Finally some one that knows the right way to lay fiberglass (never over gel-coat or paint and to not use excess resin) just for that I subbed, thank you...
Use peel ply between layers that way you save time sanding . It creates a rough surface also removes excess resin. You can go to a fabric store and buy polyester which is almost the same thing and it works just as well and much much cheaper than real plee ply. Have fun and great work.!! Tips from a experimental composite aircraft builder lol
Using peel ply will help put resin on top of the fabric and create a smoother surface as wells as avoiding a lot of sanding. Especially as vinyl ester will general give you more time to laminate
So I was a airline fiberglass mechanic for several years, air pockets are no big deal, they are usually due to a dry pockets. Get some large syringes and needles and when you have a pocket inject it with resin. Works great. I try to do it when its still wet, but you can still do it after its dry, looks like a lot of fun
I think anyone with the intend to build a catamaran over 30 ft should have to undergo a psychiatric assessment before starting! If I look at the size of your ship I think anyone attempting this task has to be totally nuts!😉🤣🤣🤣 But hey history proofs it usually were the nut cases changing the world!👍👏👏👏 I sure admire your guts in tackling a project like this and after what I have seen about you, you are about the only once I beliefe to pull this of! 😁 Just be aware 25% is the building part 75% the itty gritty finishing part! I certainly wish you the very best and all needed to make this dream come true! You are amazing and your videos always a must watch!💞👍✌️✌️👏👏👏🤗
Things are going really good, it's looking nice. If you would go to a body shop supplier and get an 8 inch foam pad about 1 inch thick for a buffer you'll save a ton of time sanding. Also get a thick foam pad for your small sanders. You'll find it's so much easier to get a flat fast cut. You guys are moving along great. I'm looking forward to next video
I have heard of speed dating, But not speed boatbuilding? That boat is going up faster than my friends new bathroom, Slow down and take your time and enjoy the build. Keep up the good work guys.
You could try a drywall sander which is like a weedwhacker mated with an orbital sander. They are there to do just what you are doing but without the arms in the air. Please if you ever get to sanding wood decks hire a floor sander it'll cost the same as all the beers you'll need after using a piddley wee one.
M&J, Thank you for sharing the details of your build with us. Most importantly for your health, I really appreciate you showing your care for safe practices by wearing respirators especially for mixing resin and additives. Thank you! I may have missed if you explained why you are using vinylester resin. If you have not explained it already, with what resin was the hull laid up at the factory? Why have you chosen to work with vinylester? I hope your long experience with video and editing allows you to create these videos without slowing down your build. Health and peace, Sockeye
You are one of the most harmonious couple on YTube sailing vlogs .I bet it is the same great energy off camera. This boat and the whole process is a testament about today's amazing 3d design softwares. This is the future. BTW:Last week somebody proposed ziplock bags to squeeze the goo I think a pastry cream bag with a plastic bag or cheap ziplock as a liner would do marvel . Anybody ever tried?
Yeah,,, I watched all your planning and thought process video's leading up to this project. They were great for geting me ready for going to sleep! But now I'm into to your build TOTALLY!! All your planning and decisions were spot on. It will take time but that's part of the whole picture. Some people live in a immediate gratification world with short attention spans. I have been watching Ross on Life on the hulls for year but he bought old molds and his project will take him seven or eight years!!!
when you get to bulkheads, fit them with a small gap and use wedges to position them. glue them in with piping bags used for baking. so much easier than forcing it in. Just use enough glue to tack it in place but so there is no mess to clean up. Pre cut the tapes in order. Then make a coving tool the same radius as your compression roller to do coving. Use the piping bag to make a nice bead along the bulkhead, then cove it straight away, Pre prime the taping area. We the tapes out on the bench and drop them in. No sanding or cleaning up, only need to roll the tapes out on the boat. Peel ply is also worth its weight in gold . I would always peel ply tapes. cleaner job and less sanding afterwards.
Instead of a bucket for thickened epoxy or resin I suggest a dollar store cutting board. Vastly easier to mix and scoop off, old body shop method, used like a mason's board. Probably a bit late but perhaps useful in later stages.
Fun and interesting to watch. I know nothing about fiberglass application - except surfboard repair about a thousand years ago - so watching is fascinating. I'm not building a boat, so attention to detail is not necessary but I realize that if I were, this would be a great resource. So, I'll just watch from afar in Chicago and appreciate all the hard work you both are doing. Thanks for sharing.
Also I would suggest bristle rollers to use once you have layed down the resin as it helps to get out all the air because of the wire bristles. A naval architect we used said using these bristle brushes was the next best thing to vacuum bagging. Anyway just a suggestion from our learning when reading the bottom and floors of our refit.
After you gelcoat the seam, sand and blend it in. Polish that strip. I would not remove the original gelcoat from the remainder of bridge deck underside. It's a perfectly finished surface now.
Fiberglass tip: you can wet out and roll up like a rug, the entire section. It will make it easier for two people to continue to apply fiberglass. If you let it dry, there is no chemical bond only mechanical.
In awe of you guys, such a big project, but you guys appear so laid back about it. Have to ask, were the cleats your idea? Also are all the fibreglass mats your using defined by the manufacturer?
