Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Model Boating => Topic started by: guitar man on August 20, 2010, 07:09:01 pm

Title: leaky hull
Post by: guitar man on August 20, 2010, 07:09:01 pm

I have just completed a hard chine hull, it all seems to be well jointed but when placed in the bath with a rubber duckie there is a small amount of water getting in. It is not coming through anything obvious, ie. prop shaft etc. I guess there must be a bad joint even though I can't see one. Questions:

1) when you talk about sealing a hull, do you mean sealing the wood against water damage as you would a window frame (by painting it) or do you mean preventing leaks?
2) I have read lots of you use Z Poxy - again, does this cure leaks or just prevent water damage?
3) Could the hull be coated with tissue and dope?
4) this particular boat will be painted, but what would you do on a boat which had been built plank on frame and you wanted to maintain a natural look?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge and many thanks for any help. :-)

Title: Re: leaky hull
Post by: barriew on August 20, 2010, 08:06:52 pm

1) Both :-)
2) Yes it will seal all gaps - if they're not too big as well as protect the wood
3) Yes
4) Use resin inside and out

Hope this helps - no doubt you will get fuller answers ok2

Barrie

Title: Re: leaky hull
Post by: hmsantrim on August 21, 2010, 01:41:26 am

 Hi guitar man.
                    Sealing a hull in the modern context means coating the inside on the hull with tissue matting and resin.  Tissue matting is
                    a light weight fine weave of fibre glass matting.  If you coat the inside of the hull it waterproofs and strengthens the hull
                     while retaining the external  natural wood features.

                      I have a plank on frame yacht on which the planking has opened up so its getting skinned inside with resin and matting
                          which will seal the hull with out affecting the external esthetics of the hull.
                 
                            Your tissue and dope idea will probably be a suitable waterfrooper if maybe old school technology.

                                                               cheers Frank

Title: Re: leaky hull
Post by: Circlip on August 21, 2010, 08:46:04 am

You don't say how big your hard chine hull is Guitar Man or what it's skinned with? If it's Balsa skinned, depending on size, you could use lightweight (For smalller) or heavyweight (For larger) Tissue and dope. FLJ gave an excellent description of how to do it and it does give a good strengthening and sealing surface. Pretty good for stopping the Balsa acting lke a sponge for colour coats too.

  Regards  Ian.

Title: Re: leaky hull
Post by: guitar man on August 21, 2010, 09:59:17 am

Thankyou for your replies gents. will see if ican cure the problem now  :-) :-)