Page 15 - Extra Fiberglass on Rub Strips

On my Chesapeake I learned really quickly that the ends, where you drag the boat up and down the beach when launching and landing, were the most prone to wear. I was starting to rub through the fiberglass in no time. I had to retrofit it with some extra fiberglass.

On this boat I figured I'd reinforce those areas before it ever hit the water. I started by laminating ash strips to the ends of the redwood. Ash is a harder wood. Then I added an extra layer of fiberglass tape.

"Masking Tape Method" for Smoothing Edges

The fiberglass tape I have is thick and strong, but the edges are made to keep from unraveling. As a result the edges are raised, which is not aesthetically pleasing, at least to my eye. I decided to try a method I had learned about on other people's web pages. I put masking tape on underneath both edges of the fiberglass tape. That way, the edges won't stick to the boat. After the epoxy set, I cut off the excess with a utility knife and sanded down the edges. It works!

Above and below - I've wetted out the fiberglass tape, at least until it overlaps the masking tape.

Below - The epoxy has set, and I'm trimming off the excess. Later I'll sand the edges smooth and apply a couple more coats of epoxy. I think the results were good. You can still see the fiberglass tape, but there aren't the raised edges I would have gotten if I had left the edges of the fiberglass tape intact and coated it with epoxy. The tape is thicker than the regular 6 oz. cloth I use, so I think this method gives me more protection than if I had just used a strip cut from the 6 oz. cloth.

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