Poor Man's Fiberglass

[beekeeper]

The "Firewood" skiff I built had outside chines. Not sure if they had the plow point Joey mentioned. The boat paddled well enough for what it was. I never thought the chine logs caused any significant issues for a fishing boat.
Since you are planning on using a troll motor they won't be an issue.

 

[ErlerMeyer]

The "Firewood" skiff I built had outside chines. Not sure if they had the plow point Joey mentioned. The boat paddled well enough for what it was. I never thought the chine logs caused any significant issues for a fishing boat.
Since you are planning on using a troll motor they won't be an issue.
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Man, that is a beautiful boat! Is that latex paint that you used? I still have a ways to go before I have to make a decision, but I leaning towards acrylic latex currently.

I started the build last weekend. Finished the transom, bow, and have the ribs (minus the lap joints) ready to assemble. I couldn't get the PMF off my mind and decided to use it on the sideboard butt joint seams since I will have the chine for structural support. Been letting it cure since the weekend under some clamps. Rain and humidity have kept me from working on it since Sunday. We should hopefully have some dryer weather for tomorrow and the rest of the week.

 

[beekeeper]

It has been some time since I painted that boat but I usually use latex exterior or porch paint.
Good luck with the PMF. I think the bubble issues I had was caused by the damp and cold weather.
You may have better results. I recommend leaving it clamped as long as possible and inspect/test it before assembling. If it fails you could always scab a thin piece of plywood or plank over it.

 

[ErlerMeyer]

Well, I thought I would give an update. The past couple of weekends have been spent doing woodworking, just not on the pirogue. I have been building a wheelchair ramp for my grandmother. Almost have it wrapped up and hope to be done on Saturday morning. We have also had some strange weather here in SC. It ended up snowing on Saturday evening. Today, its in the 60's.

Couldn't get the pirogue off my mind today while I was at work, especially with the weather turning out to be as nice as it was. As soon as I had a chance, I took the tarp off the wood in the backyard. The seams looked good and had dried nice and smoothly. I made a quick decision and decided to put canvas and glue on the other sides of the seams. The first side panel I was able to lift and put down with no problems. However, the second panel didn't make it off the table as gracefully. The glued canvas ripped right down the middle of the seam. I didn't let it deter me too much and managed to get the bottom flipped with no rips. I PMF'ed the opposite sides and just put a new piece of canvas over the ripped one. Definitely thinking that wooden butt joints will need to be added to all the seams. As others have stated, it does not look like a structural alternative to epoxy. However, I am hopeful it will help with waterproofing.

 

[Kayak Jack]

You’re a good guy, Erler. Helping your Grandmother earns you an arra boy. Grandmoms are important.

It sounds like you had the sameproblem with that but joint that I had. Fiberglass on only one side of a butt joint is very fragile. I used a 2” wide strip of 4mm okoume glued on one side. Holds like a welded joint.

 

[ErlerMeyer]

You’re a good guy, Erler. Helping your Grandmother earns you an arra boy. Grandmoms are important.

It sounds like you had the sameproblem with that but joint that I had. Fiberglass on only one side of a butt joint is very fragile. I used a 2” wide strip of 4mm okoume glued on one side. Holds like a welded joint.

@Kayak Jack, it's been a blessing to me to be able to help her. Though she is starting to have some health issues, she still has a sharp mind, even in her 90's. COVID has made us cautious of being around as much as we would have like to, but we are there as much as we can be. Helped to move her down from VA about a year ago to live with my parents here in SC.

I am eager to see how the PMF does on both sides. Hearing that fiberglass can be that fragile on only one side of a joint makes me wonder if I might be underestimating the PMF. Only time will tell, I reckon.

The boat building bug has certainly bit me and the kids. My oldest son is ready for us to build a jon boat so more of us can get out on the water. I have been watching Youtube videos of pontoons made out of 55 gallon plastic drums, but really probably shouldn't entertain that idea as much as I have, hahaha!!! Especially as I don't have a trailer or a hitch at the moment.

