Hello all, I just bought a used Dauntless, and had a few questions...It has already been built, but the guy just painted the wood...and i thought you needed to fiberglass it, or use some sort of epoxy...is that true? also want kind of glass and epoxy would i need. Also, if i do need to fiberglass it, do i need to sand all the paint he put on? ..this is my first scale wood boat...all my other one have been rtr...thanks for any help you can give me.

Hi LionMarshel,

Technically you do not have to do anything at all. The boat should have been epoxied or glassed when it was built but as long as the wood is covered by a waterproof paint or sealer it should be ok. Epoxy and glass will seal and protect the wood from moisture as well as gives the boat a “prettier” finish if it is properly sanded. If you think the boat looks fine & don’t care if it lasts 20 years or how well the paint looks then don’t worry about it. Most RTR boats last only a few seasons before they are thrown away anyway. The builder likely didn’t have long term plans for the boat but wanted a Dauntless to run in the “now” so he didn’t bother with all the extra work associated with glassing or epoxying everything.

If you want to overhaul the boat and do it correctly it will take a lot of time but will be best for the boat in the long term. If glassing or epoxying the boat is important to you then the best thing to do is sand the boat to the wood, glass or epoxy the entire hull and cabins, sand everything smooth and repaint it. I found that glassing isfaster than using epoxy because epoxy takes a lot more time to smooth out than glassing does. So it may seem like more work initially but will be faster later on when you get to the dreadful sanding part. There will be differing opinions on this but this is what I found by doing both. I believe in spending less time on sanding and more time on other things is the way to go. If you decide to glass it then use a thin glass cloth that can be found at tower hobbies. If you are going to glass it I will get back to you with the weight of cloth that Dumas suggests unless you already have that info. Some people have also used automotive bondo on the hulls but it does add more weight then the aformentioned. Both bondo and fiberglassing smells a lot stronger than epoxy when it is being applied. (If that makes any difference to you)

Whether you decide to glass/epoxy/bondo it or not an easy way to make the interior water resistant is by using polyurethane or any good wood sealerfor the entire interior. Use a paint brush to paint all of the exposed wood so that when water does get in it can be wiped away without it soaking into the wood.

I have a question though, if he didn’t glass or epoxy the hull then what did he use? The bottom planks do not line up so something had to be done to fill in the gaps in order to make it seaworthy. Also, what kind of glue did he use to join the wood?

Can you post some pictures of your boat? I would like to see what you see.



-Rich.

Hello Rich404, I most def. want to do it the right way and glass is all..and take my time and get it to look like a show boat..Yeah if you could let me know on what kind of glass and epoxy i need to use that would be great. and you said that i need to sand all the paint off before i glass it, what grit sandpaper should i use? like i said this is my first project boat and i really want to thank you for your help. I will get some pix took tonight and get them on here so you can take look.. Thanks Again..

Hey RICH can you help me out with glassing as i am new to it. i want to build a entire boat from fiber glass. if can pl rply on my threadhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10342556/tm.htm, Sorry its kind of wired but need help guys......

</p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">Hi LionMarshel,

<span style="color: #000080">(Stallion90, Hopefully you can get some ideas from this post as well)</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">220 grit sandpaper should remove the current paint. If it takes too long then try a heavier grit like 180-200 but don&rsquo;t use anything too rough because it will dig into the wood. The rougher grits are the lower numbers. Most of your work should be 220 and higher.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">According to Dumas&rsquo;s instructions they suggest 2oz Fiberglass cloth. As for sanding, use 220 grit sandpaper after the boat is glassed to sand off the shiny surface. Then move on to 320-400 just to lightly buff out and smooth the finish to get it paint ready. Sanding down to the glass will require re-filling and more sanding so try not sand too deep.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #000080"><u>Here are Dumas&rsquo;s instructions on Fiber glassing:</u></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #000080">Apply a layer of 2 ounce fiberglass cloth to the exterior of your hull and deck. The wood should be sanded smooth and major gaps and dents filled. Do one surface (i.e &frac12; of bottom or 1 side) at a time. Cut the fiberglass slightly oversize and brush surfacing resin through the cloth on to the wood. Use only enough resin to do the job. Excess resin can be blotted up with a cloth or paper towel or toilet tissue. When all surfaces have been covered, sand all over, then apply one more coat of resin. When the second coat of resin is sanded you should have a nearly perfect base for paint. The 1/8&rdquo; square spruce, spray rail may now be cemented to the hull.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #ff0000">I went onto towerhobbies website and found some useful supplies. You don&rsquo;t have to order this here but it is to show you the general things needed to do the job and the pricing. Things like mixing cups and epoxy brushes can easily be substituted with things you may have at home. Sandpaper can be found at any hardware store, home depot, or even auto supply stores.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #ff0000">Hobbico 2 Oz Cloth 1 yard Stock number: LXL492 $5.49</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #ff0000">ZPOXY ODERLESS FINISHING RESIN Stock Number:LXCX58 $13.99</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #ff0000">Great Planes mixing cups Stock Number: LXK360 $2.99</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="color: #ff0000"><span>Great Planes Epoxy brushes Stock Number: LXK 361 $1.39

</span></span><span style="color: #008080">http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...XL491&amp;P=ML</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">*Dumas wrote in the above instructions to glue the square spruce onto the hull after it was glassed. If the spruce was already added, it can be removed with a razor and then sand off any remnants of it. You can find the replacement spruce at a craft store like Michael&rsquo;s or perhaps a hardware store or even online. I used Midwest 1/8&rdquo; basswood strips for my boat and then epoxied or resined over them after they were glued in place. This should be done prior to painting.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt">Here is a link to the spray rail replacement steps done on my boat for reference.</div>

<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%">Post # 317 and 318 page 13 The Unofficial home of the Dumas Dauntless </span></p>www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4688536/mpage_13/key_/tm.htm

I hope this helps you a bit further.

-Rich.

Hello Rich404, just wanted to thank you for your info and looking up those things for me..I still need to download the pix i have to show you, and I will put up more pix during the process of my glassing and painting it. Thanks again...

Enjoy the process man! your efforts will be worth it later on.



-Rich.