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Re: Strip: glue for decking?
By:Will Nettles
Date: 9/8/2012, 6:43 pm
In Response To: Re: Strip: glue for decking? (Mike Bielski)

I agree with Mike (mostly) and I've just proved what he's writing about.

A month ago I made some cedar strip glued, glassed & epoxy knee braces to replace some old ones. Initially they seemed fine, but they're too light weight. After about 8 trips the seams started to move and the glass turned white where the movement is--along the seams. On the right brace that split along a seam there's also air gaps that look more like bubbles than mechanical separation--but it's the same as the seams. Sun has nothing to do with it. Clearly I needed to make them stiffer or add another layer of glass.

The decks on my beat up modified Great Auk are all arched in two directions. 6 oz glass. You can jump up and down on them. My knee braces are only curved in one direction so they were weak in the flat direction. Not a big deal, but they clearly demonstrate what Mike pointed out. It's not the glue.

I find flat kayak decks to be a missed opportunity. Sure they look great, but I don't spend a lot of time looking back across my stern while I'm paddling. Arching the decks takes more effort to build (and feelings of guilt mucking with Nick's design...) but then the deck is as tough (or nearly as tough) as the hull.
I have used Titebond 3 waterproof glue for years. Sure just about any glue will work, the Coast Guard only requires the life jacket to be available.... I always were my PFD, use Titebond 3 and I arch my decks (and will beef up my knee braces.)

Messages In This Thread

Strip: glue for decking?
Rob -- 9/7/2012, 3:12 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
John Abercrombie -- 9/7/2012, 8:40 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
John Abercrombie -- 9/7/2012, 8:43 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
Mike Bielski -- 9/7/2012, 9:27 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
Will Nettles -- 9/8/2012, 6:43 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking? *PIC*
Kurt Maurer -- 9/8/2012, 6:53 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
Mike Bielski -- 9/8/2012, 11:15 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
dave mckinney -- 9/10/2012, 9:46 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking? *PIC*
Kurt Maurer -- 9/10/2012, 10:38 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking? *PIC*
Jason Moore -- 9/10/2012, 12:17 am
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
Scott Fitzgerrell -- 9/10/2012, 9:23 pm
Re: Strip: glue for decking?
Jason Moore -- 9/11/2012, 12:02 am