Hi Larry- I would love some feedback on you RBA when you get a chance to paddle it. Where are you located?

Ken

: Hi Lennie
: I'm just finishing my RBA that I intend to use for fast touring and racing.
: I went with 4 oz. S glass for all surfaces except the outside deck. I had
: heard that s glass does not wet out clear so I wanted a clear deck and
: decided to use e glass (4 oz.) on the deck.

: In the process of turning the boat over dozens of times I banged the boat
: against various things. The only place I had anything other than a scratch
: was the e glass covered deck. I wish I had used s glass everywhere. The s
: glass is every bit as clear as the e glass, at least 4 oz. is. It wets out
: exactly like e glass and appears to be much stiffer and stronger (deck
: compared to hull)

: I used a single layer of 4 oz s glass on the hull outside, over 3/16"
: strips, with a football shaped additional layer added. The inside got a
: single layer, with a sheer to sheer cockpit area (about 4') extra layer,
: all s glass. The deck is 4 oz s glass inside with extra layers behind the
: cockpit over foam core as well as a 6 oz. tape strip on the inside deck
: forward peak. The deck outside is 4 oz e glass. The coaming (vaclav type)
: is carbon/kevlar hybred cloth. Bulkheads are 4 mil marine ply with hatches
: in the bulkheads all covered with carbon /kevlar and s-glass.

: I consider this lay-up overkill and could have easily reduced the boat weight
: by 6 # or more without much loss in strength. The finished boat, fully
: race ready weighs 36#. Thats not bad but I saw a Wood strip C-1 canoe at a
: race last week that weighed 21#!!!! He used 2oz. glass and 5/32"
: strips, awesome!!

: I feel using s glass is worth the extra cost and will use it for all boats I
: build from now on, especially after finding the s glass wets out just as
: clear as e glass.

: Larry C.