This weekend we had to split our attention between the new boat and the old. The first snow arrived slightly up the mountain just in time for the end of the sailing season. So we pulled the monohull out of the water and brought her home. Back at Ye Olde Boat House, we finished shaping the bow on the starboard float. With the hull rotated in the proper, upright orientation, I glassed the bow with two layers of 12-oz. bi-directional glass. While waiting or the the first layer to kick, I laminated the various reinforcements in high load areas, and where hardware will be installed. We are now ready for skim coating and final fairing (which is no trip to the fair!).
I also spent lots'o time cutting fabric in preparation for laminating the foam sheets that I prepped last week. Here is a shot of the vacuum laminating table all set up for vacuum work. These will be the largest pieces I have vacuum laminated, and the sheets will take up most of the table (note vacuum pump relegated to the floor). Rather than spending the next two weeks punching holes in the foam for two sided vacuum laminating, I decided to just glass one side at a time. Although it will take twice as long under vacuum, I think I can finish in a long weekend. I'll wet out the glass on the top surface, place under vacuum until initial cure, flip it over and repeat.
Here is a photo of all of the glass, foam, and vacuum layers pre-cut and neatly stacked, awaiting the start of the vacuum work. This represents about four hours of measuring and cutting. I could take up tailoring, but I doubt the fashion industry would go for glass-reinforced plastic suits (okay, maybe some fashion sub-cultures would go for it).
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