Have you guys ever seen the Onboard Lifestyle channel? They have a catamaran they refit and are sailing. The guy is really good. He just uses paper plates and bowls to do his resin. Cheap, disposable and come in many sizes. You guys are doing great. I anxiously wait for your videos every week.
To tell you the truth, I did not think I was going to like watching a build video. Man, was I wrong! I am actually learning something by watching the build process. I think you chose the right boat. I am really looking forward to watching your progress. Make sure you find some time for each other. Don't get so buried in the build you forget to have some personal time/fun together. Luv ya guys. :o)
Good steady progress. I find that once you get into a rythm things tend to go well. I have a preference when it comes to roller trays so I can identify with the frustration of misplaced items. I find your commentary very informative and relaxing. Looking forward to the next installment. stay safe guys. J.
A few seconds in: 6 hours sanding; nightmare! And that is apparently "good" compared to other catamarans. I just couldn't do it, so would accept having to have a 20 yr old boat (or similar) that compromises on everything. Unlike you guys! But then I would spend half my time repairing & improving things somewhere cold and wet and you will be in some tropical paradise, sipping your favourite drinks, having had a pleasant long distance sail for 20 days. Spring is a time to power wash one's bottom? - rushes off to a boatyard. I am, as always, very impressed with you, your attention to detail, your work ethic, your thoroughness, your teamwork, humour, and downright pleasantness! You and MaxCruise make a good combination! Some of those seams will take many tonnes of force hundreds of times a day, I suspect, in heavy seas: (hopefully not too often) - well done for your care and thoroughness.
Little by little she's coming together. I like that you include the screw-ups that eat time & materials. This gives us things to avoid and teaches us some of the "slights" to this type of work. Good content, great editing & soundtrack, and a neat pair of people.
Hey you two! I have a tip on the sanding. I just got done sanding the bottom paint off my boat, fairing it, then sanding and sanding again to make it smooth. I used a plastic folding table from Costco and did the sanding while laying on my back on that table. It really helped. I could either sand near the limit of my reach right above me, or I could raise it up to get close personal if needed. Doing it that way extended my stamina from 15-20 minutes to hours. Looking good... wish I could be building my dream at right now too!
There are movies of Michelangelo laying on his scaffolding, getting the distance basically just right so he could paint on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. So, yeah, good idea!
We had a couple scissor lifting tables on wheels for that purpose in the yard when a hull wasn't turnable (mostly new builds and completely rebuilt hulls there) and some actually did it Buonarotti style. I always preferred to stand squatted and thus have a double or triple range to reach for with really aggressive belt or slow turning disc sanders compared to laying on my back. Same goes for fairing with longboards: You need Your shoulders more than Your forearms. Scraping a hull is no Delphian Sybil or Charon's Boat scene.
I also also wondered if you could use some sort of platform to lie on while sanding the underside. It would save you from having a still neck and get you off of your feet a bit.
Hey im pretty sure you can kick the resin with the peroxid after your finished mixing filler in to it. True with epoxy you mix it before adding filler but because the peroxide is only deactivating the Inhibitors it can just go into the premixed filler. Thats why it works with car bog which is polyester resin and chalk. That will give you that extra 10mins of work time you used thickening the resin.
This video series is shaping up to be not only interesting and informative, but really well shot and edited. Don't sell yourself short saying you only got a small project done! You literally pasted your bridge deck back together! Just got to stick on the hulls, and you've got a boat. :) Other people have mentioned Onboard Lifestyle, so I will only say that is great seeing the contrasting styles between Teal and Linh, and the 2 of you. Even though your methods are different, the attention to detail is the same, and will result in a great finished product! What we are seeing is only a fraction of what you must be working on, so please pace yourselves as necessary! Hope you are enjoying the journey as much as we are watching it.
Iam stunned that you are taking on this size of boat building and I so happy you doing such a good job. I am an old salty dog from Selby Bay Md wishing you great fun on your new adventure.
Making good progress. Looks like a lot of work and a lot of working from heights. Sure you don’t want to just buy a used Leopard 53? Georgie would like the extra room.😀
Teal (Onboard Lifestyle) uses paper plates instead of roller trays. If you don't know about him you should check it out. Incredible workmanship and a cool boat and family.
To be honest, I love your "travel" videos and wasn't excited about the "build" videos. Proud to say that I'm enjoying the "build" videos very much! 🥰 Must be the people! Great job M&J!
@@MJSailing 😂 yes. That would indeed be it. Totally missed that! We are both so jealous of your catamaran kit and wondering why we didn’t go that route! Oh well. It’s looking great. Best of luck. Cassie and Carl
It's rather odd that each step is so "fussy" and takes a long time to set up, sand and do correctly. However, in one months time, you'll have a boat that is nearly ready to be put in the water! Of course there'll be a lot of additional work, but this will end up being a much shorter build than would be otherwise with other kit boats. It's looking fantastic already!
So congratulations on the catamaran project it looks like you both have the skills to pull off the build.. one question ? how is it ever going to be as strong as the one piece parts ? once the factory cut them into two and you are only able to glass top and bottom and lateral strength has been taken out by cutting through the fiberglass will it ever be as strong ???? L.A Rob
Hey I'm hoping the full face mask fit's right with no air coming in around the seal usually I test for fit but oh well better nothing . or 1/2 face sanding under sander sucks looking great you guy's .
