boatbuildlog

Polliwog 8 · new build

Launched

Starting out

by Matt · Dallas, TX

My very first boatbuild was the Polliwog, an 8' rowing boat made from just a couple sheets of marine grade plywood.

6
Entries
50
Hours
152
Days elapsed
27
Photos
Spent
Sep 2019
Started
Glassing & Epoxy 3 h

Fiberglassing the Exterior

Phase 3: Fiberglassing the Exterior

In this next step, I fiberglassed the exterior of the boat. I used a single sheet and carefully draped it around all of the sides, including the transom. As I applied the epoxy, I let the drips fall onto a plastic sheet laid out below the boat.

A couple of lessons from this first build and my first time working with epoxy:

You need way less epoxy than you'd think. And if you spot a bubble or a large pocket of epoxy and you're debating whether to fix it now or sand it out later, fix it now, before the epoxy cures. Sanding is already a difficult, time-consuming task. Don't double the work by leaving mistakes for later. Plus, if the extra epoxy is trapped below the fiberglass, you'll end up sanding straight through the fiberglass trying to smooth it out.

What it cost

$219.00
$100.00
Into the boat
$119.00
Tools & gear
ItemQtySupplierCost
4x8 Sheet of Marine plywood 2 $100.00
Epoxy Glue Kit - Gallon 1 Total Boat $119.00