Over this past month, I have successfully created two matching fiberglass boat hulls for my vessel. For a task I undertook after watching a YouTube video and asking "How hard could it be?", it went fairly well. Yes, there were a few unexpected detours, but the results speak for themselves. I began with a trip to my local WestMarine, where I found out that epoxy-resin is kind of expensive, around $100 for 40 fl. Oz. With the epoxy, I also purchased some fiberglass cloth and PVA mold release (more on that later). The process of molding the fiberglass is quite long, so the "My Process" page will have a more detailed description. Anyway, once the hull was formed and the epoxy dried, I began the task of taking it out of the mold. Here's where that PVA mold release comes back to bite my rear. What is supposed to happen is that the PVA creates a plastic barrier that allows easy separation of the mold from the hull; It did not. By the time I was done extracting the hull, the mold was gone, reduced to atoms. But I needed two hulls, what was I to do? Experiment! I got the bright idea to mold the second hull off of the first using the PVA. You would never guess, but it didn't come off. Slightly ticked off at this point, I was more inclined to... violent methods. To show you the power of MySheerDetermination™... After repairing it with yet more epoxy, the end product was two mostly symmetric hulls. Together, they should be large enough to hold up to 100 pounds in the water, more than enough for my purposes. The next step is to create the rest of the frame.
3 Comments
Mary Ellen Carsley
10/6/2022 11:08:44
HA! HA! Love the picture! All sounds good! Keep up the strong effort. Let me know if you need anything for your college apps and don't forget we have a Fellows Lunch next Friday, October 14th.
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Mary Ellen Carsley
10/20/2022 08:02:56
Don't forget your 10/15 blog post. Let me know if you need anything for college apps.
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Mary Ellen Carsley
12/16/2022 12:05:37
Will, please update your blog as soon as possible. You are now two posts behind!
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