Matt, for the trays you like to use, get a big wide roll of aluminum foil and some double sided cellophane tape. The foil can be stuck to tray with a few pieces along sides and down middle.. totally disposable and no cleaning. If you need to buy some time with the mixed resin, the cup can go into a fridge or freezer as long as you don't put foods in there.. aluminum cans are OK but anything , even in plastic will pick up the resin gasses inside fridge. You can find free throwaway freezers and fridges just for hauling it away from most houses on Craigslist or FB Marketplace etc. Having the straight resin and hardener cold from freezer before mixing is also a good trick for working in higher temps in summer, it can add several vital minutes when you need it...
About the aluminum foil tip for the trays. You can also use saran wrap meant for sandwiches. Or stick the whole tray in a thin plastic bag, use it wrapped in bag and when done discard the bag.
I used these alot building my boat. I also made an apparatus to hold the bag open to dump the mixed resin into. It was a "U" shaped piece of plywood with the points of small nails protruding upward through each leg. Push the outer lips of the ziplock onto the nails. Fill the bag, pull it off the nails and zip it shut. Another apparatus I made - used a 3/4" Diam. dowel about 8" long with a 6" cut length-wise down the center. I'd put the closed ziplock sandwich bag in the dowel slot and roll the bag around the dowel to dispense the resin out the little hole. This helped control the amount squeezed out and got almost all the resin out.
Did you do a bonding test of resin you have are using on at least one of the areas of boat part seams? Also keep the areas to be seamed out of any indirect or direct sunlight. Donald B retired after 55 over years of FRP Industry various products sailboats / powerboats
I might have started from the bottom first, glue up fiberglass and then when dried up, fill crack with epoxy from top and glass over. Personally, I would use carbon fiber rather than fiberglass for these seems to make up for the loss of bridging strength from hull separation (all of this can be easily computed for equivalent stress requirements, I hope the supplier provided you with the info as that should be the most crucial part of this build)
Oh the zipper separating,, the metal thingy the slides up and down just needs to be squared up with plyers! If the channels aren't 90 degrees the zipper separates!!
It appears these first steps will be critical to the overall build success, glad to see you taking your time to make sure the base (hull) is bang on so everything else falls into place. Details are in the "fine print" and time will be made up for your extra investment now as you progress! Cheers ....
WooHoo!!!! I'm finally caught up! I understand why you didn't but I wish you guys had decided to build back in MI. I live in Grand Haven and I would've been out to help probably at least once a week (I'm a stay at home dad with a lot of extra time).
Nicely done guys! Yeah, working overhead with a sander all day hurts, feel the burn. You have my sympathy. Getting the resin out of the confines of the mixing pot will also reduce it’s catalytic self heating and extend it’s working time, which is a big bonus. Also, as a few have already said, peel-ply is a huge timesaver and reduces at least one long and soul-destroying job to a ‘no big deal’ kinda deal. Hats off to you both, lovely job. Cheers, R.🍻
Well, done. Not sure I would have the stamina or the ability to keep going on a job like that. Its basically what would put me off building a kit like your doing. Doing a Schionning type effort with flat panels would simply be out of the question. That was something I did not know about. Schionning construction. This explains the notorious water in the construction that Schionning has. Simply not sealed well enough due to the flat foam construction. Not all Schionning suffer from this, but apparently its a thing. I did many years in Fiberglass companies building boats, tanks, pipes, etc as a youngster (some of my first full time jobs were working for Fiberglass companies, way before they realized the health issues). That reminds me, well done for keeping the safety gear on all the time! I was only required to do that only when glassing or gelling inside tanks, where you NEED an airline to be able to breath. It was miserable to say the least so I know what wearing all that crap is like. Glassing upside down is always an issue, made more uncomfortable if you try to go too fast (you wind up wearing it around your ears... all manner of fun as I remember) Props to Jess too for even staying in the same factory (tent) as you with all that stinky, dusty stuff. I know my other half would have done an "Elvis has left the building!". Keep up the good work, and yes, I appreciate the amount of effort involved. Oh yeah. In case you dont already know, wear cotton or natural fibers, at least against your skin when grinding fiberglass. Synthetic fibers grab fiberglass fibers and drag them against the skin, forcing them into your skin. Nasty rashes ensue. Fiberglass dust is not called "Itching powder" for no reason!
I'm hoping for a start to finish speed video when all is done, it would be interesting and fun to watch. Admire the dedication guys, Looking Good!! Now, back to painting my bathroom door ;-)
On the hard this boat looks absolutely massive! Understanding its actually not a HUGE Cat it is going to offer so much open space once at sea. Like moving from an apartment to a fully detached family home in housing comparisons. Lovin it so far team.
Good progress and perfect narration and documentation. It reminded me as a child helping my dad put up wallpaper. He would get so frustrated because he knew where every cosmetic flaw was located. Nobody else ever noticed, but he knew. You guys are aware of every microscopic detail! I just so impressed with how well you and Matt organize the build and coordinate the details. Hows your supply budget holding out? Too early to say, probably.
