Hello,

I am in the throws of deciding on a sailing cruiser to build and
perhaps more importantly which method of construction that I plan to
use prior to ordering plans.

Currently my preferences are either stitch and glue (as I have done
this before) or cedar strip (which looks like an interesting
challenge), but recently I have been looking at the
http://www.glen-l.com/ website where many of their plans require the
craft to be built from Fiberglass planking. So as to consider this
method of construction is anyone aware of suppliers of such planking
in the UK?

Many thanks,
Mark

Mark wrote:

Hello,

I am in the throws of deciding on a sailing cruiser to build and
perhaps more importantly which method of construction that I plan to
use prior to ordering plans.

Currently my preferences are either stitch and glue (as I have done
this before) or cedar strip (which looks like an interesting
challenge), but recently I have been looking at the
http://www.glen-l.com/ website where many of their plans require the
craft to be built from Fiberglass planking. So as to consider this
method of construction is anyone aware of suppliers of such planking
in the UK?

Many thanks,
Mark

Usually fabricated in situ, I believe,

As I recall, a frame kit, some c-flex foam tacked on and some
delightful glass-fibre woven material, like fireproof drapes, and
catalyzed polyester resin slopped on can easily become a
'fiberglass panel' boat.

If you useed planks or cut up pieces of plywood instead, you
would have a more traditional wooden boat, no?

Or do you expect to buy sheets of cured fiberglass like plywood,
to be cut to shape or precut shaped panels, and stuck together,
with glue of some sort, like double sided tape or velcro, maybe
nails? Screws are such a bother.

If, after glassing the outside, you glass the inside too, you
would have a foam sandwich construction with floatation core, and
would need to incorperate some connection system to bind the 2
layers of glass together, unless you trust it to adhere strongly
to the foam while sloughing off 10 tons of lumpy seawater while
the loose elephant cargo below makes a break for Freedom and
Africa?

Dream on.

--
Terry K - My email address is MY PROPERTY, and is protected by
copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce it is
specifically denied for mass mailing and unrequested
solicitations. Reproduction or conveyance for any unauthorised
purpose is THEFT and PLAGIARISM. Abuse is Invasion of privacy
and harassment. Abusers may be prosecuted. -This notice footer
released to public domain. Spamspoof salad by spamchock -
SofDevCo

Terry,
Maybe you could research the product the guy is asking about before you
jump in with your useless uninformed (and rather rude) post.

For the original poster:

A yahoo search came up with a few UK locations that mention the C-Flex
fiberglass panels. I didn't search through for specific suppliers but
it appears that they are available. It seems some of the Bruce-Roberts
boats must use this material so contacting one of the places that deals
in their stuff might turn up a source. I have had good results asking
questions at Glen-L so maybe an email to them would help find a source.

Good luck.
Ed



Terry Spragg wrote:

Mark wrote:

Hello,

I am in the throws of deciding on a sailing cruiser to build and
perhaps more importantly which method of construction that I plan to
use prior to ordering plans.

Currently my preferences are either stitch and glue (as I have done
this before) or cedar strip (which looks like an interesting
challenge), but recently I have been looking at the
http://www.glen-l.com/ website where many of their plans require the
craft to be built from Fiberglass planking. So as to consider this
method of construction is anyone aware of suppliers of such planking
in the UK?

Many thanks,
Mark


Usually fabricated in situ, I believe,

As I recall, a frame kit, some c-flex foam tacked on and some
delightful glass-fibre woven material, like fireproof drapes, and
catalyzed polyester resin slopped on can easily become a
'fiberglass panel' boat.

If you useed planks or cut up pieces of plywood instead, you
would have a more traditional wooden boat, no?

Or do you expect to buy sheets of cured fiberglass like plywood,
to be cut to shape or precut shaped panels, and stuck together,
with glue of some sort, like double sided tape or velcro, maybe
nails? Screws are such a bother.

If, after glassing the outside, you glass the inside too, you
would have a foam sandwich construction with floatation core, and
would need to incorperate some connection system to bind the 2
layers of glass together, unless you trust it to adhere strongly
to the foam while sloughing off 10 tons of lumpy seawater while
the loose elephant cargo below makes a break for Freedom and
Africa?

Dream on.

"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
...

If, after glassing the outside, you glass the inside too, you
would have a foam sandwich construction with floatation core, and
would need to incorperate some connection system to bind the 2
layers of glass together, unless you trust it to adhere strongly
to the foam while sloughing off 10 tons of lumpy seawater while
the loose elephant cargo below makes a break for Freedom and
Africa?

Dream on.


? New to me . . . I'm glad I didn't sink during those ocean crossings
because my boat did not have any of those "connections" between the skins.
Maybe we should warn all those yards, builders and designers of foam
sandwich hulls.

and
would need to incorperate some connection system to bind the 2
layers of glass together, unless you trust it to adhere strongly
to the foam while sloughing off 10 tons of lumpy seawater

Interestingly, I've just started working for a company specialising in
attaching resins to many substrates including foam. And I _really_
would trust it to adhere to the foam. I could give you a recipe for
adhesion to of all unlikely substrates, polysyrene, were it not
commerically sensitive.

Al

Terry Spragg wrote in message ...
Mark wrote:

Hello,

I am in the throws of deciding on a sailing cruiser to build and
perhaps more importantly which method of construction that I plan to
use prior to ordering plans.

Currently my preferences are either stitch and glue (as I have done
this before) or cedar strip (which looks like an interesting
challenge), but recently I have been looking at the
http://www.glen-l.com/ website where many of their plans require the
craft to be built from Fiberglass planking. So as to consider this
method of construction is anyone aware of suppliers of such planking
in the UK?

