My poor MiniCup sailboats

[Frogwatch]

After years of use, My Stevenson Project Minicup 12' sailboats may be
reaching old age. Number 1 (Tadpole) had severe rot last year even
though i had rebuilt her once. I had planned to rebuild her again and
had stripped her of all paint and even removed all the old non-
stainless screws in prep for glass and epoxying her but I simply do
not have the time. I may have some sort of ceremony where I burn her.
I had Number 2 (Satsuma) out on the lake this afternoon in light wind
and although she is entirely sheathed in glass epoxy, I heard a crack
from the bottom of the cockpit and I think this means rot in the wood
beneath. Instead of rebuilding again, I may simply inject epoxy and
continue using her till she fails somehow.
Eventually, I may redesign the MiniCups using modern materials using
stitch and glue methods with glass and epoxy. This would incorporate
my alterations to the mast, rudder assembly and making the sail by
sewing polytarp. I think I could make them much lighter than the old
version and certainly stronger and longer lasting.

[I am Tosk]

In article <017c9ba3-5aaa-4dd7...@z11g2000yqz.googlegroups.com>,
dbo...@mindspring.com says...

Two suggestions. First use Occume Plywood, the stuff last forever without
rotting. Second, don't sheath the boat with Epoxy. You can not waterproof the
wood, but with "encapsulation" you can almost guarantee that once water gets
in, and it will, it isn't getting out. Use Epoxy as an adhesive and paint the
boat like any other wooden boat. If the plan calls for a sheathed bottom, so be
it, just paint the inside.

I have spoken with Payson about this in the past and he agrees.
"Encapsulation" seemed to get big just about the time Epoxy became readily
available to the general public who is a bit more gullible than the old school
builders;) I bet a Goo manufacturer made it up:O

Scotty

--
Can I haz Cheezeburger?

[Frogwatch]

On Feb 18, 5:57 pm, I am Tosk <justwaitafrekinminu...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> In article <017c9ba3-5aaa-4dd7-bea2-d61179bde...@z11g2000yqz.googlegroups.com>,
> dboh...@mindspring.com says...

I sheathed them because the original wood I used was low quality and
it was rotting within a year. The MiniCups were intended to have very
short lives, almost disposable, but once I had built them, I decided I
wanted them to last a long time.
The original instructions say they will last a couple of seasons only.

[I am Tosk]

In article <e79eeb6b-bf22-4617...@g28g2000yqh.googlegroups.com>,
dbo...@mindspring.com says...

> >
> > Two suggestions. First use Occume Plywood, the stuff last forever without
> > rotting. Second, don't sheath the boat with Epoxy. You can not waterproof the
> > wood, but with "encapsulation" you can almost guarantee that once water gets
> > in, and it will, it isn't getting out. Use Epoxy as an adhesive and paint the
> > boat like any other wooden boat. If the plan calls for a sheathed bottom, so be
> > it, just paint the inside.
> >
> > I have spoken with Payson about this in the past and he agrees.
> > "Encapsulation" seemed to get big just about the time Epoxy became readily
> > available to the general public who is a bit more gullible than the old school
> > builders;) I bet a Goo manufacturer made it up:O
> >
> > Scotty
> >
> > --
> > Can I haz Cheezeburger?
>
> I sheathed them because the original wood I used was low quality and
> it was rotting within a year. The MiniCups were intended to have very
> short lives, almost disposable, but once I had built them, I decided I
> wanted them to last a long time.
> The original instructions say they will last a couple of seasons only.

Yes, I have followed your fun with the mini cups. All I am saying is if you
make another one or two, I would go with the no rot wood and paint...