Huntsman 31

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Not a lot to show for another days work, mainly waiting for epoxy to harden, the inside had a coat of thinned epoxy yesterday along with the inside of the transome.

A piece of tape held the shape of the transome while the epoxy cured.

Before it was fitted today, and then a second coat of thinned resin on the inside.

I think you must have been unlucky with your transome Colin as ours went round the curve quite easily after a bit of steam on the outside.

The bows are about there now.

The glass fibre and more resin are on order and should be here this week, we can then get the hulls finished.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Away with the Faireys again.

Glass fibre cut over size and laid on the hulls.

The first hull is finished and the second one on its way,16 grams of thinned epoxy resin was enough for each hull.

Back to rigging the main mast on the Zulu while the resin cures, we should be able to get the second coat on later today in this warm weather.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Hi Eddie

The best results for epoxy are obtained on what's called "wet on wet". As soon as the first coat has gelled and is robust enough not to wipe off, you can put another coat on. This creates a homogenous chemical bond as if it is one layer. Technically if the epoxy fully cures it should be cleaned and abraded before extra coats. A bit academic for our purposes maybe because epoxy is such a good adhesive. It is more important if you are using polyester resins.

I think your twin build is fantastic. More Faireys this year than perhaps ever before.

Great progress

Tim R

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Not unlucky with the transom Eddie. It was my own fault, I kept offering it up and bending it dry without steaming.

Live and learn!

Keep up the good work.

Colin

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Tim, yes the second coat has just gone on, I remembered your advice from a previous post.

We have now started to think about the colour schemes for the two boats, we don’t want them to be the same, we are already having some difficulty in identifying them.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

You've overtaken me already! Just about to do the cloth and resin. I keep getting distracted!

You've done well to do the cloth in one piece. I can do the hull bottom in one but when trying to do the sides as well I ended up with too many wrinkles etc. and in danger of damaging the cloth.

Chris

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Chris, It did go on rather easier than I expected it would in one piece, the sides and bottom panels all come together nicely at the bows, as Dave INSTRUCTED we used the 1oz. glass fibre.

Eddie.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Painting the cabin roofs different colours would be a good way to identify them. Especially if you want to stick to the classic profile colours.

Another difference could be either a blue or a white transom.

Colin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Hi Eddie

I'm using the same weight of cloth. Tried going down the sides again but the cloth bunches up too much along the chine so reverted to my usual method of bottom skins in one and sides and transom in separate pieces. I'm using Eze-Kote though which doesn't fill the weave as much and probably isn't as sticky as the resin you are using.

No problem though, I put a few coats on and end up with a nice finish ready for painting after a fine sanding.

Plenty of combinations for colourschemes just using the classic dark blue and white. One could mirror the other.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 23/05/2020 23:58:42

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I used Eze Kote on the Swordsman, yes, you do need more coats but it dries quickly enough and I found it makes it easier to flatten the cloth than epoxy but whether you use one or the other is very much a personal preference.

Colin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Yes, I've not used anything else and like the fact there are little if any fumes and as you say the quick drying. I find that as I work my way around the hull I can start over coating it again. Finished the cloth this morning (wine stopped play last night) and then put another couple of coats on after a light sanding and didn't have to wait for drying it was so quick.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 24/05/2020 16:11:08

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

I have just ordered this kit, along with the odds and ends needed, but won't start building it straight away, I've one on the bench to finish first, which will give me time to familiarise myself with the kit. I have the review in the 2018 Winter Special, so that will help me through the build.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Dave, Wellcome to the land of the Fairey’s😄, these kits make boat building quite easy as long as you take your time at each stage. Keep us informed of your progress.

Good luck.

Eddie.

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

Thanks, Eddie, I'll post progress when I make a start. I've just read through the kit review and the original construction article from jan/feb 2016 and will read them until I can recite them in my sleep before I get stuck in!

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Latest news from Fairey land. If you are looking in Dave M.please go and pour yourself a large JD. before going any further.

