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Rubber band clamping system for wood framed model sailboats

Trying to do two rounds of plank epoxying today. Just finished adding four more planks this morning and will try to do two more tonight if these ones are dry enough.

I'm really happy about the rubber band clamping system that I'm using! It allows for some very creative rubber banding that can address most of the issues that pop up with clamping cedar bottom planks on a wooden RC sailboat like the Star  45x.

In the pictures below you can see bands going up and over the top to generally hold planks down. You can also see some rubber bands that go inside the hull, and then are routed up and over the planks and back down the other side on the inside of the hull. These are to hold the outside edges of the planks down onto the frames so the epoxy can make contact. Finally you can see rubber bands wrapped around the planks with clothespins holding the two ends of the rubber band together. These bands are to keep the planks gently snug to each other.

Star 45x RC Sailboat cedar plank bottom

Star 45x RC Sailboat cedar plank bottom

Hopefully they'll be set up enough by tonight so I can do four more.

I've also decided that doing the clear coating method now makes a ton of sense. It does take longer now, but it will save time later when I don't have to clear coat the entire inside of the hull. But the best part is that the inside clear coating looks very nice! It's much tidier than slopping a bunch of epoxy on the inside later on. Wish I had done this with my first Star 45 instead.

Off to race my T37 in the first race of the Winter Frostbite series! It's 24 degrees outside... Brrrr!


Aloha!


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