Fiberglass weight and cutting the sheerline

[DSJ]

I'm nearly finished stripping my first canoe, an 18.5 white guide. So far, so good!

I've run the strips horizontally, so I'll need to mark and cut the sheer line at some point. Should I mark and cut it before I fiberglass the outside, or would it be better to wait until it's off the stations and turned over, or after the inside is 'glassed too?

Secondly, I'm ready to order the epoxy and cloth, but i'm uncertain as to what weight of cloth I should use and how many layers.

I'm looking for a reasonable compromise betweeen strength and weight. Moderate use, no whitewater.

[Tom in MN]

I am a bit confused by your post. The sheer should be established by the bottom edge of the forms so your first strip on the canoe is the sheer strip. I assume that you are talking about near the ends, since you mention you ran them horizontally. I would fiberglass them first, then rough trim them near the expected sheer and attach the gunnels, using a gauge board with slot cut in it to set the inwale and outwale even. I normally leave a bit of the hull sticking above my gunnels, a 1/4" or so , and then use a router with a guide fence and bearing flush trim bit and run it along the gunnels and trim the hull down even with the gunnels, then a bit of final sanding to finish them off.

6 oz cloth on each side is my standard. This should suffice and if you are not too worried about weight, place an additional piece of 6 oz. cloth on the exterior football area. Lay the two layers out at once.

[DSJ]

Thanks for the fast reply.
I guess I should have been a bit clearer.
Rather than letting the initial strip establish the sheer line, I started at the lowest point on the centre station, then placed it level around the canoe.

I then filled in below to the ends , letting the strips run long so there is room to adjust the final placement of the sheerline.

When it's finished, there will be mostly end grain showing between the gunnels. I think it'll look interesting

[Denis]

Most cut sheer line before glassing. Take your time doing it and it will simplify adding inwales and outwales

Your sheer lines are marked I hope on the forms and you transfer that mark to the exterior of the hull then join the points with a batten then cut out

One layer of 6 oz cloth inside and out is all that is required if you are using 1/4 inch thick strips. Be sure cloth is epoxy compatible if you are buying from someone local.

Denis

[Rick]

The 6 oz fiberglass and epoxy added only about 20% to the total weight, so for me the way to save the most weight would have been in the wood selection.... Huron @ 53 pounds.

Adding an extra layer of glass onto the bottom added on another pound and a half... it may have helped after running onto some sharp rocks lurking at various places and in some easy whitewater... the fiberglass dented and bruised white, did not tear open.

[vann evans]

I used 6 oz cloth on both the inside and outside of my Freedom 15. I added a second layer of 4oz cloth on the football. As said earlier, put the second layer on last, but wet out both layers at the same time. Make sure you get all of the wrinkles out of the first layer before laying out the second layer.

I only applied one layer of epoxy resin on the inside so that the cloth texture would still be apparent. Even after 2 coats of varnish, there was still enough texture that the inside was not slick or slippery.
Vann Evans