Arne Kverneland wrote:
David and Annie,
I too surely follow this topic with interest! Even though I don’t need that particular kind of boat, I do like plywood as a building material, so I try to learn as much as I can.
One question: I noticed that you pre-coated (float-coated) the bulkheads before erecting them. Do you reckon that they all will have to be painted or varnished later, even the indoors surfaces, or do you plan to leave some of the epoxied surfaces without any further treatment?
Anyway, good luck
from Arne
Annie's kauri cladding has had one coat of resin, to protect it during the building process, and will later need careful hand-sanding and several coats of varnish.
On the reverse side of the bulkheads, and on the insides of the topside panels, if the plywood has had sufficient depth of resin applied, and then sanded, it only needs a light finish-sanding and two coats of paint. Annie and I are both of the opinion that plywood faced with veneers peeled from a log is not good to look at, and should be painted.
Inside lockers, under the cabin sole and under the cockpit, painting is optional. It makes it easier to see black mould and clean it up, and to find things in poor light, but is not essential for protection.
There are some compartments that will be closed off, apart from an inspection hatch in case of damage, and these are best left with a thick, unsanded coat of resin.
The outside of the boat will be left bare until it's all been faired in and sanded smooth, and then it will be glass-sheathed, faired and painted. Below the chine, there will be copper/epoxy antifouling, best put on before the hull is turned over.