Too early to say, but we upped the budget for this build vs the one we did the spreadsheet.... this boat deserves a little higher fit out that will hopefully be reflected in future resale. -Matt
Good luck, watching with great interest. Worlds largest Airfix kit! Are there transfers? You might consider raising your camera above eye line. chin down. Looks friendlier
I'm surprise the manufacture it doesn't cast in jigging cleats so you can align the sheets and pull them back and forth to align them as you gelcoat them otherwise attaching them and then just grind off the cleats it would really make your alignments easier of course you'd have to attach leveling and otherwise joining cleats and then remove them. Awesome project peace
Congrates to you both, you have done all of these steps very closely to how i would have done them. 90% of the things done on UA-cam, i cringe at. So well done. I love those 4" fluffy rollers! Aussie Shipwright with 30yrs exp.
I've got great respect for both you guys. I occasionally watched your videos previously but since you both shared your plans to build a catamaran, I've been an ardent follower. Keep up the good work and god bless you both.
I thought when glassing you put on a plastic sheeting to eliminate blooming (if that's the right word) where by the need to remove the effect of air drying. Peel ply avoiding amine blush removal and less faring
We're using vinyl ester, so no amine blush. If you look at the design, this glass work is in a trough and gets a fairly deep fairing coat, negating the need for a really smooth fiberglass finish. -Matt
Something that might come in handy joggling seams that steel workers use for welding. you need a base plate (maybe 8x8") and a bridge screwed on top, (maybe 4x10) situate the base next to the seam on the high side and screw it down, make some wedges 10x1" and use them under the bridge on the side you need to push in ypu already know how to fill the holes
Are you going to show any of the other boat you're fixing for the guy? I'm watching for a Trojan 12 meter MY for a good price to move into in a year or so! Really enjoy this catamaran building too!
We honestly haven't done much more to the Viking, other than add new carpeting, which I think we have a few photos of in our Instagram account. Later this week we'll get to replacing the balsa core we took out, so a little bit of that might be featured in future videos. 🙂
You say you have fans in the tent. Is there three and can you turn them on? Turn the end off to push down the canter to pull up could help with the chill. Get back to Phx ( I in Prescott) take in some mountain roads on the north and east side. For difference kind of view before getting back to the sea. :-)
for really good fiberglass tips watch life on the hulls, ross is building a big cat from scratch, he is a builder of fiberglass components in real life , knows his stuff ,1 tip,he cuts corners & folds them in , adds to strength
Go to Michaels craft store as get piping bags 100 for $20. The easiest way to fill them is to put the bag in a 3 inch pipe and fold the top over the edge of the pipe. The pipe holds the bag open wide fill and squeeze out perfect fillets.
When taping, set up a long table with plastic on it. Wet out your tapes on the bench and roll them up. pre prime the boat with resin then just roll the tapes on and roll them out. no resin everywhere or wetting out in awkward places. when you get good you can do multiple tapes at a time. -boatbuilder
Great job guys and great video. Seeing the broken zipper reminded me of my wife repairing our grandkids' muddy buddy splash suits. They seem to have a single use lifespan as well. Stay safe!
Finally some one that knows the right way to lay fiberglass (never over gel-coat or paint and to not use excess resin) just for that I subbed, thank you...
Use peel ply between layers that way you save time sanding . It creates a rough surface also removes excess resin. You can go to a fabric store and buy polyester which is almost the same thing and it works just as well and much much cheaper than real plee ply. Have fun and great work.!! Tips from a experimental composite aircraft builder lol
Using peel ply will help put resin on top of the fabric and create a smoother surface as wells as avoiding a lot of sanding. Especially as vinyl ester will general give you more time to laminate
So I was a airline fiberglass mechanic for several years, air pockets are no big deal, they are usually due to a dry pockets. Get some large syringes and needles and when you have a pocket inject it with resin. Works great. I try to do it when its still wet, but you can still do it after its dry, looks like a lot of fun
I think anyone with the intend to build a catamaran over 30 ft should have to undergo a psychiatric assessment before starting!
If I look at the size of your ship I think anyone attempting this task has to be totally nuts!😉🤣🤣🤣 But hey history proofs it usually were the nut cases changing the world!👍👏👏👏 I sure admire your guts in tackling a project like this and after what I have seen about you, you are about the only once I beliefe to pull this of! 😁 Just be aware 25% is the building part 75% the itty gritty finishing part! I certainly wish you the very best and all needed to make this dream come true! You are amazing and your videos always a must watch!💞👍✌️✌️👏👏👏🤗
Things are going really good, it's looking nice. If you would go to a body shop supplier and get an 8 inch foam pad about 1 inch thick for a buffer you'll save a ton of time sanding. Also get a thick foam pad for your small sanders. You'll find it's so much easier to get a flat fast cut.
You guys are moving along great. I'm looking forward to next video
I have heard of speed dating, But not speed boatbuilding? That boat is going up faster than my friends new bathroom, Slow down and take your time and enjoy the build. Keep up the good work guys.
You could try a drywall sander which is like a weedwhacker mated with an orbital sander. They are there to do just what you are doing but without the arms in the air. Please if you ever get to sanding wood decks hire a floor sander it'll cost the same as all the beers you'll need after using a piddley wee one.
M&J, Thank you for sharing the details of your build with us. Most importantly for your health, I really appreciate you showing your care for safe practices by wearing respirators especially for mixing resin and additives. Thank you!
