Vacuum Bagging and Laminating my deck back on, plus vintage magazine clippings! $150 Trimaran EP6!

In this episode I continue rebuilding my crazy $150 Bethwaite Sailing Trimaran, after it sunk the first time I sailed it. I have now finished the centreboard case repair, and begin repairing the giant holes I cut in the deck, using a $29 XU1 Jigsaw from Bunnings, a sheet of Marine Ply (also from Bunnings) some Carbon Fibre I borrowed from my brother and the cheapest vacuum pump on the internet. I also receive some awesome scans of some 1988 magazine articles from Aaron on Sailing Anarchy, which shows more of the history of this super interesting boat. Check out the Bethwaite HSP thread in Multihull Anarchy if you want to read them.
#sailing #multihull #catamaran #trimaran #dinghy #yacht #fusion360 #bunnings #epoxy #diy #diyprojects #builtnotbought #sail #sailboat #carbonfiber #carbonfibre
Music:
Song: BEKSY. - Stars in the Sky [NCS Release]
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Song: Rameses B & Veela - Never Knew Me [NCS Release]
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Track: MANIA & Tom Wigley - Calling Out Your Name (ft. Lottie Jones) [NCS Release]
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[@ifoxwell]

Good job, its coming along well. Always good to watch some one that is doing this work kind of work and is battling the same kind of problems that I encounter. Rather than that perfectly equipped workshop, has all the tools scenario that is normally shown on you tube.

[@TomStuchberySailing]

I’m glad you like how relatable it is, that’s the goal! Although I may need to invest in a camping gazebo to keep the rain out of the boat and so I have some kind of workshop for the next project!

[@harrisonyoung3198]

Wow, it's looking very good. I can't wait for the next video!❤

[@TomStuchberySailing]

Thanks Harrison, I’ll keep going with it and hopefully have another video out in a week or so!

[@MatthewFranzek]

Very excited to get the notification you posted the next video

[@TomStuchberySailing]

Thanks Matt, I hope you like it!

[@jackmdds]

keep the vids going

[@TomStuchberySailing]

Thanks Jack, will do!

[@zknarc]

That shot of someone trapping off the windward float. That someone is probably also the mad lad who single handed the 49er at the oly trials.

[@TomStuchberySailing]

Probably! If it wasn’t him I’d bet that he was helming. I heard they only built like two of the two handed version, so I’m not sure if any survive 😭

[@dallasdawson3674]

try laying up the panel on a flat table, piece of melamine or even sheet of glass. You will get the nice finish you desire and it will come out nice and flat, your bag there may be bowing it. I know it's not critical but an easier process I believe. If its super cold pre heat the epoxy to a nice warm room temp before you start, that way it reacts with the hardener and kicks on a bit before it gets thinned out and starts getting cold again, even leave it in the mixing tub for a few minutes in your hands can be enough to give it some warmth and kick off. Ideally shouldn't really bee using it under 10 degrees. Need to make up a plastictent/heater to cure if you want to speed it and get it curing in real cold weather.

[@dallasdawson3674]

It will need to be waxed or you can use clear packaging tape as a cheap and simple mould release.

[@TomStuchberySailing]

Not a bad point, I learnt about the glass idea after I did this. It did end up with a wrinkle from the bag, so I gave up on that idea in the end, will probably just paint it! I did invest in that little heater you saw when I glue the centreboard onto the flange, that made a big difference

[@dallasdawson3674]

@@TomStuchberySailing the melamine sheet and packaging tape is probably there cheapest way to create a small vacuum table, once its all vacuum down, make a tent over top using cheap plastic drop sheet and masking tape. tape down 90% off the edges, put the heater in 1 end and leave a small opening at the other. The plastic will puff up and you will have a nice warm area for the laminate to cure.

[@TomStuchberySailing]

@dallasdawson3674 that’s a good idea, I’ll have to try something like that!

[@dallasdawson3674]

you pulled the vacuum through the entire hull, it would of been sucking air through fittings and bung holes, it was never going to pull down unless the pieces where glued back in and set and fully sealed. Just remember vacuum bagging isn't always the best option for every situation, a good quality hand layup would have been 100x better than a poor vacuum job. Generally its only the larger components , serious structural members and moulded parts that are been vacuumed bagged. Unless your building an AC boat most of the secondary bonding and joins throughout the frames and hull will all be hand laminated, that goes for large carbon racing boats and also high spec carbon skiffs and dinghy, its just not always practical nor required, , get into a habit of weighting and wetting out cloth in correct ratios, nicely peel ply and hand rolled you will be getting great results.

[@TomStuchberySailing]

Yes, good point. I did put my finger over the bung hole to see if I was sucking serious vacuum through the hull, but it didn’t seem to be getting in there. Like you said though there would be a heap of other little holes which is why I would have been getting stuck at 10% vacuum. In hindsight I should have glued and strapped down the deck bits, then laminated it separately without the bag like you said

[@aspees]

Simply wetting out the fabric then using peel ply and a squeegee to remove excess resin & air will give you as good or as you noted a better result in repair situations like this one. Bagging can be a complete waste of time and can actually create poor results when it all goes to shite.

[@TomStuchberySailing]

@aspees yep, lesson learnt, was probably a bit ambitious with this one!