Hi folks!
I’ve been flying RC planes for a while, and sailing my own 1:1 sailboat and recently purchased a model RC sailboat to build. I have the Dumas Huson 24 about halfway built.
Vince - you can go either way on this. Basically it is for finishing - not necessarily for strength (but you will gain strength if you add glass cloth)
Epoxy only: Mix up a small amount of epoxy and add in some Mircolight filler (or anything that is easy to sand) - even talcum powder will work. Get to consistency of peanut butter and apply to outside of hull. Use an old credit card to apply and basically smear on and remove. You are just trying to fill any low spots or small pinholes in your planking. Sand and fair, and then go ahead and paint. A wider card or applicator that is flexible will help fill in any low spots.
Epoxy & Glass: same reason - to fill holes and gaps. Use lightest cloth possible for this small of a boat. 1/2 or 3/4 oz. would be fine. Drape cloth over hull and apply epoxy resin/hardner after mixing correctly. Let cure. You still wil need to fill any low spots like above. Then prime and paint.
Epoxy when cured is hard to sand, so be careful you don’t sand through the wood planks.
In either case, you will be painting so it will be OK to have the filler a different color as paint will make everything look great. Do spend time on fairing, as when you paint with gloss paint, all ripples, dents and hollows will show. I have heard very positive comments about the Krylon Fusion paints. The seem to give a great gloss look and adhere to the hulls, based on user reports.
Dick Lemke
F-48 #US-06
MultiONE #US-06
Class 3 Landyacht #US-196
Vince, welcome to the most challenging hobby in existence. I built 2 Huson 24’s in the early 80’s and found them to be challenging for a first boat build. Fiberglass the hull, and use resin on all of the inside areas for waterproofing. I thought that by using epoxy paint that the fiberglass step could be skipped, not true. The 24 is great in light airs and not good in any heavy wind. Your post brought back memories of a fun first boat. Thanks, Clyde
Thanks for the advice ! I think I’ll put on one layer of 1/2oz fiberglass and call it good. I’m a bit leary of the balsa planking holding up in case of a collision (pesky rocks!)
I’ve done a little bit of fiberglassing recently, and I think that I’ve got enought basic experience to at least make a smooth surface with the stuff. My first few attempts with fiberglassing were mainly experiments… I learned two things: don’t overwork the stuff, and don’t use polyurethane resin! the polyurethane resin cures nice and hard, but it isn’t nearly as sticky as polyester resin so bubbles are easily formed and delaminating the cloth layers is a constant problem.
Tonight I finished the foreward cabin and dug out my old radio gear. I was thinking of separating the main and jib sheets onto different servos but there isn’t enough room inside the hull for three servos, batteris and receiver! So I think that I’ll put the main and jib sheet on the same servo and keep it simple.
I’ll post more pictures as the boat comes along.
Had I known I would live this long, I’d have taken better care of my car.
As the great American Gus Lassel said about model sailing . “he got into it to give his kids some Culture and he ended up spending a life time doing it”