 

[Kayak Jack]

That was supposed to have been an “atta boy”, but I’m sure you read through my typo. sigh

Families are interesting to see and watch. If you haven’t read “Never Cry Wolf”, let me suggest it to you? It’s a quick read. You will be warmly surprised when he reports on wolf families.

 

[jdupre']

I just looked at a couple of videos of wood/canvas canoe construction. It seems to me that the cloth and filler (paint, I think) are just there to smooth out the hull and add some waterproofing. It seems the hull doesn't depend on the cloth and filler for any structural stregth at all. It might be a good idea to add wood at all wood to wood joints.

 

[Kayak Jack]

You’re correct, Joey. The canvas isn’t structural at all. A friend of mine has his Granddad’s Old Town wood canoe. About 12-15 years ago, when he recovered it, he laid Saran Wrap over the wood first, so the canvas is a loose, waterproof shell around rhe boat.

 

[beekeeper]

Well, I thought I would give an update.

I made a quick decision and decided to put canvas and glue on the other sides of the seams. The first side panel I was able to lift and put down with no problems. However, the second panel didn't make it off the table as gracefully. The glued canvas ripped right down the middle of the seam. I didn't let it deter me too much and managed to get the bottom flipped with no rips. I PMF'ed the opposite sides and just put a new piece of canvas over the ripped one. Definitely thinking that wooden butt joints will need to be added to all the seams. As others have stated, it does not look like a structural alternative to epoxy. However, I am hopeful it will help with waterproofing.

Not sure I understand what you did. If you only had cloth and glue on one side of the joint , it does not surprise me it failed I would think fiberglass and epoxy would have as well. Try clamping a baton along the edge of the panels to stiffen them as you move them. A temp. gunnel of sorts.
In Oct. 2018 I glued (Titebond3)a piece of bed sheet to a scrap piece pf exterior pine plywood. It has been outside alternating between lying on the ground and soaking in a bucket of water. Last year I was able to pull one corner loose. The cloth pulled off, but it took considerable effort. It was more effort than you would subject it to in any boating situation I can think of. Not sure if fiberglass and epoxy would do much better
I also coated and tested 3 pieces of luan at the same time. The one that had only paint delaminated. No surprise.
One was saturated with glue only and the other had glue and was painted . Both are sound. No rot or, separation, only some discolor from the mildew.

 

[ErlerMeyer]

Not sure I understand what you did. If you only had cloth and glue on one side of the joint , it does not surprise me it failed I would think fiberglass and epoxy would have as well. Try clamping a baton along the edge of the panels to stiffen them as you move them. A temp. gunnel of sorts.
In Oct. 2018 I glued (Titebond3)a piece of bed sheet to a scrap piece pf exterior pine plywood. It has been outside alternating between lying on the ground and soaking in a bucket of water. Last year I was able to pull one corner loose. The cloth pulled off, but it took considerable effort. It was more effort than you would subject it to in any boating situation I can think of. Not sure if fiberglass and epoxy would do much better
I also coated and tested 3 pieces of luan at the same time. The one that had only paint delaminated. No surprise.
One was saturated with glue only and the other had glue and was painted . Both are sound. No rot or, separation, only some discolor from the mildew.

@beekeeper the baton idea is brilliant! I will know that for next time. I am happy to report that the seams are holding really well once I coated both sides.

I have made a bunch of progress over the past week since the weather has been nice and sunny here in SC. Once I can figure out how to shrink down the size of the images, I will upload them. Also finished building a Mudskipper Mud Motor for the pirogue using their small kit. That was a fun project in and of itself.

@Kayak Jack I am unfamiliar with the book you mentioned but I will have to read it sometime. Wolves have always fascinated me.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Never Cry Wolf - you’ll like, and learn from it. When you read about wolf behavior in the family, you actually may recognize some behaviors in your human family. (Assuming, of course, that you really are human,) ;-)
Bazinga!