Buccaneer 24 Builders Forum

I've heard of people using neoprene which wet suits are made of. There are adhesives made for it. On screws I epoxy the inside of all holes to prevent wicking. For the seal I'd drill oversize, bigger than the thread and fill it with epoxy. After hardening I'd drill for the screw and tap for a machine screw.

 

Board gasket

I use a thin gasket material made for the purpose. I last bought some from APSltd, but several suppliers to racing one designs carry it. It is slick on the outside and has a cloth type weave on the "glue" side. I have found that epoxy holds fairly well if I also put a few nails/screws at the ends. I keep my boat in the water in season, so I paint the gasket with what ever bottom paint I use on the rest of the boat.
You definitely want some kind of gasket, they make quite a difference.
B

 

I would guess that depending on the thickness of this gasket it might need to be mounted in a shallow recess so as to be flush with the hull. Or maybe it could be feathered out if thin enough.
Nelson

 

I was thinking to myself tonight while gluing up some parts for my mainhull. If this boat was built with nails or screws like in the plans, instead of gluing, wouldn't it be a lot more flimsy? Seems while taking a pounding on the high seas it could just start falling apart as the nails or screws loosened up. Isn't epoxy gluing a much stronger method? Both times I accidentally broke something that I had glued, it broke the wood and not the glue joint. First time I dropped an ama while trying to flip it over myself and the bow split open. But it was the plywood and not the glue joint. ( the deck wasn't on yet)

 

YES you are right.

 

gasket

Nelson, the material I use is about like heavy sail cloth, and is easy to fair in. It is dacron with a plastic layer laminated to it to make it stiff and slick.
Fred, my Buc 24, built sometime around 1972, used epoxy (OS supplied it I think) , and ring nails. Both have stood the test of time and use, and I have used the same combinations in all my repairs as I haven't found anything better. My boat was built and launched near Toronto, eventually moved to salt water in Maryland, I brought it to a lake near Atlanta, and the original bonds are still tight today. Forty years of use and sometimes neglect, and most of the 1/4" fir ply in the hulls is still there. I still use the boat fairly hard while racing it, and I don't worry about its joint's integrity. Nothing has ever opened up yet.
For repairs and new construction, I use various brands of epoxy, several different fillers, and also fasten all joints with properly sized ring nails where ever I can. I purchase my nails from "Jamestown", and I have found a few sizes cover almost all needs on the Buc.
B

 

I was wondering if a buc built with nails and then just epoxy-coated was as stiff as one that is epoxy-glued and coated with no permanent fasteners.
I had all the frames screwed in to my main hull and it seemed pretty flimsy, but then I took them out one at a time and glued them back in and the structure stiffened up considerably.

 

Your supposed to use glue/epoxy with the nails. Nails take the pace of clamps when gluing and add extra strength. No glue? Its going to flex, be weak and crack the sealing.

 

I thought the plans called for nails or screws, and then just epoxy coating inside and fiberglass/epoxy outside? I didn't read any mention of gluing the frames to the skin.

 

Well that would be out of the ordinary. Its one of those standard things that might not have been mentioned.

If the frames are unbeveled (not a good method) and have to change angle as the sides are bent then nails only would have to be used but that creates a sharp corner to bite into the planking and you'd have to epoxy fillet the joint after assembly.

 

Somewhere on the plans or in the instructions is probably a note that says all wood to wood joints to be glued.

 

If you didn't glue anything or items like stringers don't panic, let us know, there are some remedial things that can be done.

 

Oh no, mine is all glued with only temporary fasteners. I just thought the plans didn't call for gluing. My woodworking skills aren't good enough. I need thickened epoxy!!

 

Quite a relief there Freddy. I was trying to think of a nice way to say that is a big f up. Craig will be putting it in the instructions in really big type.

 

So, anyway, I reread the instructions and, indeed, it says to glue AND nail. I guess it had been a while since I read them. So technically the way I'm doing it is LESS strong than specified. Though, without fasteners I'll have less chance of rot?
I feel like a ******* for starting this conversation in the first place!
On a positive note, I have all but one frame glued in, so I'll be turning the hull over to sheath the bottom soon!