Fiberglass Tape Issue

[WesS]

Hey guys- I just finished putting my first coat of paint on my boat and where the fiberglass tape ends I can see it through the paint. All joints were taped on the outside and the whole boat covered in cloth. I sanded down the tape edges and after the cloth applied 4 coats of West Systems 105. Sanded, washed of the blush. Did everything I thought I was to do. I probably didn't need the outside tape, but its a hunting boat and will be rammed into trees, breaking ice, and other things at 3 AM. Now, my final coat will be flat and camo because its a hunting boat. However, I am kinda POed about the seams. Any advice?

PS- I used Kevlar tape and cloth on the bottom as well. It is truly a pain in the butt, but it is the bottom so it really doesn't matter.

[Hunter25]

You did not fair the boat?

[WesS]

Dont you only fair the bottom? I was talking about the sides and inside of the boat. I didnt know you need to fair the whole thing. Do I need to strip off all the paint first, etc?

[marshmat]

You have to fair any part that you want to look smooth. Irregularities such as tape edges can easily transfer through multiple layers of cloth and resin to be visible at the surface.

There is no functional problem with the edges of the tape being visible in this way. It's purely an aesthetic issue, and even then only visible on close inspection. From six feet away, nobody will see it- and being a hunting boat, it'll get dragged around and scratched up as part of its job.

I wouldn't worry about it.... especially since fixing it involves stripping all the paint off, fairing and sanding, then repainting. I skipped this level of fairing completely when building my runabout... in eight years, not one person has noticed the tape seams.

[TollyWally]

Flat Camo paint is your friend. Unless you want to blow the better part of a day going backwards, which is ok if it really bugs you, carry on and shoot some ducks. sounds like you are making good progress regardless if you bring her to boat show standards or not.

[alan white]

Any hard edge will reject (especially glossy) paint until more coats are added, due to something like surface tension. Fairing eliminates this, coupled with enough coats of neat epoxy to completely seal the surface. If you did all this, rest assured by the time the camo is added, the problem will be solved.

[WesS]

Thanks everyone.