Fiberglass DIY Step-By-Step Guide
Working with fiberglass is not so difficult as many people think and it if usually very fun to do. A lot of people has asked me how to do it and where I have learned all the stuff I do with fiberglass and where an individual can find these information in order to learn to work with it. Every time someone asks me about my work I take some time to explain to them how the whole process looks like.
Usually I get asked where I have learned all this stuff but there is no simple answer to that. I can tell you about many online tutorials that I have used to learn how to work with fiberglass but at the end you must try it on your own skin to learn how to master the technique. I read a simple fiberglass guide written by Drew Wilson at Explorer Forum. It gives you all the basics that you need to know when you decide to work with fiberglass.
After I read this great fiberglass tutorial I bought a very cheap fiberglass kit which included some fiberglass resin and mat. It was enough to try to start building a inflatable boat steering console for my first boat Lean I. I had no knowledge on the topic despite reading an article about it.
Since the fiberglass kit was cheap I decided that I can waste some money to try something new and so I read the instructions on the fiberglass kit box and started working. I build a wooden mold for my console which I then coated with one layer of fiberglass mat. The kit I bought was just enough to cover my console with one layer.
After my first layer dried I went back to the supply shop and bought some more materials, that is about 5 kg of fiberglass resin and about 3 kg of mat. I then applied another 5 layers over the first layer and let it to dry. When it dried I removed my wooden mold and what was left was my custom made fiberglass mold for inflatable boat steering console.
I then used some molding wax to wax my console mold form the inside and when it dried I applied white boat epoxy paint. I then fiberglassed the inside of the mold with fiberglass. You should apply about five layers of fiberglass to get a strong steering console. I also fiberglassed in a piece of plywood that was later used as a mounting for steering mechanism and steering wheel. And that was it. I had a brand new custom made inflatable boat steering console and it was a lot cheaper than if I had bought it. Read more…
Categories: Boatbuilding, DIY Guides Tags: boat, boat manual, boat renovation, boatbuilding, diy, diy boat, epoxy resin, fiberglass, fiberglass mat, fiberglass resin, inflatable boat, marterials, poliester resin, roving
My second boat – Lean II PART 1
Elan T500 cabin cruiser - side view
As I was saying in my previous post about my first inflatable boat, I sold for quite good amount of money considering what it was worth. But honestly I sold it becouse it was a little to small for our needs. My dear Andreja was always complaining when the water was a little rough (she was right, it was a very bumpy ride 
) and you all know the problem when your boat is one meter too short.
So I decided that I will bring another beauty to life. This time for real.
I started following all the local classified ads for old boats in need of renovation. I found a lot boats, but there was allways some issues with them. One didn’t have all the neccessary documents, the other had a price like it was just out of the store, etc…
After a couple of months of searching I finnaly found it. A nice V bottom cabin day cruiser about 5,5 meters in length, manufactured ba Elan Slovenija in 1976. It was out of the water for about 12 years but it was very well stored so it was quite good preserved. Of course it needed a lot of work but as it proved later on it was a good base to start my diy boat building project. Read more…
Categories: Boatbuilding, Boats Tags: boat, boat renovation, boatbuilding, build, cruiser, diy, diy boat, epoxy resin, fiberglass, marterials, poliester resin, rebuild, roving, stern plate, stern wall
My first Boat Building Project – Lean I
Finished boat on water
I am a young student of electrical engineering, living, working and studying in Slovenija, Europe. It’s a small country at the foothills of the Alps, near Italy and Austria. We own about 50 km of sea coast and a floatable river or two Although we only have about 2000000 citizens, we have quite developed boating scene. A lot of people own their own boats and also a lot are building their own.
As for me, I have been a boat fan since I was a child, but my familiy never could afford owning a boat. So when I started to make my own money I decided to make my dream come trough and bought myself an inflatable boat with fiberglass V (Vee) bottom. It was only 3,5 meters long and could carry a motor of 25 horse power max. I was on a tight budget so I could not afford expensive inflatable boat consoles, seats and other expensive gear, so I decided to build my own boat accessories. On this blog I will try to give some advice on diy boat building an some great tutorials for you to make some nice improvements for your boat. Read more…
Categories: Boatbuilding, Boats, DIY Guides Tags: boat, boat renovation, boat seat, boatbuilding, build, console, diy console, epoxy resin, fiberglass, inflatable boat, marterials, seat, steering console
