Tag Archives: Fall 1992

Liner Repair on SHARP CHEDDAR

by C. Joe Parker

SHARP CHEDDAR needed her liner repaired. This San Juan 24 was badly damaged in a storm  blew her out of the Saginaw River. The boat bounced on the bottom of her slip for about 18 hours. When SHARP CHEDDAR was removed from the water a couple of days later, the keel actually wiggled back and forth. The keel to keel boss joint looked fine, with absolutely no sign of cracking or damage. There was little indication of the severity of the damage, but when the keel wiggled, the bottom of the boat flexed in and out. My friend John, who has owned the boat for about 15 years, was pretty upset. He was afraid it could not be repaired. Continue reading →

The Whalebone Arch after restoration with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy. The monument, built in 1933, stand outside the Christ Church Cathedral in Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Restoring the Whalebone Arch

Courtesy of John Smith

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Cover Photo: The Whalebone Arch is a historic monument in the Falkland Islands, restored with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy.

The problem of how to restore two tons of decaying whalebone daunted John Smith, curator of the Falkland Islands Museum in Stanley. The Falkland Islands Company had built an arch of four enormous blue whale jawbones to commemorate the Centenary Celebrations in 1933. Fifty-eight years later, the logistics of restoring the historic monument added up to a whale of a headache. Continue reading →

get epoxy off your clothes

How to Get Epoxy Off Your Clothes

by Captain James R. Watson

It has probably happened to us all once or twice. You’re all dressed up and just before going out the door you swing through your shop to check on the project. Sure enough, a dab of epoxy finds its way onto your best pants. Believe me, it has happened to me plenty of times. My poor mother grieved with all the school clothes I carelessly ruined in my sloppy days as a kid boatbuilder. Continue reading →

The Tallinn Cathedral, built for Peter the Great in the 1700s.

Laminating TRADER in Estonia

by C. Joe Parker

TRADER is an Alan Andrews designed 70′ IMS racer/cruiser, built by AKE Ltd. On July 7, 1992, my wife Deb and I traveled to Tallinn, Estonia. We were there to help begin the lamination of TRADER the first boat built with Gougeon Laminating Epoxy [the precursor to PRO-SET Epoxy -ed] in the former Soviet Union.  In October 1990, East and West Germany were reunited. In 1991 the Soviet Union was dissolved. In July 1992, Gougeon Brothers traveled to the Eastern Block. Yep, history in the making.

Continue reading →

6. Lay out the leading edge radius. The actual radius is a 90 degree segment of a circle drawn tanged to #0, bisected by the chord line. Its radius is 1.58% of the chord line length (c).

How to Loft Airfoil Sections

by Captain James R. Watson

When a designer chooses a foil section for a particular design, that section is often not produced to a close tolerance. I sailed on a boat that was noted for its erratic steering: the problem boiled down to an asymmetrical rudder. Optimization of the airfoil section translates into measurable performance and handling benefits. Continue reading →

Creating durable edges for centerboards and rudders

Durable Edges for Centerboards & Flip Up Rudders

by Jim Derck

Why do centerboards and rudders need durable edges? When centerboards and flip-up rudders drag across the bottom, the first fiberglass to abrade away is usually the leading edge at the bottom. This exposes the end grain of the wood, allowing water to be absorbed the length of the centerboard or rudder. The wood then expands, cracking the fiberglass along the leading edge and causing more problems. When it is time to repair the tip, it usually takes a long time to dry the wood for an effective repair. Continue reading →

Proper Disposal of Leftover Resin & Hardener

By Tim Atkinson — Senior Chemist & Glenn House — Director of Product Safety and Regulatory Compliance

The technical staff of Gougeon Brothers, Inc. has recently received inquiries about the proper disposal of leftover resin and hardeners. The increase in customer concern results from more stringent environmental regulations and heightened awareness of the need to protect the environment. We are happy to receive these inquiries because it lets us know that epoxy users are taking responsibility for the proper disposal of these products. We hope this article gives you a better understanding of basic proper disposal procedures. Continue reading →

gritty homemade handsoap

Gritty Homemade Hand Soap

A Recipe from Gougeon Brothers’ Kitchen

Here is a handy formula for gritty homemade hand soap for removing epoxy resin. We often use it around our boat shop. You can make it in the kitchen blender from common household supplies. The beauty of this stuff is that it’s easy on you, easy to make, and easy to clean up. This is a recipe sure to please the whole family. Percentages are provided so you can easily customize batch sizes for a small job or a big work crew. Continue reading →