Tag Archives: Grace Ombry

Emergency rudder repair with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy and fiberglass cloth.

G/flex Saves the Race

by Grace Ombry

Above: Robert Patenaude performs emergency rudder repairs with G/flex so he can get back into the regatta and take first place.

Robert Patenaude had ten miles left to reach the finish line in the Bermuda One-Two offshore race when a 30-ton whale hit Perseverance, his C&C 41, seriously damaging the rudder. Not content to drop out of the competition, he called on his racer friends to help him remove the 160 lb, 9′-long rudder from the boat while it was still in the water. He reasoned that if the contenders in the Puma or Vendee Globe races could make major repairs without dropping out of a race, he could too. Continue reading

Fifty Plus, a Quiet Times powerboat

Building the Fifty Plus

by Grace Ombry
Epoxyworks 26

Cover Photo: Carl Puehl’s FIFTY PLUS, a modification of the Ted Brewer design, Quite Times.

A 37′ powerboat is a bit of a luxury for a self-employed handyman and jack-of-all-trades like Carl Puehl. But he’d always wanted to build a boat, and he decided to fill the gap between what he wanted and what he could afford. Continue reading

Home-Built Station Wagon

By Grace Ombry

Bill Dauser couldn’t find an automobile to suit his needs, so he designed this home-built station wagon himself, using epoxy, among other things.

The Muskegon, Michigan carpenter welded two Eldorado front ends back-to-back to create the frame. This arrangement allowed for front-wheel drive and four-wheel independent suspension. The auto also has four-wheel disc brakes and a Buick 231 V6 engine. Continue reading

WEST SYSTEM Instructions

Instructional Materials Provide Epoxy Basics

By Grace Ombry

Epoxy users can find out almost anything they need to know about using WEST SYSTEM Epoxy through the instructional materials we produce. We frequently update these publications to give you easy access to the latest information on using epoxy for construction and repair. You’ll find these publications filled with explanations and illustrations covering virtually all aspects of marine repair with epoxy. Continue reading