Scott Smith is deep in the bilge of his trawler build, a 41′ Diesel Duck designed by George Buehler. He’s making sure to coat all the below-deck surfaces with a primer coat of our TotalProtect Epoxy Barrier Coat. Then he adds a coat of white epoxy-based TotalBilge Paint for a seriously protected and waterproof bilge. Using our High Performance Epoxy that Scott has thickened, he glues together the deck carlins made from white oak and uses a mortise and tenon joint to attach the carlin to the bulkhead. He knows the epoxy is a great bonding agent for the structural beams, but the epoxy cure can be slowed by cooler temps outside and in the shop, so Smith keeps his epoxy ready to use in a little DIY warming box that he’s built.
The warmer epoxy will make sure that the cold temps won’t slow the epoxy cure that he’s relying on, and it’s easier to work with than cooler, more viscous epoxy resin. His simple explanation of how important the temperature of your resin is a great primer on how to control the working time and cure of epoxy resin systems. Smith is a talented woodworker gone boatbuilder who always offers some great tips in his videos. Tune in and catch up with how far Scott’s backyard trawler build has come. TotalBoat is proud to help with products and support Scott with this build. Enjoy.
