Redbird Redux ... Or Finally Get Back to Work.

[shawnkielty]

Hi All,

After some time moving and a variety of repairs to my new home, I am finally getting back to work on the Redbird. Moving the boat right after the first side was glassed was interesting and probably I should have rented a trailer and moved it while still on the mold.

There is a small bit of damage where the hull has a interesting deflection in the bottom that appears to be a crack along one of the joints near the whiskey strip. the first image should show this.

Initially I thought the next step would be to flip it over and glass the inside, but now, I think I would like to try to restore the original form, but it seems a bit difficult a best. I am going to put it back on the form and strap it in place, then add a small football of glass to cover the bottom equally on each side of the centerline, assuming that I will be able to pull the form together once it's back on the mold. At that point I think I can proceed as expected.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I've included some shots of me rebuilding the strongback.

[shawnkielty]

For whatever unknown reason, I am unable to attach any photos.

[Jim Dodd]

I had a guy climb into one of my hulls years ago. When he was getting out, I heard a crack. After getting it home, I found the crack. I never let anyone in my boats on dry land, again.
The canoe was glassed with one layer inside and out.
Since then I always double the outside football.
A lesson I learned the hard way.

Good luck on your Bird !

Jim

[Cruiser]

Hard to visualize without the pics/

However I have read that applying the glass to one side can cause distortion issues ... wood like to move with temp and humidity changes, with glassing one side, one side can move, one side can't. I can think of all sort of scenarios, maybe that is what happened here.



Brian

[Patricks Dad]

About posting pictures...

You need to have your picture stored somewhere (else) so that you can capture a url that points to the picture...
Then simply insert that url into the text that is generated when you hit the 9th button above your text window (it looks like a mountain with a sun or moon above it). Place your text between the "]["

You can do a preview before submitting to make sure it works.

Any link should work. I generally upload my pictures to facebook and use the "Copy link" feature there to get the link.

Hope this helps and good luck with your build! The redbird is an awesome design.

[shawnkielty]

https://scontent.fsac1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=60346E8C <try this.

[shawnkielty]

Not entirely sure this is going to work (the images). I put them up on the blog and linked in line [edited].

This is a summary of yesterday's efforts. Notice the use of a monofilament line to create a CL for the strongback.

https://shawnkielty.blogspot.com/2021/0 ... gress.html

https://shawnkielty.blogspot.com/2021/0 ... gress.html

[shawnkielty]

Well -- so I have patched the bottom, which seems ok at the moment.

Since it's been some time since I worked on the canoe I wet sanded the area to be patched to help create a mechanical bond for the new layer of epoxy. I waited till the warmest part of the day (67 F.) and layed down a patch of glass and epoxy, assuming that the epoxy would be cured before the temperature dropped to it's overnight temp.

I woke up early this morning and the epoxy was milky and reticulated, and the surface was slightly tacky. The temperature outside was 48 F. I moved everything inside, turned on the heater, and now the milkyness seems to have cleared. The temperature hasn't really increased much despite the heater being on, but the tackyness is gone. It's a little bit difficult to conclude that the heater made any contribution to the clearing of the milkyness, but it is clear to me that the curing time of the epoxy was definitely retarded by the temperature.





Applying the patch



Reticulation



Milkyness.

[Jim Dodd]

Yes, temp is a big thing when cure time is involved.
You will need to fill the weave on the patch.
Now that you have the patched wetted out and past tacky ? Keep it inside and add fill coats about an hour apart, until the weave is filled. Two, maybe three coats on the flat.

Use a scraper, ( carbide if you can find one) to clean up the runs and feather the edge of the patch. Do this about 24 hrs later. The epoxy should be set enough, and it will be easy. The longer you wait, the harder it is to scrape ! Don't do any sanding for at least a week. Longer is better.

Wish it was warm enough here to work on my canoes this time of year. (Jealous)

Pics look good.

Jim

[shawnkielty]

Hi Jim, Brian.

Thanks for your comments. The weather here is just commenting now about spring, and that means that it can be somewhat nice. The last day of possible frost here is 2/21, and even at best, it's hardly a frost. I have a pretty good space here and what I have been referring to as "inside" is a heated shop, but it's a space heater and we don't usually run it overnight. There are several covered spaces and some storage, which can protect from the rain and allow the earth to warm them a bit. Last week we had a real storm, which had a few inches of rain and 50 mile an hour winds, which included my Eucalyptus tree shedding most of it's limbs up to 6" and fears of the roof leaving the house. Some of the wood storage got moved out into the yard by the wind. Today is a soggy wet with a bit of wind.

Yesterday I did get a few coats of the epoxy on to the glass and the patch looks to be a success. There is a bit of the weave still showing through, but the "crack" and deformation are all filled in and won't be visible on the outside. There are some rough spots and sags on the balance of the outside, which will require some scraping and sanding to get back to fair. I think based on your advice now I will flip it over and glass the inside, rather than sand the outside now.

The hull seems very strong now.

Thanks again.

Shawn

[shawnkielty]

Patched and sanded.

[shawnkielty]

Ready for last coat of epoxy. I am hoping it will warm up a bit.

[Cruiser]

Not sure why they haven't dealt with this ElisMoss, it is obviously some sort of troll on the board ....