Glassing The Fishing Frenzy !!!

[Capt.Troy Crane]

Troy, are those boats never glassed when original? how do they keep the mat from just falling down when they put it up? seems heavy i bet. and on the inside has it ever been done? i really have no idea, thats why i ask......can moisture hurt it? trap it in,

Alex,
this particular boat was built in 1977 and up until 5 years ago had NO glass on her at all. They glassed the bottom and stearn up to the wash boards but that was all. The boat is strong with out it but what happens is, it splits the paint at the seams when it expands and contracts. Rons boat is the same way, she was built in 1970 I beleive and they just glassed the bottom on her two years ago. When they sanded it down to bare juniper it looked brand new and smelled great too.
The inside is not glassed, most of the time they will glass the engine room to keep the oil out of the wood but most of the old ones are not.

If you look at the first picture you can see where they are "wetting out" the cloth on the table and then rolling it up on a batten. You wet out the wood first with resin and that helps hold the glass up, then you spread it out with a squeegee to remove the extra resin. The idea is to get rid of the extra glue so the cloth lays flat against the wood with no resin pockets or bubbles between the two. That makes a perfect strong bond of glass and wood, no voids. You should see what it looks like trying to glass the bottom of one when she is sitting upright lots of fun.

Troy

[Capt.Troy Crane]

Troy,
I've got xmas break and then I'll graduate in May. I may move to Manteo for a year or two to fish if I can. When are you moving to Va beach?

That drink/bait box is nice. Keep those pictures rolling...

I though you were about finished, just wondering.

I am going to try to take it up the first week of December, start fishing on the 9th.

Troy

[Capt.Troy Crane]

bligh, thanks. thats what i would think. you do not want to create a trap. nice work to see how its done. sort of like a barn raising too. one other question troy, how do you take the pictures and get dirty with the glass at the same time? actually someones got to do it.

Thats the key to it Alex..........you don't, get dirty that is !!!

I am not helping them glass it, I am finishing up on a boat project I have been doing for someone else in the boat yard in Wanchese and I stop by in the afternoon and critique there work ..not really, I just shoot some pictures. Greg was by his self yesterday so I gave him a hand, I couldn't just stand there and watch him !!

Troy

[Capt.Troy Crane]

Well, the build up cured over the weekend and the boys hit it this morning with the sanding blocks. This is where the fun begins,a great way to get in shape thats for sure.

Capt. Omie Tillet always called it "rubbing money on it" the more fair you want it the more money it cost. It's starting to take some shape now.

After this they will shoot it with some more high build and sand it again before the final prime goes on.

Troy

[Questsportfishing]

..and a 6" porter cable sander is attached to it???... job looks great so far... a 12 pack a beer helps with the wobbly arms..

[biebs]

First boat I ever fished on when I was a little kid. My father would take me and my two brothers 4 to 5 times a year to fish on the frenzy with the old owner and Mike Clarkin. Started fishing with Greg when he got the boat and have so ever since. Definetly the reason I even got into fishing. Greg and dirty are a pleasure to fish with. Its pretty rare that a few weeks go by where my dad doesnt ask whats the frenzy up to. Cant wait to see the finished product.

Ask Greg about the peanut butter incident.

[Capt.Troy Crane]

Well everyone returned from the long holiday break and got back to work.

Stopped by the shop on my way home today and they were laying the blocks too her really good.

They did some rough fairing and then shot her with a good coat of Awl quick high build yesterday and put on some Dykem for the guide coat this morning and are now block sanding her. The dykem is a lay out ink that goes on really thin and is easily sanded off, it's the purple color you smeared on the hull.

Next they will fill the small blemishes that always seem to get over looked and shoot her with a good coat of 545 final primer.

You can see the guide coat got put on everything that is getting sanded including the cockpit, it really takes the guess work out of how far to go.

More updates to follow,

Troy

[JD5652]

Wow!...I never knew there were so many steps involved.... puts a whole new meaning to "wax on...wax off".

Is that typical?

[Questsportfishing]

JD most yards do a great job up there and this type of boat when you take it all the way down to wood needs it's barrier coats so to speak. also you do not want to see planks through the paint. top notch job on this rig. plus gives the guys a chance to burn off the holiday turkey.. remember this 90% of all paint work is the prep granted the sprayer can screw up but the prep work has to be right.

[Capt.Troy Crane]

Wow!...I never knew there were so many steps involved.... puts a whole new meaning to "wax on...wax off".

Is that typical?

JD,
it's really nuts isn't it, you spend all that money to put the stuff on the hull and then you sand most of it off !!! They call it...rubbing money on it. Thats the only way to make her smooth so you dont see the planks or the glass.

Troy