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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Boat Builders and Repair :: Pearl Build
 
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1JimD
08/13/2015 07:50AM
 
Well I put the pearl to water last night.
I love this design, stable, enough flare to handle waves, and fast enough for me.


Thanks for following along !


Jim
 
1JimD
05/07/2015 07:26PM
 
Inside cloth laid in
Cloth wetted out
I had several places that out gassed, and left little craters. Air bubbles caused by air trapped in the hull, or from staple holes. When the resin starts to cure, it creates heat, and air in the hull expands and forms a bubble. I usually deal with this by heating the hull with a blow drier. This usually works, but not this time.
I believe I've got it controlled.


Now I will leave the canoe undisturbed for about a week. Next , install flotation chambers.


Jim
 
1JimD
10/05/2015 07:18PM
 
Old friend paddles my Pearl.



Jim
 
opolka
05/03/2015 09:30AM
 
Looking good. You can tell the weather is getting nicer by the lack of new content on the forums. I'm really enjoying watching everyone doing the same projects in so many different ways. Great way to find something that works for me.


I got the inside of my build sanded last night and am starting that glassing in about an hour. Gonna be a good day for it!
 
opolka
05/03/2015 09:35AM
 
quote 1JimD: " Favorite hand sanding tools for the inside of the hull.










Jim"



Thanks for the tips. I didn't have too many issues with the main part of the inside of the hull, but the tumblehome and sides by the stems was a pain (as I'm sure you are all aware). Ill have to try this idea on my next build and see how much easier it makes my life.
 
opolka
03/31/2015 09:13AM
 
I understand bottom for resin and top for hardener. But I was referring to having 2 bottom lines and 2 top lines
 
opolka
03/30/2015 07:51PM
 
Very sexy. I'm curious what kind of wood the very light and very dark is. Love the contrast. And did you assemble the checker board design first and then apply the strip? Or build the design piece by piece on the hull? And what's with the double 2 lines on your cups?
 
1JimD
04/02/2015 05:03PM
 
Aspen, I must give Al Gustafson(SPL) former owner of North West Canoe, credit for the idea.


Yes, those are knots. As I stated earlier the Pearl was stripped with leftovers.
I'd avoid knots if you can ! They may look cool, but require more work.
Given the choice, I'd go knotless everytime !


Jim
 
SaganagaJoe
08/09/2015 05:28PM
 
That's good to know, thanks Jim.
 
ILcdr
04/01/2015 08:48PM
 
Thanks for the confirmation on using aspen. I looking at it awhile back and thinking it would work for accents.
 
amhacker22
03/31/2015 08:31AM
 
I'm guessing the 1st line is the epoxy fill line & the 2nd line is for hardener. That's a great & clean way to do it. I had always used separate cups and combined them. I think this put my mix off a little bit between cups/batches. I'd also put down a lot of sticky cups making my workspace that much messier & stickier.


Great idea!
 
1JimD
03/31/2015 07:29PM
 
quote opolka: "Very sexy. I'm curious what kind of wood the very light and very dark is. Love the contrast. And did you assemble the checker board design first and then apply the strip? Or build the design piece by piece on the hull? And what's with the double 2 lines on your cups? "


I strip both sides up to where the light strip is, and then piece build it from there.


The wood combination is the white is Aspen, Menards has it. It's great to work with. Some of the dark is cedar, and some redwood.
This boat was built from leftovers, mostly from friends, that I machined strips for. When they are only building one canoe, they usually bring the leftover strips back to me.
I hate throwing things away !


Sharp eyes guys ! I did a double check on my cups, as I was needing more marked. The Red line is correct on these. I also used a different measuring container. Spooky that they didn't come out the same ! I have not had any problems in the past either ! Must be a fair amount of leeway in the epoxy ratio.



Jim
 
amhacker22
03/31/2015 11:37AM
 
My bad. Now I'm curious too.
 
1JimD
07/04/2015 05:28PM
 
A few more pics of my Pearl build. Sorry for the delays, but that's life.








Jim
 
1JimD
03/30/2015 06:56PM
 
Put the seal coat on Pearl.
Still too tacky for the cloth, so I'll post a few
First my mixing table set up.

Jim
 
1JimD
04/21/2015 07:36AM
 
No offense what so ever ! I totally agree on the knots.
I have Pearl off the forms. Hopefully today I can get some pics, and a weight.


