"rigging tubes" Can you tell me a little bit more about them..
I recently bought a 16ft skiff all wires/cords are on the top of deck... what material is that? how can I obtain ? I been looking to buy something like that.
those "tubes" are made of fiberglass - use a piece of 2" pvc - cut it in half - you've got your "mold" - now,place the mold on a piece of gloss formica - larger than the pvc piece - wax the formica a few times - it needs to be slick smooth.use chop strand - cut it so it extends onto the gloss formica-this makes the flat flange.use a few layers of 1.5oz chop strand ...don't use epoxy with chop strand - use the cheap polyester resin.after the glass kicks - brush some gel coat on it.
gel coat - there's 2 types,"laminating" gel - this will not fully kick when exposed to the atmosphere - you need to coat it in pva,for a fully kicked hard finish
"air dry" gel - this has a wax in it,that wax will rise to the surface and allow the gel to fully kick
to laminate these to the hull - i use a lamination mix of epoxy - this assures a good bond to the hull - wipe the inside of the tube,before laminating,with vaseline,or,spray it in pva - this will prevent the lamination mix from clogging the tube - the mix will kick,but,it won't adhere - it can be easily be removed.i twisted up some matching gell,and brushed them out...it's a nice touch
if you're local to me,you can run by and grab a few - "on the house"...