I may have missed if you explained why you are using vinylester resin. If you have not explained it already, with what resin was the hull laid up at the factory? Why have you chosen to work with vinylester?
I hope your long experience with video and editing allows you to create these videos without slowing down your build.
Health and peace,
Sockeye
Hey Jess, thanks for the photos you sent ( your looking great !!! )
You’re
You are one of the most harmonious couple on YTube sailing vlogs .I bet it is the same great energy off camera.
This boat and the whole process is a testament about today's amazing 3d design softwares. This is the future.
BTW:Last week somebody proposed ziplock bags to squeeze the goo I think a pastry cream bag with a plastic bag or cheap ziplock as a liner would do marvel . Anybody ever tried?
Nice episode this week, thanks. For the zipper on Tyvek, put a strip of duct tape on each side and use blue masking tape as a zipper.
Yeah,,, I watched all your planning and thought process video's leading up to this project. They were great for geting me ready for going to sleep! But now I'm into to your build TOTALLY!! All your planning and decisions were spot on. It will take time but that's part of the whole picture. Some people live in a immediate gratification world with short attention spans. I have been watching Ross on Life on the hulls for year but he bought old molds and his project will take him seven or eight years!!!
Nothing is more fun than overhead fiberglass work.
You should try overhead welding I did it for years very tiring.
@@patrickcoleman3 I have. Both suck in different ways.
@@jamestheotherone742 Yeah I haven't tried fibre glassing but I was a boilermaker welder for years.
@@patrickcoleman3 It's mostly just messy and frustrating.
when you get to bulkheads, fit them with a small gap and use wedges to position them. glue them in with piping bags used for baking. so much easier than forcing it in. Just use enough glue to tack it in place but so there is no mess to clean up. Pre cut the tapes in order. Then make a coving tool the same radius as your compression roller to do coving. Use the piping bag to make a nice bead along the bulkhead, then cove it straight away, Pre prime the taping area. We the tapes out on the bench and drop them in. No sanding or cleaning up, only need to roll the tapes out on the boat. Peel ply is also worth its weight in gold . I would always peel ply tapes. cleaner job and less sanding afterwards.
Instead of a bucket for thickened epoxy or resin I suggest a dollar store cutting board. Vastly easier to mix and scoop off, old body shop method, used like a mason's board. Probably a bit late but perhaps useful in later stages.
Fun and interesting to watch. I know nothing about fiberglass application - except surfboard repair about a thousand years ago - so watching is fascinating. I'm not building a boat, so attention to detail is not necessary but I realize that if I were, this would be a great resource. So, I'll just watch from afar in Chicago and appreciate all the hard work you both are doing. Thanks for sharing.
Also I would suggest bristle rollers to use once you have layed down the resin as it helps to get out all the air because of the wire bristles. A naval architect we used said using these bristle brushes was the next best thing to vacuum bagging. Anyway just a suggestion from our learning when reading the bottom and floors of our refit.
After you gelcoat the seam, sand and blend it in. Polish that strip. I would not remove the original gelcoat from the remainder of bridge deck underside. It's a perfectly finished surface now.
Fiberglass tip: you can wet out and roll up like a rug, the entire section. It will make it easier for two people to continue to apply fiberglass. If you let it dry, there is no chemical bond only mechanical.
Use safety glasses with that rezin.
Not gonna say what it can do but use this precaution.
In awe of you guys, such a big project, but you guys appear so laid back about it. Have to ask, were the cleats your idea? Also are all the fibreglass mats your using defined by the manufacturer?
Have you guys ever seen the Onboard Lifestyle channel? They have a catamaran they refit and are sailing. The guy is really good. He just uses paper plates and bowls to do his resin. Cheap, disposable and come in many sizes. You guys are doing great. I anxiously wait for your videos every week.
We are totally impressed at your teamwork. I am sure it is not all lovey dovey 24/7 but you do a great job showing team spirit all the time
To tell you the truth, I did not think I was going to like watching a build video. Man, was I wrong! I am actually learning something by watching the build process. I think you chose the right boat. I am really looking forward to watching your progress. Make sure you find some time for each other. Don't get so buried in the build you forget to have some personal time/fun together. Luv ya guys. :o)
God how I have hated fiberglass work. I'm glad someone likes to do it.
It looking very good so far. Kudos.
I hope we do... because there is SO much of it ahead of us. 😂😭
Good steady progress. I find that once you get into a rythm things tend to go well. I have a preference when it comes to roller trays so I can identify with the frustration of misplaced items. I find your commentary very informative and relaxing. Looking forward to the next installment. stay safe guys. J.
Hats off to you both. Dreams aren’t served on a plate as you well know. May the creator in you both match the realisation in your hearts.
A few seconds in: 6 hours sanding; nightmare! And that is apparently "good" compared to other catamarans. I just couldn't do it, so would accept having to have a 20 yr old boat (or similar) that compromises on everything. Unlike you guys! But then I would spend half my time repairing & improving things somewhere cold and wet and you will be in some tropical paradise, sipping your favourite drinks, having had a pleasant long distance sail for 20 days.
Spring is a time to power wash one's bottom? - rushes off to a boatyard.
I am, as always, very impressed with you, your attention to detail, your work ethic, your thoroughness, your teamwork, humour, and downright pleasantness! You and MaxCruise make a good combination! Some of those seams will take many tonnes of force hundreds of times a day, I suspect, in heavy seas: (hopefully not too often) - well done for your care and thoroughness.