Jim
 
1JimD
05/12/2015 05:43PM
 
Put together flotation chambers,for Pearl. Have one fit.
I have screw type bilge plugs to install, so I will glass at least part of the back side. Jim
 
1JimD
08/08/2015 10:15AM
 
DONE !!
Here's a few pics.
Thanks for following along !


Jim
 
1JimD
04/22/2015 10:38AM
 
Pulled the Kevlar hull off of Pearl.
Sanded the outsides of both, and Pearl is off the forms.
Time to weigh.
The Kevlar, with a layer of 6 oz E-glass, and a layer of 6 oz S-glass up to about the 6" waterline, weighs in at 15#. I'll be adding more glass, and a wood insert to the floor, but 15# is great.


Pearl with a layer of 6oz E-glass, and a layer of 6 oz S-glass to about the 4" waterline weighs 30#.
Quite a difference !
Heres a pic.


Jim
 
SaganagaJoe
08/08/2015 05:30PM
 
Good job Jim, looks beautiful. How's the kevlar copy coming?
 
amhacker22
08/08/2015 02:00PM
 
Beautiful!
 
1JimD
08/08/2015 10:32PM
 
Thanks Joe.


I have the inwhales and decks glued, and screwed in the Kevlar. I really want to get it done, so I can make a comparison, paddling them !


Jim
 
mkdixon
08/09/2015 10:09AM
 
Hi Jim


I like the canoe paddle shaped flotation tanks on either end. Have you thought of making some paddles to match those? Probably not practical to make them out of those materials. I assume they'd be a bit fragile.


One question on those tanks; Are they as much a way to hide the bow and stern areas as opposed to a necessity on a composite boat that has no inherent flotation? Is the buoyancy of the cedar core sufficient for a boat like this? Just wondering about your thoughts on this since I'll be building my first boat this coming winter.
 
1JimD
05/02/2015 06:02PM
 
Have the inside of Pearl sanded.
Because of the tumblehome, I needed to hand sand most of the hull, Those foam pool noodles cut about 5" long work great with sand paper wrapped on them !
I also used stiff sanding discs, the kind they put on big angle grinders, I believe they come in 36, and 50 grit. They work great, to get into the ends ! The 5" ones, are flexible enough to wrap around pool noodle foam. I finished up with 150 grit. One could stop with 80 or 100 grit. I had the time to sand.
Here's a couple of pics. Notice the center form is still in on one ! I believe strapping it in, holds the hull in shape, until I glass the inside.

Jim
 
1JimD
08/09/2015 12:21PM
 
Hi MKDIXON


I could make paddles to match, and someday probably will. Cedar is fine, so long as you reinforce with fiberglass.


A cedar strip hull will float, just barely above the waterline. If you push it down, it takes a long time to return to the surface. I've tipped over enough times, that I'm sold on the flotation chambers !


My main purpose of the tanks IS flotation ! I always completely finish the ends, but you don't need to sand the inside ends as much. It also provides an opportunity to personalize your craft.


I wouldn't consider building without flotation !


Jim
 
mkdixon
08/09/2015 01:44PM
 
Thanks Jim, that's a convincing argument for flotation tanks.
 
Cedarboy
04/03/2015 01:53PM
 
The reason you avoid knots is they hold tree sap and epoxy wont saturate the knot as well as it does clear wood. They have been known to cause the boat to delaminate at the knot. Always start with good clear strips, no knots. Sorry don't mean to offend, just a very important part of building that nobody ever seems to address. A lesson I learned for Al.
CB
 
MacCamper
04/02/2015 04:22PM
 
I really like the look of your craft and continue to edge closer to my build project aspen highlights are a real knock out. Are those knots in the hull?
 
1JimD
06/14/2015 09:48AM
 
Pearl has been feeling neglected lately with me spending so much time on my Kevlar Pearl.
So I cut gunnels and decks. Have the decks fitted.
One thing about this point in the build, I seem to relax and enjoy the work more than the glassing part.
Anyway here is a few pics.


All my spring clamps are busy !



Jim

 
1JimD
05/02/2015 07:21PM
 
Favorite hand sanding tools for the inside of the hull.








Jim
 
1JimD
08/10/2015 07:43PM
 
one more pic




Jim
 
ILcdr
08/10/2015 08:50PM
 
Very nice boat.
That's good to know about cedar. I always wondered, but never tested it.