OCSS-029 How to Fiberglass PVC Foam Core Panels with Epoxy - Mini-Cruiser Sailboat Build

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In this episode I explain how I like to fiberglass my PVC foam core panels with epoxy as a guide for others who might like to build with these materials. A big congratulations to Yann Quenet who has completed his circumnavigation aboard the home-built 14’ Baluchon!

💵 Donations to help build the boat:
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Opening music produced by Yosef Flumeri. Closing music Playback by Power Glove.
Boat in the outro: Baluchon. Other music is from the Youtube free audio library.

Ocean capable small sailboat, Mini-cruiser, Micro-cruiser, Pocket Cruiser, scow bow, twin keel, PVC foam core, garage DIY boat build, boatbuilding, Ljungstrom rig, #minicruiser #boatbuilding #boatrestoration #refit #sailboat #boat #sailing #solosailing

[tonybarnes]

I have so enjoyed following you, Wave Rover and Sven Yrvind. Thank you for all the excellent content. They call it "a labor of love".

[ottifantiwaalkes]

Hi
I like to pass on some of my decades of use of epoxy and foam board or plywood, as I heard you say you think people use to much epoxy and the glass gives most strength. You would have achieved greater adhesion and strength by having added alot more epoxy resin to your first batch of epoxy. It is always better to lay fiberglass into a well wetted bed of epoxy than to add epoxy from the top. I can see that your second layer of fiberglass was layed down in way to dry of epoxy. Easy to see that it was hungry for more resin. But adding resin from the top will never give the same results as to lay fiberglass in well wetted surface. The same actually goes for the first layer of fiberglass. If you have to add as much as you did to still pretty dry cloth you had not enough in first resin pour. First poor of resin should be almost all you need. Especially with rolling it out.

[johnmorgenthaler]

You should put the 1708 down first as the mat bonds to the foam much better and stronger and the 6oz on top will give you a much
Smoother and better surface.

[thomastaylor]

Welcome back Captain.
Thanks for the content.

[leo]

Good to see another update Captain Perry.

[TornState]

The guy over at trimaran dawn shared a really good tip. He does the first wet out of the foam with epoxy just slightly thickened with the real fine cabosil. Fills the nooks and crannys really well and helps extend the epoxy a bit too i expect. Glad you are back!

[PaulDeCamp]

Welcome back; hope you enjoyed that vaycay. 😊
Larger surfaces are fun to do because they're often easy, and it looks like you got a whole lot done. It's the small little areas that will make you earn your kudos.

[mattevans-koch]

Over feeding the algorithm and enjoying a second watch.

[malymichas]

Started to get worried with your absence, but here you are :) good episode, waiting for part 2 of the deck. Cheers!

[Dlgeis]

For epoxy quantity first weigh the glass you are laying then mix an equal amount in weight of epoxy. That should get you pretty close to the correct ratio. Make adjustments on subsequent batches until you get the ratio of resin to glass. It is important that you cut your glass pretty accurately but it will save time and epoxy.

[ottifantiwaalkes]

As the last coating something like microballon or fairing filler from the epoxy filler assortment or else is best to leave a easy to sand surface ready for primer. Lots of this will be absorbed by resin so you need much more by volume than high strength filler. It often has an offwhite or even brown color. It is extremely light as powder and after use with resin. It is mostly used for fairing. It will even out your Orange peel resin look..

[magicfairydust]

if using epoxy, no need to use 1708. Just use the 17 oz biaxial without the chopped strand sewn to it.

The chopped strand part of it has a binder that dissolves in styrene when using polyester or vinyl Ester resins.

and as a previous commenter suggested, use slightly thickened epoxy as first pour.

And when you need to do any vertical or overhead laminating. helps tremendously.

[BeardedRedfish]

What kind of pvc foam board is that ? Also where did you purchase ?

[MrRombie]

Always looking forward to new episodes. Hope you guys had a great vacation!

[Garryck-]

Welcome back!

It's interesting.. I remember how, back when you began, you weren't really sold on peelply, and tended to think of it in terms of being an expense that would probably be unnecessary. And now, like me, once you're experienced the end results, you're a convert!

Also, a free tip from something I've recently learned.. try and get yourself a "bristle roller" or two. Born out of frustration with getting bubbles out of fibreglass tape at the 3-way, near right-angled corners of my dinghy, I went searching for something better than the standard fin-roller, and discovered bristle rollers. Curious to see if they lived up to their claims, I ordered one. The result?

I AM *NEVER* GOING BACK TO A FIN ROLLER!

Bristle rollers are FAR superior. No more chasing bubbles halfway across a panel to get them to the edge (like we saw you doing in this video). The fine but very stiff bristles will penetrate through multiple layers of cloth and peelply, letting the air escape directly up out of the cloth, rather than just pushing it around. It saves a *lot* of time and effort. Got a dry spot? Pour a little epoxy over it, and hit it with the bristle roller. The bristles will push the epoxy deep into the fibres with a lot less effort than it takes with a fin-roller.

I love mine, and am about to order a longer one, for use on the large outer hull fibreglassing job I have coming up, once the worst of winter Down Under is over.

[SvenYrvindExlex]

Hi
Glad that you are back in the garage.
Also good that Baluchon have completed his circumnavigation.
It is good for the small boat community.
Do you know the beam of his boat?
Regards Yrvind.

[Werytex]

Finally new video! Glad to see your progress of this amazing project!
Waiting for continuation and wish you a good luck!

[craigmonteforte]

I’m really liking the theory you are using years ago i tried experimenting with ConstructionGrade Foam InsulationBoards easily available at big Box Stores and Lumber Yards as a Core forFiberglass resin and Cloth in a attempt to shape a Surfboard or other Water Toy of course the ResinJust dissolved the Foam so i wound up switching to a Wooden Core and Skinned Wake board instead i did cover the exterior in Fiberglass Cloth and Resin it worked as a Wake Board but i knew it was getting. Wet inside and would destroy the project over long term my next large Project will be a Cold Molded skiff and i’ll utilize Marine Grade Plywood for that or Cedar Strips but those will have the ability to be kept indoors when not in use im Looking Foward to seeing your final build i personally have owned 17 or 18 boats throughout my life both Sail and Power, Wooden and Fiberglass hulled and that so far oh of course Aluminum and PVC as well

[alanduncan]

Glad your back. Keep posting the progress.

[Tyr-not-mars]

Thanks for your demonstration ..this is much better than marine ply for boat building..I am guessing your foam panel is 10 mm half inch ?