The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction Wood and WEST SYSTEM® Materials 5th Edition Meade Gougeon Gougeon Brothers, Inc. Bay City, Michigan Gougeon Brothers, Inc. P.O. Box 100 Patterson Avenue Bay City, Michigan, 48707-0908 Editor: Kay Harley Technical Editors: Brian K. Knight and Tom P. Pawlak Designer: Michael Barker Copyright © 2005, 1985, 1982, 1979 by Gougeon Brothers, Inc. P.O. Box 908, Bay City, Michigan 48707, U. S. A. First edition, 1979. Fifth edition, 2005. Except for use in a review, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form, or by any means, electronic or manual, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system without prior written approval from Gougeon Brothers, Inc., P.O. Box 908, Bay City, Michigan 48707-0908, U. S. A., 866-937-8797 The techniques suggested in this book are based on many years of practical experience and have worked well in a wide range of applications. However, as Gougeon Brothers, Inc. and WEST SYSTEM, Inc.will have no control over actual fabrication, any user of these techniques should understand that use is at the user’s own risk. Users who purchase WEST SYSTEM® products should be careful to review each product’s specific instructions as to use and warranty provisions. LCCN 00000 ISBN 1-878207-50-4 Cover illustration by Michael Barker. Layout by Golden Graphics, Midland, Michigan. Printed in the United States of America by McKay Press, Inc., Midland, Michigan. Contents Preface . ix Acknowledgments . xi Chapter 1 Introduction–Gougeon Brothers and WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy . 1 The Gougeon Brothers . 1 Development of WEST SYSTEM Brand Epoxy . 1 Racing Success of Wood/WEST SYSTEM Epoxy Boats . 2 Development of Wind Turbine Blades . 2 The Company Today . 3 Fundamentals of Wood/Epoxy Composite Construction Chapter 2 Modern Wood/Epoxy Composite Boatbuilding . 7 The Shift from Traditional Boatbuilding . 7 Epoxy Resins . 7 WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy . 8 Advantages of Composite Construction . 9 The Importance of Research and Testing . 10 Chapter 3 Wood as a Structural Material . 11 Engineering for Wooden Boats . 12 Wood Strength . 14 Wood Stiffness . 17 Trees into Lumber . 18 Wood and Moisture . 19 Moisture and Physical Properties . 20 Wood/Epoxy Composites . 21 Determining Moisture Content . 22 Dry Rot (and Other Vermin) . 23 Chapter 4 WEST SYSTEM® Products . .25 Characteristics of WEST SYSTEM Epoxy . 26 Fatigue Behavior of WEST SYSTEM Epoxy . 26 WEST SYSTEM Resin and Hardeners . 27 WEST SYSTEM Fillers and Additives . 28 WEST SYSTEM Reinforcing Materials . 29 WEST SYSTEM Metering Pumps . 30 Mixing and Handling . 30 Epoxy Chemistry . 31 Using WEST SYSTEM Epoxy in Hot or Cold Conditions . 33 Chapter 5 Hull Construction Techniques—An Overview . 35 Laminated Hulls . 35 Hot and Cold Molding—A Historical Perspective . 36 The Mold Method . 36 The Strip Plank/Veneer Method for Larger Boats . 38 Strip Composite Construction for Smaller or Lightly Built Boats . 39 The Stringer-Frame Method . 39 Hard Chine and Developed Plywood Construction . 41 Compounded Plywood Construction . 41 iv Table of Content Getting Started Chapter 6 Before You Build . 45 Should You Build Your Own Boat? . 45 Choosing the Right Boat . 46 Boat Plans . ..