: I am just about finished with all of the building of a strip kayak. I live in
: MA, and when I am ready to glass in a couple weeks, chances are the
: temperatures will be less than 50 degrees, if I can finish up quickly
: enough. I'm in college, living with my parents, and they won't let me
: fiberglass in the basement. So, here's my question... Can I fiberglass
: outisde with 40-50 degree temperatures? If not, any ideas of where or how
: I can do it? There's no way I can wait until April as I am addicted to
: working on this thing and getting it done.

Epoxy is a syrup that gets thicker with colder temperatures.

Not ten minutes ago I was holding a single twisted strand of glass
threat, with the end frayed. I could see each individual glass
fiber which was thinner than a hair. And you want a thick
syrup to wet-out the surface of every fiber to give you a
transparent glass surface over your wood hull. It's not
going to happen.

Epoxy makers are in business to sell epoxy. No experienced
boat builder would use epoxy in low temperatures because
thick epoxy will not wet-out the glass well.

Yes, I hear people say, "Heat the epoxy before applying it."
What do you think happens to a paper thin layer of epoxy
when it hits cold glass and wood? Forget about it!

You will definately not have a clear lay-up.

You asked so I'm giving it to you straight.
Most men will just go ahead and do it anyway.

When it gets screwed up, we learn, " I guess
I should have waited until I could find a warm place to glass."
Now I'll paint the boat, or paddle at night so I don't have to
look at it.

It's hard to be patient and take good advice. Most of us are like
the kid who has to touch the fire before we understand "HOT".

I wish you god luck with whatever you decide to do.

If you don't want to waste the time you've already put into
your boat and have the patience to find a warm place to glass
look at my web page on glassing to help you get a beautiful
transparent lay-up.

Rob