Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Material: Fiberglass Layering
By:Rick Sylvia
Date: 1/8/2003, 2:15 pm

Another two questions about Fiberglass.

I'll most likely use 6 oz E-Weave as my main layer. There are some areas where I want to do some extra reinforcing, as seems normal. So, in figuring out my combinations, is there a difference between, say, 2 layers of 6 oz, versus 1 layer of 12 oz? I'm thinking that the resulting strength is equal, but folks use two layers mainly because they know they'll have scraps available after cutting the material for the hull and deck. So, other than minimizing waste, there's no structural difference between two layers of 6oz versus one layer of 12 oz.

Is that true or false, or does layering in and of itself add strength that a single layer doesn't?

Also, regarding the tape used for the seams... some folks use tape, others cut their own. Is the advantage of buying the tape simply that you don't have the fraying edges to deal with, or is there some other difference or advantage to buying tape? The best I can tell, 6 oz tape is the same as 6 oz cloth, it's just that the tape is easier to handle, particulary on the interior when feathering your edges.

Thanks again!

Rick

Messages In This Thread

Material: Fiberglass Layering
Rick Sylvia -- 1/8/2003, 2:15 pm
Re: GREAT INFO!
Rick Sylvia -- 1/9/2003, 8:18 am
Re: 2 is better than 1 *LINK*
Dave Houser -- 1/9/2003, 1:49 am
Re: Material: Fiberglass Layering
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/8/2003, 9:17 pm
12 oz has no place in kayak building.
Tony -- 1/8/2003, 7:00 pm
Re: Material: Fiberglass Layering
Kurt Loup, Baton Rouge -- 1/8/2003, 3:41 pm
Re: Material: Fiberglass Layering
Jeff The Tall -- 1/8/2003, 3:34 pm
Re: Material: Fiberglass Layering
Chris -- 1/8/2003, 3:16 pm