IOM build - from hull & deck freshly moulded

Rcsailing.net General Discussion
1

Hi, I have done a test build from a male plug which was the first hull pulled out of our mould which was way too heavy so decided to use is as a male plug to get some experience strats.

I am getting closer to actually mould my own boat from the moulds but in the meantime I am fitting one that came out from these mould by a friend in Scotland.

So far I marked the centreline of the inside of the hull by using a laser from the transom to the bow.
I marked the position of the mast/finbox on that line (using the Dave Creed finbox and fin which will be too high for now between the hull and the bottom of the deck)
I am about to epoxy the stringers on the side of the hull with thickened epoxy (I use west epoxy) and clamped to the mould to ensure the stringer match the shape of the hull and the other way around.

Q1 - how thick my stringers should be to ensure a good glueing of the deck later ?
Q2 - should I wet or somehow steam the stringers (using strips of cedar) to help the wood flex to the shape of the hull, helping the glueing and reducing the risk of them pulling out later ?

Will post some pics once I have uploaded them on my dropbox.

2

G’day Celtic Spirit,

I use 5 or 6 mm square balsa from the hobby/model shop. I’ve built heaps of IOM’s and Marbleheads using balsa inwales and had no problems.
Tony

3

While there is nothing wrong with balsa or spruce inwhales, I don’t really like wood in an inaccessible place inside my hulls. I cut a piece of plexiglass that will easily lay on top of my hull, then mark a line on it that is well inside of the hull outline and cut the inside part out. Now you can mix up some epoxy and lightweight filler of your choice and reach inside with it to make a fillet where the hull/deck joint will be. When cured, the plexiglass pops right off leaving a perfect bonding edge to join the hull to the deck.

4

ok here is an update:

  • built a support in wood matching the shape of the mould by doing a strat of f/g on packing tape to get the exact form of the mould where I wanted to put the mould supports. Then use these f/g contours to cut the mould supports and epoxy these f/g bands on the wood support. this now gives me a steady and solid base to work on the mould.
  • ordered and received pva release agent as recommended
  • for now cut the stringers in cedar (but really like your idea hew565)
  • started the build of a prototype fin in c/f

any of you used flax fibre before in your build ? got some unidirectional to strat on the inside of the side of the fin to help reduce flex