Wednesday 21 October 2009

Sunlight,epoxies and paints

Its this that does the damage!

While on the subject of sunlight,I may as well mention a case that happened to a boat I built myself,well the rudders from that boat,the boat was built in house using a design from Dix Design,it was built with plywoods and epoxy,a normal build use today.The client has a thing for black and asked that we spray the hull that shade (its not a colour?) I mentioned to the designer and customer that any dark shade on a wood/epoxy built boat was asking for trouble,the heat build up will break down the epoxy bond,by coincidence Practical Boat Owner had an issue out on the same thing,I scanned the pages to designer and customer and the boat was later painted white.

As well as my making the boat,I made the twin rudders and aft foil,using a wood core with an epoxy glass sheathing,they were supplied to the owners own fitter for installation.Later the owner had a set of carbon fibre rudders made,then sold on the original rudders to another client of ours,who was in our factory a while back,he told me the rudders were ok,except they had a delaminated epoxy glass sheathing problem.I was quite alarmed,I asked him what area was the delamination on? the reply was 'only the lower area where the black antifoul was' Bingo! its not often we get proof like that,so do your self a favour,stay away from dark colours and black when painting your wood epoxy boat.

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