> Several places I see that some persons strip the whole hull without
> glueing at all. Then they put epoxy and glass (or carbon or kevlar or...)
> on inside and outside. WHile the strips will provide stiffness in
> longitudinal direction, they can't, of course, provide stiffness
> perpendicular to stripping direction when they are not glued (except for
> small frictional forces, that is). So, all they do is providing separation
> between inner and outer glass/epoxy layer. Will this result in a strong
> and longlasting boat nevertheless?

> Jan Gunnar

While the strips may be held together without glue during the initial stages of construction, those strips do not remain unglued for long. When the glass cloth and resin are applied, the epoxy resin seeps into all the long, thin joints between the strips. For all intents and purposes the strips are joined by epoxy. Those who have the patience, clamping forms and materials to build in this fashion enjoy the strength that epoxy-glued strips have, but they do not have to keep mixing small batches of resin to use as glue each time they add another strip or two. That resin just flows in a little later in the building process.

And, yes, the strips are mainly held by the bonding action of the resin and glass fabric on the wide faces of the strips, which, if you count both the front and back of each strips, is about 5 times the area of the joint on the narrow edge. (that is assuming 1/4 by 3/4 inch strips with a bead and cove edge joint)

So, forget about ``small frictional forces'', and any other fears of stiffness in longitudinal, or perpendicular directions. By the time you put the glass cloth on both sides these strips are very well glued.

Hope this helps

Paul G. Jacobson