How about this ...IF the resin does crack, consider that noticing it (likely
in a hidden spot) and fixing it later will be a bigger pain later than the
original crawling around and coating/painting during the build, when the
boat's in it's final shape. I'm not sure I'd personally want to wonder if
there was a water-absorbing crack through the epoxy somewhere where I
couldn't see it after building. That may be OK with you, for example, if
your boat is not kept in the water and always has dry storage ...an
occasional trailer sailor for example.

That said, many people will fiberglass the wood ahead of time. Wood that
remains unbent can be glassed any time and is often glassed ahead of time,
e.g. framing or gussets etcetera. Glassing the outside of wood that will be
bent, the side of the wood on the outside of a bend, is generally not
recommended because it stiffens up the wood and makes it much harder to
bend. But glassing the interior face, the inside radius, is just fine. I
did this on all the side panels for my current project and it is MUCH easier
than glassing after the fact. I do final epoxy coating after the boat is
assembled however. It's not that hard to do the crawling around and
coating. ...Just part of the job.

Have fun!

Brian D



"Andrew Butchart" wrote in message
. ..
For my current project - a Stevenson's Weekender - I'm very close to being
able to put on the sides. To avoid crawling around inside the boat
coating
and painting, I'm wondering about doing that before I put the sides on.
I'll mask off where the glue joints will be during a trial fit. The sides
will be 1/4" luan coated with polyester resin (no fiberglass on the
inside).
I'll fiberglass the outside after assembly.

My concern is whether the resin will be able to take the bending after it
sets up, or will it crack? Has anyone else tried to do things this way?
I
don't really want to crawl around inside the cabin breathing in fumes
trying
to do the coating.

--
Andrew Butchart