Boatworks Today: Fiberglassing Helm Inserts

Andy Miller is still grinding out the to-do list on his Bertram Moppie restoration. This week you’ll find him buried in the deck of the boat, installing new partitions that help divide out storage and the helm landing area.  Using Coosa Board, Andy cuts the pieces and uses Laminating Resin to apply multiple layers of fiberglass. Patterns help Andy make pieces that eventually fit perfectly, sparing him the risk of ruining any of the fiberboards. Andy gives us a few helpful tips, this time for projects using Laminating Resin that must be sealed in order to fully cure. He also shows us a clever way to make a jig for guesstimating your hatch height so that it will sit flush in the deck. Tricks from Andy are helpful tools that give us all more time on the water and less time in the shop fixing mistakes and figuring out the best way to get it done!

Andy is making slow but steady progress on this cult classic powerboat. As expected, he’s taking the time to think out his project and do each job only once. The entire project is on Andy’s YouTube channel and on our TotalBoat channel as well and there is so much to learn by watching Andy. He takes the time to explain the what’s and why’s of his work which can be time and money-saving for a DIY boater! Enjoy!

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