Little by little she's coming together. I like that you include the screw-ups that eat time & materials. This gives us things to avoid and teaches us some of the "slights" to this type of work. Good content, great editing & soundtrack, and a neat pair of people.
You should have a a few fire blanket and a couple of extinguishers handy if your using those propane heaters...
Hey you two! I have a tip on the sanding. I just got done sanding the bottom paint off my boat, fairing it, then sanding and sanding again to make it smooth. I used a plastic folding table from Costco and did the sanding while laying on my back on that table. It really helped. I could either sand near the limit of my reach right above me, or I could raise it up to get close personal if needed. Doing it that way extended my stamina from 15-20 minutes to hours. Looking good... wish I could be building my dream at right now too!
There are movies of Michelangelo laying on his scaffolding, getting the distance basically just right so he could paint on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. So, yeah, good idea!
We had a couple scissor lifting tables on wheels for that purpose in the yard when a hull wasn't turnable (mostly new builds and completely rebuilt hulls there) and some actually did it Buonarotti style. I always preferred to stand squatted and thus have a double or triple range to reach for with really aggressive belt or slow turning disc sanders compared to laying on my back. Same goes for fairing with longboards: You need Your shoulders more than Your forearms. Scraping a hull is no Delphian Sybil or Charon's Boat scene.
I also also wondered if you could use some sort of platform to lie on while sanding the underside. It would save you from having a still neck and get you off of your feet a bit.
Hey im pretty sure you can kick the resin with the peroxid after your finished mixing filler in to it. True with epoxy you mix it before adding filler but because the peroxide is only deactivating the Inhibitors it can just go into the premixed filler. Thats why it works with car bog which is polyester resin and chalk. That will give you that extra 10mins of work time you used thickening the resin.
This video series is shaping up to be not only interesting and informative, but really well shot and edited. Don't sell yourself short saying you only got a small project done! You literally pasted your bridge deck back together! Just got to stick on the hulls, and you've got a boat. :)
Other people have mentioned Onboard Lifestyle, so I will only say that is great seeing the contrasting styles between Teal and Linh, and the 2 of you. Even though your methods are different, the attention to detail is the same, and will result in a great finished product!
What we are seeing is only a fraction of what you must be working on, so please pace yourselves as necessary! Hope you are enjoying the journey as much as we are watching it.
Iam stunned that you are taking on this size of boat building and I so happy you doing such a good job. I am an old salty dog from Selby Bay Md wishing you great fun on your new adventure.
Making good progress. Looks like a lot of work and a lot of working from heights. Sure you don’t want to just buy a used Leopard 53? Georgie would like the extra room.😀
Teal (Onboard Lifestyle) uses paper plates instead of roller trays. If you don't know about him you should check it out. Incredible workmanship and a cool boat and family.
👌🏽
Hey guys peel ply is your friend.... also invest in a 150mm rotex sander from festool this a game changer...
To be honest, I love your "travel" videos and wasn't excited about the "build" videos.
Proud to say that I'm enjoying the "build" videos very much! 🥰
Must be the people!
Great job M&J!
Syringes are really useful for applying stuff into gaps. I use them for epoxy sometimes. No needle, of course.
Yep big vet ones are great
I really enjoy your DIY episodes. I guess that's a good thing since there's going to be a couple of years of them!!! ;-D
AMAZING 🤔
You need to teach me, Andy, Rossco and more than a million others how to fiberglass.
I wish I was at the level of skill of those guys... hopefully towards the end we'll have built up our skill level to comparable :) -Matt
Love how genuine ,honest people you are.
Just a tip, I've found putting the silica in the resin before adding the hardener is easier.
Get some fin rollers if you don’t have them! Roll in between glass layers for best results!
I think I know what you're referring to - is it what Matt is using at 05:11? ☺️
@@MJSailing 😂 yes. That would indeed be it. Totally missed that! We are both so jealous of your catamaran kit and wondering why we didn’t go that route! Oh well. It’s looking great. Best of luck. Cassie and Carl
She looks huge! But always do on the hard. But huge!
I can't believe I am watching somebody build a boat...and loving it. Cheers, you two.
Glad you're enjoying it! 😃👍
look up life on the hulls for a great cat build
@@sainity1 Thanks.
It's rather odd that each step is so "fussy" and takes a long time to set up, sand and do correctly. However, in one months time, you'll have a boat that is nearly ready to be put in the water! Of course there'll be a lot of additional work, but this will end up being a much shorter build than would be otherwise with other kit boats. It's looking fantastic already!
So congratulations on the catamaran project it looks like you both have the skills to pull off the build.. one question ? how is it ever going to be as strong as the one piece parts ? once the factory cut them into two and you are only able to glass top and bottom and lateral strength has been taken out by cutting through the fiberglass will it ever be as strong ???? L.A Rob
It's a fascinating process to watch. Good luck with the rest of it.
Hey I'm hoping the full face mask fit's right with no air coming in around the seal usually I test for fit but oh well better nothing . or 1/2 face sanding under sander sucks looking great you guy's .
That is going to be the best boat built ever. The love and attention to detail is everything to everything that is worth doing. Fantastic job.
