Just wondering if anyone read this month's article in Salt Water Sportsman about boatbuilding? <br /><br />Great article by Karl Anderson (a local fishing/marine virtuoso) who talks about many of the topics that come up on this site regarding boat building/repairs including:<br /> - types of resins (poly, vinyl, epoxy)<br /> - types of fiberglass<br /> - core materials (balsa, Core Cell, Divinycel)<br /><br />Some major points of the article:<br /> - RE Resins: "epoxy resin is the cream of the crop, yet the majority of all boat builders are still building boats the same way they did in the early 1970's (with poly and vinyl ester resins and encapsulated wood). This isn't necessarily a bad thing, providing the boat builder uses the best techniques for the application of the materials."<br /> - RE Cutting-Edge Boatbuilding Technologies: "The only way to get an ideal lab-scenario (regarding using epoxy resin in boat building) is to use a special hybrid fabric that's already impregnated with epoxy resin, known as "pre-preg." Pre-preg comes frozen in a roll, is thawed to room temperature before being handlaid into a mold. Thawed pre-peg has the consistency of tacky tape and must be heated to cure. When combined with the vacum-bagging process, it producess a compact and very strong panel."<br /><br /> He mentions Revenge LT is the only boat builder that is currently using this process and that many boat builders will soon be using this process in the future.<br /><br /> I couldn't find a website for Revenge LT boats (can anyone else?) but I did find one for another company he mentions (that makes high quality boats), they have a great virtual tour that shows how their boats are made.web page <br /><br />Thought this may help someone out there in boat building/repairing land. I'm searching for a boat for the springtime and wanted something completely wood free made of epoxy resin - but there's only one boat builder it seems that makes one! Oh well, after two floor/transom projects I guess I'm getting better at it.
