any hollow to it the shrink film will bridge it eliminating the hollow. It also likes a big torch. If you try a propane torch with a flame spreader tip it is hard to get a uniform shrink. Stop moving the torch for a split second and you burn a hole in the film. Did that many times, but as a winter cover it is easy to patch on your project a patch would not be good.
I'm not saying not to try it just sharing what I know.
Jim

 

[Mihun09]

I have actually done quite a bit of shrink wrapping on big boats. The plastic is pretty expensive even if you can find someone to sell you 18 to 20' . When it is in full contact with something behind it it often wrinkles. The forms would not be a problem and I don't think it would deform the hull but ending at the stems would be a challenge. If the hull shape has any hollow to it the shrink film will bridge it eliminating the hollow. It also likes a big torch. If you try a propane torch with a flame spreader tip it is hard to get a uniform shrink. Stop moving the torch for a split second and you burn a hole in the film. Did that many times, but as a winter cover it is easy to patch on your project a patch would not be good.
I'm not saying not to try it just sharing what I know.
Jim

I believe part of the uniqueness of this site is at some point there is someone with first hand experience with materials someone may be thinking of trying in a different way. It is like a knowledge bank and it draws in others who are seeking to tap into the knowledge that exists here.

 

[Jim Dodd]

It sounds like an interesting experiment.
I'm sure Alan could locate that heavy boat shrink wrap, being up near the Iowa Great lakes. But I think just stretching it over forms. The forms would show through. Leaving high spots. Especially when you start laying the weight of the cloth and resin on.

The problems I had with shrink wrap over a hull, was getting it, wrinkle free, and getting it to stay tight against the hull in the tumblehome area.

I believe Alan's on the right track with a release agent, a water soluble wax type. That's what the pros use to my understanding.

Jim

 

[Mihun09]

I wasn't thinking of it just over the forms but over the entire hull once finished and before coming off the forms.

 

[Boatman53]

I took it to mean over the completed hull not just over the forms. Now that I think about it you wouldn't need to buy 18' or so because it comes in wide rolls up to 20' wide. You would just need to buy about 5~6' of a wide roll. Not so bad on the cost that way. Lay it over the hull and fasten to the strong back. But the stems and other issues are still in play.
Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

I wasn't thinking of it just over the forms but over the entire hull once finished and before coming off the forms.

Sorry for the confusion I created !
It was actually a thought that I had, that if the boat shrink plastic was stiff enough. It might work, just over the forms. Like a skin on frame canoe.

I need to investigate this boat "shrink" plastic a little more !

Again for a tumblehomed boat, you have problems keeping the plastic tight to the concaved area of the tumblehome. On my Kevlar build, I used double sided tape. Wrinkles were my real enemy.
Again sorry for the confusion !

By the way, I used Window heat shrink plastic on my builds. Much thinner, and I believe the root of some of the problems I had !


Jim

 

[Alan Gage]

Outside has been fiberglassed and what I hope is the last fill coat went on tonight:

20151129_001 by Alan, on Flickr

20151129_002 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan

 

[Boatman53]

Nice job Alan. I don't usually like a lot of different colors on the strippers but I like yours.
Jim

 

[Alan Gage]

Nice job Alan. I don't usually like a lot of different colors on the strippers but I like yours.
Jim

Thanks. I know what you mean. I'm ok with this one but I think I'm about done matching up strips and making patterns. I tend to prefer the random look.

Alan

 

[Jim Dodd]

I like it ! Great job !

Will you sand before taking a composite copy off ?

How did you like the Pro build epoxy ?

I think I can see the bias strip, in the bottom pic. Did you add an extra layer of cloth to the bottom ?

Things I need to know, when I WIN this canoe ! HA !

Jim

 

[stripperguy]

Alan,
It does look sweet...and somehow you've gotten even faster. You're the "Flash" of strip building!!
Is this the first build with filler strips at the stems? I like the look of strips parallel to the waterline, but also like strips that follow the sheer. Have you ever thought about tapered filler strips? One of my boat buddies did tapered strips for his decks, looks really, really nice.
Somebody is gonna be a lucky paddler, I hope they can appreciate the skill and effort built into this boat.

 

[memaquay]

Looks great!

 

[Alan Gage]

I like it ! Great job !

Will you sand before taking a composite copy off ?

Yes. I'll sand it smooth, or nearly so, then give it one more skim coat before polishing and waxing.

How did you like the Pro build epoxy ?

Jury is still out. I like the long open time that comes with the 'slow' but I think it's a little thicker than the Raka stuff. I don't know what's in the stuff but it eats those white cigar rollers. It doesn't seem to affect the large black foam rollers I get at the hardware store, although the Raka does soften them.

I think I can see the bias strip, in the bottom pic. Did you add an extra layer of cloth to the bottom ?

Yes, a few extra layers at the stems. Otherwise just a single layer of 6oz.

Things I need to know, when I WIN this canoe ! HA !

I hope you do!

 

[Alan Gage]

Alan,
Is this the first build with filler strips at the stems? I like the look of strips parallel to the waterline, but also like strips that follow the sheer. Have you ever thought about tapered filler strips? One of my boat buddies did tapered strips for his decks, looks really, really nice.
Somebody is gonna be a lucky paddler, I hope they can appreciate the skill and effort built into this boat.

I've done a couple where I've filled in the shear. Probably could have gotten by with it on this one but it seems to make stripping easier after the bilge turn. Less twist in the strips. Never thought of tapering the filler strips and doubt I'd go to that much trouble. I'm sure it would look nice though. I have been thinking of tapering the feature strip in the deck if I do it similarly to the one I did last year. It created an optical illusion where the feature strip appeared to get wider closer to the stem, which isn't attractive. So I'm thinking of tapering it to counteract that illusion.

20150201_006 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan

 

[Canotrouge]

Hey Alan, how many hours from start to finish does it take you usually to make such canoe??

 

[Alan Gage]

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Hey Alan, how many hours from start to finish does it take you usually to make such canoe??

I've only kept track on one of my builds, the tandem I built for the nature center last year. That one took just under 120 hours. Some go faster and some go slower depending on how bogged down I get in the details.

Alan

 

[Canotrouge]

Thank you!!

 

[Alan Gage]

Tomorrow this beautiful canoe will turn into a temporary mold for a carbon/kevlar version. So tonight I wanted to post this picture just in case, you know, things don't go so well.

20151209_001 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan