: Thanks to one and all for your comments. I'm kinda red-faced as I knew about
: the alleged bonding problem between red oak and epoxy. As a matter of fact
: I think I passed along that info tidbit to someone on this very board.
: Paul's suggestion to make thin panels intrigues me as I have amassed a
: pile of redwood scrap, much in strips about .125" to .25" x
: 1.75" in lengths 8' to 12'. Could be a winter project shaping
: up--after I finish the 18.5' Walrus. Tom

Since you are building a Walrus already, you then you have the forms.

Keep them set up after you remove the frame you are working on. Put on new stringers from your oak strips. Make 20 foot long panels of glass-cloth-covered oak strips, preferably thin strips, say 1/8th inch or even thinner. Only use one coat of resin. The weave of the fabric will definitely show.

Lay a panel over your Walrus forms, clamping it in a few places to hold it in place, and scribe lines on it along the stringers. Cut on the lines and install the panels by gluing them to the stringers with some epoxy and a few brass screws or brads holding them to the stringers ( or many clamps) until the epoxy sets.

Seal the outer edges with a layer of fiberglass tape, (or bias-cut strips of glass cloth which you can cut by yourself. Sand and feather in the edge from the tape. Then give the entire outside of the boat another two or 3 coats of epoxy resin (sanding gently between coats to knock off any highspots) to fill the weave and leave you a smooth finish. Leave the inside alone. There is no sense to adding weight weight with more resin. You may want to later go back and give the cockpit a smooth finish, but wait until you have that area defined and have installed the bulkheads.

You'll end up with a boat that is kinda like Mike Hank's Plywood Walrus, but it will look more like a stripper.

have fun.

Paul G. Jacobson