Many thanks,
Mark

Usually fabricated in situ, I believe,

As I recall, a frame kit, some c-flex foam tacked on and some
delightful glass-fibre woven material, like fireproof drapes, and
catalyzed polyester resin slopped on can easily become a
'fiberglass panel' boat.

If you useed planks or cut up pieces of plywood instead, you
would have a more traditional wooden boat, no?

Or do you expect to buy sheets of cured fiberglass like plywood,
to be cut to shape or precut shaped panels, and stuck together,
with glue of some sort, like double sided tape or velcro, maybe
nails? Screws are such a bother.

If, after glassing the outside, you glass the inside too, you
would have a foam sandwich construction with floatation core, and
would need to incorperate some connection system to bind the 2
layers of glass together, unless you trust it to adhere strongly
to the foam while sloughing off 10 tons of lumpy seawater while
the loose elephant cargo below makes a break for Freedom and
Africa?

Dream on.



Sounds to me like you are being sarcastic here, forgive me if I miss.
But if you are mocking this type of "dream" building it is being done
all the time and for some time now. Of course I don't usually carry
elephants around in the bilge, but you never know... maybe pink
ones...
Scotty

Backyard Renegade wrote:

Terry Spragg wrote in message ...
Mark wrote:

Hello,

I am in the throws of deciding on a sailing cruiser to build and
perhaps more importantly which method of construction that I plan to
use prior to ordering plans.

Currently my preferences are either stitch and glue (as I have done
this before) or cedar strip (which looks like an interesting
challenge), but recently I have been looking at the
http://www.glen-l.com/ website where many of their plans require the
craft to be built from Fiberglass planking. So as to consider this
method of construction is anyone aware of suppliers of such planking
in the UK?

Many thanks,
Mark

Usually fabricated in situ, I believe,

As I recall, a frame kit, some c-flex foam tacked on and some
delightful glass-fibre woven material, like fireproof drapes, and
catalyzed polyester resin slopped on can easily become a
'fiberglass panel' boat.

If you useed planks or cut up pieces of plywood instead, you
would have a more traditional wooden boat, no?

Or do you expect to buy sheets of cured fiberglass like plywood,
to be cut to shape or precut shaped panels, and stuck together,
with glue of some sort, like double sided tape or velcro, maybe
nails? Screws are such a bother.

If, after glassing the outside, you glass the inside too, you
would have a foam sandwich construction with floatation core, and
would need to incorperate some connection system to bind the 2
layers of glass together, unless you trust it to adhere strongly
to the foam while sloughing off 10 tons of lumpy seawater while
the loose elephant cargo below makes a break for Freedom and
Africa?

Dream on.


Sounds to me like you are being sarcastic here, forgive me if I miss.
But if you are mocking this type of "dream" building it is being done
all the time and for some time now. Of course I don't usually carry
elephants around in the bilge, but you never know... maybe pink
ones...
Scotty

Oh, well, I was having a bit of fun, but...

Some foam is good as structure, some is so scored for flexing
purposes, that it is not, IMHO. I believe that c-flex (AKA
"fiberglass planking" among some) is intended to be torn out
after serving as shape form. It is not intended to be used a
structural ingredient.

The real point, fiberglass panels are built in situ, not
purchased as structural material, seems to be adrift amongst the
angst.

C-flex is a temporary form material, only.

--
Terry K - My email address is MY PROPERTY, and is protected by
copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce it is
specifically denied for mass mailing and unrequested
solicitations. Reproduction or conveyance for any unauthorised
purpose is THEFT and PLAGIARISM. Abuse is Invasion of privacy
and harassment. Abusers may be prosecuted. -This notice footer
released to public domain. Spamspoof salad by spamchock -
SofDevCo

Terry says:

C-flex is a temporary form material, only.


Bzzztttttt!!!!!!

Nope - it was developed, and has been used for years, as a structural material.

I don't _like_ the stuff, but there it is.
C-Flex boats always finished up overweight, because most were built on male
forms, and no thought was given to the weight of fairing compound required ;-(

Steve
Stephen C. Baker - Yacht Designer
http://members.aol.com/SailDesign/pr...cbweb/home.htm

Stephen Baker wrote:

Terry says:

C-flex is a temporary form material, only.


Bzzztttttt!!!!!!

Nope - it was developed, and has been used for years, as a structural material.

I don't _like_ the stuff, but there it is.
C-Flex boats always finished up overweight, because most were built on male
forms, and no thought was given to the weight of fairing compound required ;-(

Steve

Well, if you say so. I am only recalling, possibly erroneously,
what I seem to remember reading 20 or so years ago.

Just think, now I must retrace all the 'facts' built up on that
fallacy ever since.

I am still somewhat doubtful, you will understand, because I have
not seen substantive corroborration, but my mind is always open
to new knowlege. Perhaps you have a source for this revelation?

Calling c-flex panels 'fiberglass panels' still seems foreign to
me.
--
Terry K - My email address is MY PROPERTY, and is protected by
copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce it is
specifically denied for mass mailing and unrequested
solicitations. Reproduction or conveyance for any unauthorised
purpose is THEFT and PLAGIARISM. Abuse is Invasion of privacy
and harassment. Abusers may be prosecuted. -This notice footer
released to public domain. Spamspoof salad by spamchock -
SofDevCo

Once again... I'd suggest you research the material before you make
comments. You may believe it, but the data doesn't support your beliefs.

Ed

Terry Spragg wrote:

Some foam is good as structure, some is so scored for flexing
purposes, that it is not, IMHO. I believe that c-flex (AKA
"fiberglass planking" among some) is intended to be torn out
after serving as shape form. It is not intended to be used a
structural ingredient.

The real point, fiberglass panels are built in situ, not
purchased as structural material, seems to be adrift amongst the
angst.

C-flex is a temporary form material, only.