Matt, for the trays you like to use, get a big wide roll of aluminum foil and some double sided cellophane tape. The foil can be stuck to tray with a few pieces along sides and down middle.. totally disposable and no cleaning. If you need to buy some time with the mixed resin, the cup can go into a fridge or freezer as long as you don't put foods in there.. aluminum cans are OK but anything , even in plastic will pick up the resin gasses inside fridge. You can find free throwaway freezers and fridges just for hauling it away from most houses on Craigslist or FB Marketplace etc. Having the straight resin and hardener cold from freezer before mixing is also a good trick for working in higher temps in summer, it can add several vital minutes when you need it...
About the aluminum foil tip for the trays. You can also use saran wrap meant for sandwiches. Or stick the whole tray in a thin plastic bag, use it wrapped in bag and when done discard the bag.
You should use a ziplock bag and cut the corner to apply the filler like a cake decorating bag. Then use your scraper to remover excess. Much easier!
You can’t tell these 2 anything they will accept
I used these alot building my boat.
I also made an apparatus to hold the bag open to dump the mixed resin into. It was a "U" shaped piece of plywood with the points of small nails protruding upward through each leg. Push the outer lips of the ziplock onto the nails. Fill the bag, pull it off the nails and zip it shut.
Another apparatus I made - used a 3/4" Diam. dowel about 8" long with a 6" cut length-wise down the center. I'd put the closed ziplock sandwich bag in the dowel slot and roll the bag around the dowel to dispense the resin out the little hole. This helped control the amount squeezed out and got almost all the resin out.
I think I would try a syringe.
Lookin' good, you two. Disposable paper plates about 8 inches work for rolling resin.
Did you do a bonding test of resin you have are using on at least one of the areas of boat part seams? Also keep the areas to be seamed out of any indirect or direct sunlight. Donald B retired after 55 over years of FRP Industry various products sailboats / powerboats
You two ROCK!! I’m soooo looking forward to watching your journey. Thank you for allowing us to tag along.
I might have started from the bottom first, glue up fiberglass and then when dried up, fill crack with epoxy from top and glass over. Personally, I would use carbon fiber rather than fiberglass for these seems to make up for the loss of bridging strength from hull separation (all of this can be easily computed for equivalent stress requirements, I hope the supplier provided you with the info as that should be the most crucial part of this build)
Use Peel ply and you will have a lot less fairing to do. Great progress.
Yes after watching Sail Life peel ply avoids amine blush, makes a smoother finish for less sanding
And better adhesion between layers.
@@nssdesigns it's vinyl ester, so no blush -Matt
@@carlpetersen3128 There isn't blush with Vinyl Ester, so it doesn't matter as much as epoxy. -Matt
Oh the zipper separating,, the metal thingy the slides up and down just needs to be squared up with plyers! If the channels aren't 90 degrees the zipper separates!!
It appears these first steps will be critical to the overall build success, glad to see you taking your time to make sure the base (hull) is bang on so everything else falls into place. Details are in the "fine print" and time will be made up for your extra investment now as you progress! Cheers ....
WooHoo!!!! I'm finally caught up! I understand why you didn't but I wish you guys had decided to build back in MI. I live in Grand Haven and I would've been out to help probably at least once a week (I'm a stay at home dad with a lot of extra time).
Nicely done guys! Yeah, working overhead with a sander all day hurts, feel the burn. You have my sympathy.
Getting the resin out of the confines of the mixing pot will also reduce it’s catalytic self heating and extend it’s working time, which is a big bonus. Also, as a few have already said, peel-ply is a huge timesaver and reduces at least one long and soul-destroying job to a ‘no big deal’ kinda deal.
Hats off to you both, lovely job.
Cheers, R.🍻
Well, done. Not sure I would have the stamina or the ability to keep going on a job like that. Its basically what would put me off building a kit like your doing. Doing a Schionning type effort with flat panels would simply be out of the question. That was something I did not know about. Schionning construction. This explains the notorious water in the construction that Schionning has. Simply not sealed well enough due to the flat foam construction. Not all Schionning suffer from this, but apparently its a thing.
I did many years in Fiberglass companies building boats, tanks, pipes, etc as a youngster (some of my first full time jobs were working for Fiberglass companies, way before they realized the health issues). That reminds me, well done for keeping the safety gear on all the time! I was only required to do that only when glassing or gelling inside tanks, where you NEED an airline to be able to breath. It was miserable to say the least so I know what wearing all that crap is like.
Glassing upside down is always an issue, made more uncomfortable if you try to go too fast (you wind up wearing it around your ears... all manner of fun as I remember)
Props to Jess too for even staying in the same factory (tent) as you with all that stinky, dusty stuff. I know my other half would have done an "Elvis has left the building!".
Keep up the good work, and yes, I appreciate the amount of effort involved.
Oh yeah. In case you dont already know, wear cotton or natural fibers, at least against your skin when grinding fiberglass. Synthetic fibers grab fiberglass fibers and drag them against the skin, forcing them into your skin. Nasty rashes ensue. Fiberglass dust is not called "Itching powder" for no reason!
