: Hi Rob -

: Any thoughts on how to avoid the problem? I know you've suggested carpenter
: glue which tends to resist creep. Do you think the problem is caused by
: the type of glue used to join the strips, or is it a function of
: expansion, where the hot wood expands more than the epoxy/fiberglass
: sheathing? Makes me want to re-consider using a dark wood for deck
: stripping. Is it possibly the type of epoxy used? I know System-Three
: Clearcoat is used for surfboards, and I've found it to be surprisingly
: tough and stable compared to the basic RAKA epoxy.

: Jim

A very dark deck just gets very hot when left on land
on a cloudless summer day.

I've had boats at shows, with a dark deck,
where the deck was so hot I couldn't
hold my hand on it.

The air chambers act to insulate the deck
increasing the heat build up. Plus the deck
surfaces face the sun.

On water, there's enough cooling taking place
to relieve the problem, but left on land the epoxy
on the deck is going to soften under the intense heat
buildup.

Carpenter's glues can be reactivated by heat and creep, so if you
have a dark deck in a hot region you'd be better off using
a polypropylene glue, like Gorilla glue which is not effected
by heat.

The solution is simple. If you have a stripper with a
dark deck, don't leave it in the sun, on land on a summer day.
If you have a light colored hull bottom, turn the boat over.

I don't think the folks with the hot garage storage have to worry.
The temperature on the deck where I couldn't hold my hand on it was
way over 110°.

Don't leave your dark colored kayak on your car,
parked in an asphalt parking lot in the summer sun!

When the epoxy gets overheated any stress in the glass
will be released.

It's just a current weakness of the system we use.

Know the problem and try to prevent damage.

Rob