Greetings!
I purchased a partially completed Pocketship at the end of last December. Finishing a room addition and kitchen remodel at our house has delayed any serious work on the boat. The boat I purchased is a kit boat purchased originally in 2008 and I am the third owner (located in Wilmington NC). I have read through the manual a few times and recently have been fitting the seatback framing (roughly p 139 in the manual). My purchase included quite a lot, including: remaining plywood parts and patterns, large roll of fg, two rolls of fg tape, timber package (un-milled), gallows assembly, dorade vents, acrylic portlights, acrylic drop board material, miscellaneous hardware, a large box of cell-o-fill (light weight white micro balloons), small (maybe 2lbs) of wood flour (brown fine powder), and partial containers of MAS epoxy and slow hardener.
I have poured over the forum and many building blogs - what an amazing amount of wonderful information! I am getting an order together for supplies and would appreciate feedback on the following questions:
1. assuming prior owner/builders have followed the manual (which appears to be the case), about how much more resin, hardener and wood flour would be needed to complete the project? and am I correct regarding the wood flour (brownish powder used for thickening resin for gluing and filleting) and cell-o-fill (white micro balloons used for fairing when mixed with resin)?
2. the partial containers of resin and hardener are at least two years old. are they ok to use?
3. the manual refers to attaching (gluing with thickened epoxy) components using temporary screws. is that simply screwing the components together, through the thickened epoxy without "buttering the screw" and then removing once cured? I would think the screw would not want to come out, as it has to have passed through the thickened epoxy?
4. there seems to be some debate (forum posts) regarding the use of a brad nailer, and the use of regular or ss brads - I have a compressor and the nailer - seems very efficient if an accepted practice?
5. using MAS LV epoxy is it necessary to "wet out" joints prior to filleting, or large panels prior to glassing?
6. is sanding required on totally cured resin prior to additional coats or filleting?
7. with the seatback assemblies, the manual refers to a "temporary" seatback frame (farthest aft) used to maintain orientation of the longitudinal framing. The boat I purchased already had these frames epoxied in place. the furthest aft is approx 3" from the transom. can i work around this (leave it in place)? or would it be best to cut it out?
I am sure I will have more questions as my build continues, but this is plenty to get me started.
Thanks!
-Todd