Working with large fiberglass sheets??

I have built a 20' stripped outrigger canoe and I am now going to glass it. I have glassed smaller things before where the whole piece gets coated with epoxy at the same time.

I have already rolled a thin coat of epoxy over the entire surface so I won't have to worry about all the epoxy being sucked into the wood when I do glass it.

The rough dimensions of the main hull are 20' in length, 24" in width as well as height. See pic below

I have 2-25' x 36" rolls of 8oz fiberglass and I plan on applying each half lengthwise so that there is a little lap along the keel. My question is I am sure that I will need at least 2 small batches of epoxy to coat and glass one half of the hull but what do you do when, for example you are 3/4 of the way done and the epoxy starts to set up?

Do you stop, make a new batch of epoxy and just continue where you left off? If so wont there be a noticable joint along the fiberglass where you stopped and started?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

mix a batch,,,wet out a FEW feet(6') of your first half port and starboard sides,,lay ya glass ( easier to roll your glass , and un-roll your way down) on port side down,,wet it out, then go over to starb. side and do the same,, with your "overlap" and all,,, then wet out 6 more feet,, and do same,,,,,,( your basically glassing your whole boat at once,,just that 1 side will be a few inches behind the other),,,,,when you run out of resin,, or it starts to kick,,mix up another batch, and proceed,,,,,,,BUT,,BUT,,BUT,,, you must not let the resin on your glass "catch up" with ya,,,, you must stay ahead of your "kick line",,,,,and its better to work with smaller batches then bigger ones,,,,the "fresher" your resin is, the more time you have,,,,,,now take this with just a little "knowing" cause im not a epoxy dude,,,i play with poly and vinyl,,, but your ? goes for basically both,,i think,,,maybe,,,not,,,hehe
the epoxy dudes will chime in after the weekend im sure
and im a glass dude too,,,BUT,,,,man too bad to cover up such a good looking boat

 

Thanks. Actually I am not going to paint it. I am just glassing it, then after sanding and all I will varnish it to protect it from UV.

I see what you are sayin about not letting the epoxy kick in while you are workin on the glass.

Another question. Since I have already put on a thin coat of epoxy and I sanded it to remove some of the drips, but now the sanded part is not totally clear, it is a dull white semi-transparent color. When I lay the glass over this and epoxy will this white semi-transparent sanded area still be visible, or will the epoxy fill the sand marks in to make it clear?

Ya, I can't wait to get this thing in the water. It will be a trimaran, but the 2 other outriggers won't be strip built, probably stitch and glue.

Thanks for the info.

 

The1 pretty much nailed the process. With epoxy theres easier however to set the cloth in place dry and fasten it temporarily where needed. Then just wet with epoxy (pour and spread) and continue otherwise like the much said. Epoxy has much better wetting qualities than any other resin.
Be sure the temperature is moderate. In low temps the viscosity worsens and wetting comes a problem. High temps kicks the stuff too fast..

 

If you glass over it it will lose it's looks for sure and I don't know of a varnish that will protect the glass. You will have to paint... unless you know something I don't.

Making it a trimaran is a goof idea. So you have one ama left to make and the centre hull then

 

im sorry,,,,but,,,i have no idea what your trying to do,,,,i also have never heard of varnish on glass,,,,but then again i dont "hear" much,,hehe,,,and again,, i dont know epoxy,,but i dont think a new coat of resin will make your sanded part clear again,,,,i think ( not sure!!) you have to sand the epoxy you have on there now to get your glass ,or, just another coat of resin,, to bond.,,,and if you glass it,, i dont THINK your gonna be able to see your woodwork anyways.

 

Actually It will be similar to building a surfboard. I am using 8oz fiberglass cloth, the same stuff that is used on surfboards but just a little heavier. I have fiberglassed "glassed" other wood projects before and in the end you can still see the stained wood.

I assumed that I am doing the same type of fiberglass work that you guys are talking about on this board, but I assumed wrong. Ohh well thanks for the advice though.

Check out this link: http://oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop10.htm

Similar to what I am doing but these kayaks are a little smaller.'