I'm hoping for a start to finish speed video when all is done, it would be interesting and fun to watch. Admire the dedication guys, Looking Good!! Now, back to painting my bathroom door ;-)
On the hard this boat looks absolutely massive! Understanding its actually not a HUGE Cat it is going to offer so much open space once at sea. Like moving from an apartment to a fully detached family home in housing comparisons. Lovin it so far team.
Watching this process just reminds me to buy one that wasn’t cut in half
Love the explanations you give us explaining the process as you go. Keep up these super vlogs.
Good progress and perfect narration and documentation. It reminded me as a child helping my dad put up wallpaper. He would get so frustrated because he knew where every cosmetic flaw was located. Nobody else ever noticed, but he knew. You guys are aware of every microscopic detail!
I just so impressed with how well you and Matt organize the build and coordinate the details. Hows your supply budget holding out? Too early to say, probably.
Too early to say, but we upped the budget for this build vs the one we did the spreadsheet.... this boat deserves a little higher fit out that will hopefully be reflected in future resale. -Matt
Good luck, watching with great interest. Worlds largest Airfix kit! Are there transfers? You might consider raising your camera above eye line. chin down. Looks friendlier
Gizz jazz jezzy Jeff. I love the boat. I think it's going to be awesome
This is really going to be quite the journey. Scratch building a catamaran. So very interesting.
I'm surprise the manufacture it doesn't cast in jigging cleats so you can align the sheets and pull them back and forth to align them as you gelcoat them otherwise attaching them and then just grind off the cleats it would really make your alignments easier of course you'd have to attach leveling and otherwise joining cleats and then remove them. Awesome project peace
Help yourself,use peal ply ,saves you heaps of future prep
Great as usual.
Found you guys as you started elements, this is a great transition, really enjoy following your process! Cant wait to see where this boat takes you!
Amazing watching a step by step tutorial on how to build a kit boat. So many good transferable lessons.
beautiful im watching how to build up catamaran. im asking for how long feet high on the freeboard and how long feet fwrd and aft
Congrats on the first join completed 👍🏼
yep Shes Comming together , Good start
I love the Way you Guys Explain every thing ya do , verry Informative
You guys are Doing a Terrific job.... It will All come together Greatl
You so need a gel coat stripper. Good to see you back on the tools.
love you guys
Congrates to you both, you have done all of these steps very closely to how i would have done them. 90% of the things done on UA-cam, i cringe at. So well done. I love those 4" fluffy rollers! Aussie Shipwright with 30yrs exp.
I've got great respect for both you guys. I occasionally watched your videos previously but since you both shared your plans to build a catamaran, I've been an ardent follower. Keep up the good work and god bless you both.
I thought when glassing you put on a plastic sheeting to eliminate blooming (if that's the right word) where by the need to remove the effect of air drying.
Peel ply avoiding amine blush removal and less faring
We're using vinyl ester, so no amine blush. If you look at the design, this glass work is in a trough and gets a fairly deep fairing coat, negating the need for a really smooth fiberglass finish. -Matt
Great progress ! Really hope all is going well and on schedule .
Something that might come in handy joggling seams that steel workers use for welding.
you need a base plate (maybe 8x8") and a bridge screwed on top, (maybe 4x10)
situate the base next to the seam on the high side and screw it down,
make some wedges 10x1" and use them under the bridge on the side you need to push in
ypu already know how to fill the holes
I hadn't thought about wedging it into position like that. Good idea. -Matt
You are both working hard and producing good results in an impressively short space of time.😀⛵️👍
On vinylester you can add thickeners first mix and add mekp right before layup (same as bondo). This is not allowed in epoxy.
I'm excited to see the cat coming together. Good work!
Are you going to show any of the other boat you're fixing for the guy? I'm watching for a Trojan 12 meter MY for a good price to move into in a year or so!
Really enjoy this catamaran building too!
We honestly haven't done much more to the Viking, other than add new carpeting, which I think we have a few photos of in our Instagram account. Later this week we'll get to replacing the balsa core we took out, so a little bit of that might be featured in future videos. 🙂
@@MJSailing Thanks! I'll check it out!
I've been watching you guys since you started on the aluminium boat refit and I commend you for taking on such a daunting project!
You say you have fans in the tent. Is there three and can you turn them on? Turn the end off to push down the canter to pull up could help with the chill. Get back to Phx ( I in Prescott) take in some mountain roads on the north and east side. For difference kind of view before getting back to the sea. :-)
for really good fiberglass tips watch life on the hulls, ross is building a big cat from scratch, he is a builder of fiberglass components in real life , knows his stuff ,1 tip,he cuts corners & folds them in , adds to strength
Go to Michaels craft store as get piping bags 100 for $20. The easiest way to fill them is to put the bag in a 3 inch pipe and fold the top over the edge of the pipe. The pipe holds the bag open wide fill and squeeze out perfect fillets.
Great video Jessica and Matt, you going great.
When taping, set up a long table with plastic on it. Wet out your tapes on the bench and roll them up. pre prime the boat with resin then just roll the tapes on and roll them out. no resin everywhere or wetting out in awkward places. when you get good you can do multiple tapes at a time. -boatbuilder
Looking amazing ! Keep it up.
Awesome information thank you loving the work
Great job guys and great video. Seeing the broken zipper reminded me of my wife repairing our grandkids' muddy buddy splash suits. They seem to have a single use lifespan as well. Stay safe!