Attaching the Deck to the hull of an OC or Kayak

[William Dion]

I can use a little help with a question that has partially been answered on the board in a couple of places. In designing the lip/ joint/whatever where the deck and hull are attached does anyone know how to do this when once the Deck and hull are assembled you are no longer able to get inside the interrior of the boat? I am not sure how to build up the joint on the inside or make a lip to recieve the other side. Also, there has been discussion on the glue or adhesive used in this process. But I have been unable to find what is the standard in the industry. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Rox

[ondarvr]

Many use a butt joint, to glass the inside you wet out the glass on a long stick and reach in and flop it in place, a brush or other tools on a long handle are used to adjust its position and roll the air out. On the outside only a cosmetic repair is used.

[zia sail]

I have a similar challenge to Wm Dion's. I have the molds for a 24 ft sailing trimaran, light weight canoe body with a completely closed deck with footwells. The construction should be like kayak or OC1 . But unlike a kayak, there is no access to the inner side of hull-deck joint when joining the two. I can imagine an "H" channel and epoxy and fiberglass tape. (or roll my own lip shape). Any suggestions? Dion did you complete your hull to deck joint?

[Herman]

To add to the previous 2 posts: One of the kayak builders I regularly visit does it like this:

use plenty of tape to hold the butt seam in line / in shape.

Take glass braid (tube) and imprenate it with slightly thickened resin. With a stick with pointy end, manouver it in place, and brush it flat with a brush on a stick. (afterwards the guy washes his head in acetone, which I do not recommend. Actually this is the only advantage of stuff like RST-5, washing resin from skin. It is useless for brushes, rollers or tools)

Then the same is done on the outside, but that is the easy part.

On a non-reachable area, make sure you have a lip on the inside, use plenty of glue, and make sure you think of something to clamp the joint, using screws, rivets or similar.

[William Dion]

Originally Posted by zia sail

I have a similar challenge to Wm Dion's. I have the molds for a 24 ft sailing trimaran, light weight canoe body with a completely closed deck with footwells. The construction should be like kayak or OC1 . But unlike a kayak, there is no access to the inner side of hull-deck joint when joining the two. I can imagine an "H" channel and epoxy and fiberglass tape. (or roll my own lip shape). Any suggestions? Dion did you complete your hull to deck joint?

I am still researching the inside seam. There must be some method that doesn't leave much to chance. Somehow it should be possible to build a lip inside the boat so the top and bottom will sit snug and glue them together along the lip and along the two butt edges.
I hope someone from your industry or the OC one will lend a helping hand on the process.

[William Dion]

Originally Posted by Herman

To add to the previous 2 posts: One of the kayak builders I regularly visit does it like this:

use plenty of tape to hold the butt seam in line / in shape.

Take glass braid (tube) and imprenate it with slightly thickened resin. With a stick with pointy end, manouver it in place, and brush it flat with a brush on a stick. (afterwards the guy washes his head in acetone, which I do not recommend. Actually this is the only advantage of stuff like RST-5, washing resin from skin. It is useless for brushes, rollers or tools)

Then the same is done on the outside, but that is the easy part.

On a non-reachable area, make sure you have a lip on the inside, use plenty of glue, and make sure you think of something to clamp the joint, using screws, rivets or similar.

One question. When he washes his head does he keep his eyes open or closed?

[Fanie]

Not sure what exactly you attempt, but have a look here -

For the 10,000th time... Polyester + plywood.

The only way to get inside the hull would be by ising a hatch or inspection hatch.

Always always always test the suff before you just use it !

[Herman]

What might be possible, if the seam is nice and developed, is to create both halves, use an attachment on your router or grinder, and use diamand tools to grind the product edge to an exact thickness. (both sides).

Now laminate a strip of fiberglass, and glue that to one halve of the part (the hull). The deck now should fit snugly over it. Use glue and screws to hold it in place. This would make fairing and reinforcing on the outside a breeze.

Oh, and the guy washing his hair with acetone, keeps his eyes closed, for as far as I know....

[SamSam]

A British book I had about building kayaks told about bracing the kayak up on end, then wet out a strip of glass tape long enough to reach the point. That was rolled up, and then allowed to unroll inside the kayak and fudged into place. The advantage was gravity was working for you in placing the tape and in somewhat negating the fumes, which sink.

[Herman]

I suggest using epoxy. The unrolling might be handy, but I guess a stick with a pointy end, on which you can stick the end of the glass tape, should do the job as well.

Whatever the system, you still will need to reach in to work the glass tape.