: The CLC kit for the Petrel contains two 12 yard bolts of 4 oz.
: "E" fiberglass, one 30" wide and the other
: 50" wide. The widest point on the 17 foot hull is 26";
: on the deck 25". As the kit comes with no directions (other
: than Nick's book), I am trying to figure out what the kit
: designer had in mind.

: One possibility would be one layer each inside and outside for the
: hull and the deck leaving a 2 foot piece on the end of each bolt
: and a 19" wide piece from the 50" bolt for the
: coaming, other minor pieces and reinforcement. Maybe 8 pounds of
: added weight with two fill coats on the outside.

: Another is to use the 30" bolt for 2 layers on the outside of
: the hull and the 50" bolt for a single layers for the deck
: outside and both the hull and deck inside for about 10 pounds of
: added weight.

: The Petrel will be used primarily for lake use (Lake Erie chop)
: with little bottom dragging or rock bashing. Does this sound
: adequate? Is there a better distribution of the provided
: materials?

: My inclination is to buy some 6 oz. carbon fiber 2X2 twill for a
: single layer inside the hull and then double up on the
: "E" glass for the outside of the deck to avoid having
: to use tape on the shear joint.

First, I'd get ahold of CLC and find out why there isn't a building manual supplied with the kit. Even plans built boats come with a manual, you shouldn't need to figure out how to cover the boat. There is no reason for carbon fiber, it's just not needed and not all that easy to work with, hard to tell when it's wet out, it's black and shiny dry and black and shiny wet, very easy to add lots of extra resin and end up with a layup that will be weaker than if you'd done it in glass.

Bill H.