I thought it would be a lot easier to prepare the hull for final painting at this stage, before the spray rails are fitted, with all of my previous builds, around eight now, I have found that 90% of the first coat of primer filler is removed,and this gives a far better indication of the areas that need attention,so after three light coats of filler to get a solid colour, this was rubbed down, just leaving paint in the low areas,most of them were filled with the paint, but a few needed additional filler added and then rubbed down.

Most of the paint and filler have been cut back to the glass and resin so that the cyno gell is applied to the resin and not onto the paint layer.

The next job was to fit the spray rails, a job I was not looking foward to, but with a bit of thought it all went quite well.

 

The first one fitted, using a length of tape as a guide.

All the spray rails fitted plus the prop shaft and rudder tube.

Regards.

Eddie.

with tin hat at the ready.

Edited By Eddie Lancaster on 25/05/2020 20:10:22

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

No this is not a Fairey wand.

I made a former the shape of the bow,and after steaming the mahogany rubbing strip bent it around the former to help when fitting it to the hull.

The deck is now fitted using a slow set epoxy, the hull has had the filler primer coat applied, after sealing the deck the rubbing strip will be fitted then onto the cabin and finish fitting the electrics.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

No this is not a Fairey wand.

I made a former the shape of the bow,and after steaming the mahogany rubbing strip bent it around the former to help when fitting it to the hull.

The deck is now fitted using a slow set epoxy, the hull has had the filler primer coat applied, after sealing the deck the rubbing strip will be fitted then onto the cabin and finish fitting the electrics.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

That was a very good plan for the rubbing strip Eddie.

I am impressed (and slightly envious) of your progress. It's all looking very good indeed.

Not sure how I am going to tackle my deck as the panel supplied in my older kit is just plain plywood. Looks like I may have to invest in a decent pen! And borrow some of Job's patience.

Tim R

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Tim, progress is so good because I have no other distractions such as shopping, housework and cooking to do.

One possible snag with.the new lined deck is that the hull has to match the outline of the deck exactly as you cannot sand anything off the edge of the deck without it effecting the look of the planking.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Posted by Tim Rowe on 26/05/2020 22:12:20:

That was a very good plan for the rubbing strip Eddie.

I am impressed (and slightly envious) of your progress. It's all looking very good indeed.

Not sure how I am going to tackle my deck as the panel supplied in my older kit is just plain plywood. Looks like I may have to invest in a decent pen! And borrow some of Job's patience.

Tim R

Hi Tim

You could always plank it. That was going to be my course of action with the Swordsman though I'm looking at laser etching now.

Eddie

You did well to keep the shadow of the tutu out of the photo! Boat's taking shape nicely.

Chris

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

You could just plank it which is what I did with my Huntsman. More work but it will look even better than a marked plywood deck. If you do then you may need to raise the coamings by the thickness of the planking.

I used the planked overlay for my Swordsman as it was obviously less work and matched the similarly marked overlays for the aft cabin roof, cockpit floor and seats. It would have looked odd to have a mixture.

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop on 27/05/2020 10:27:00

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

Straight planking is hard enough ! Curved planks with caulking !! No thanks lifes too short 😯

Good quality black ink pen with a trammel from the deck edge, but not easy to correct it you slip !!

Regards Ray

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Yes, sharp curves can be difficult which is why even owners of full size boats have opted for straightish planking which is what I did on my Huntsman. It was easy enough and reasonably effective.

Colin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Posted by Ray Wood 2 on 27/05/2020 10:15:48:

Hi All,

Straight planking is hard enough ! Curved planks with caulking !! No thanks lifes too short 😯

Good quality black ink pen with a trammel from the deck edge, but not easy to correct it you slip !!

Regards Ray

What Ray, for a man of your calibre and skills!

Chris

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

The problem with ink is that it can soak into the wood and produce a smudgy effect. You can get very fine paint/permanent markers which you could use on an already sealed and varnished surface. If you make a mistake you can the wipe it off immediately. Afterwards put another layer of varnish over the top to protect the lining.

Colin

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