PocketShip.net

I'm just starting on a Pocketship project. I'm trying peel ply for the first time. I used it on the insides of the centerboard trunk and I liked the result. I'm now glassing the hull panels, using the schedule in the manual. I applied the glass cloth, wetted it out thoroughly and laid a layer of peel ply on top and squeegeed it well. When I remove the peel ply I get an exceptionally smooth coat with just the marks of the peel ply fabric, that sand out easily with 120 paper. Since I get a smooth, paintable coat with this method, should I still apply two more coats of epoxy? I don't need them to fill the glass weave but do I need these additional epoxy coats for strength?

No, no more epoxy needed. The "strength" the epoxy provides is shear strengths between the different layers of a composite structure (e.g. fiberglass to plywood or two between layers of fiberglass). "It surrounds and penetrates; it binds the structure together.” - E. Poxy Wan Kenobi

On the surface of the 'glassed structure (or plywood sealed with epoxy), the extra coats of epoxy you add are purely ablative--they are there to give you something to sand away to get a nice smooth surface without cutting in to the fiberglass.

Thanks. That what I'd thought, too. Just made a major investment in peel ply. Wish I'd known about it decades ago.