> I am building a cedar strip kayak working with the West System 105 resin
> and
> 206 hardner. I have some Questions regarding a procedure I will be facing
>
> were you attach the deck to the hull. My kayak will have no deck hatches
> to access the typical seam tapping of the inside of the sheer line.
> What I am hoping to do is Epoxying a long strip of something like
> ensolite foam to the inside of the hull the full length of the sheer
> lines before I clamp on the deck. This strip of ensolite (about 3/8"
> square and 18.5' long)will just act as a retainer to hold a 1/4" bead of
> thicken epoxy that will be used to glue the deck to the hull on the
> inside. The outside will have the
> sheer line glassed with 6oz 3" seam tape. My strips at the sheer line
> have been back beveled to 40 degrees to accommodate this thickened
> resin I hope to squish in here. I have a couple of questions regarding
> the thickening of the resin and also others opinions of this method and
> or diferent methods that have worked you.
>
> -I have purchased a product called "mini fibers" that I will add to the
> resin for thickening and I was wondering about its strength compared to
> silica or the wood dust from my orbital sander as a filler.
>
> -If I go with the mini fibers I see it cures white in color and
> wondering when the stuff squishes out of the sheer line area onto the
> hull and deck should I clean up the excess while its still wet and with
> what?
>
> -My boat is an eighteen and a half foot "Panache" from Bob Macks and
> will be used in calm waters. I realize my proposed method is not as good
> the seam tape
> inside and out but hoping as I am not going with hatches nor planing to
> be in open seas it will be an ok option? Also a variation to this would
> be to go with the ensolite and thickened epoxy just in the compatments
> between the bulk heads and the ends of the boat and then giving the
> cockpit area the proper seam tape method. What do you think?
>

> Thank you very much
> Wayne Bergman
>
> bergmans@bc.sympatico.ca