Flip!

Big day! Time to flip!

Let's say the boat Chris is building in the garage is x' wide and y' deep and the ceiling is z' high.  Not to mention it weighs around 900 lbs and all he's got is straps and his wife to help. Can he roll it over without disaster? Yes he can! The pictures tell the story...

Success!

Underneath

Before we flip the boat over, there are a few more things to take care of.  Chris adds thickened epoxy fillets and more fiberglass to the shelf-hull joint.

Next, it's time to flip the boat over!

Bottom Paint

In order to get the bottom ready for paint, Chris spent a lot of time sanding, filling low spots with fairing compound, and sanding some more until there were no low spots. Then, he marks where the bottom paint will go with painter's tape.

He is painting the bottom now because it will be harder to do when he flips it over. Instead of a paint, Chris uses the same epoxy he has been using on the rest of the boat, only with graphite added that turns it black. He rolls it on, then smooths it out with a paint brush. 

Keel Strake and Spray Rails

The keel strake is a strip of hardwood that goes along the very bottom of the boat. Chris used white ash he got from Brad's shop. (Thanks Brad!) Here, he fit the pieces, shaped them down to a nice fade, and put a layer of fiberglass over it. He did the spray rails the same way.