The last big infusion: a 12 x 6 m vacuum bag, central extraction, and a resin feed line running all around—plus the usual battle against stubborn leaks before the deck finally became fully structural.
Deck laminate and vacuum infusion
Finally it was time to complete the last major structural job on the main hull: the deck laminate. This was also the final large vacuum infusion project. After this, the hull became structurally sound and essentially finished—apart from the final post-cure. And not least, the fragile foam surface was now protected by glass laminate with peel ply. No more accidental dings. A relief.
It was a large bag of 40’ x 20’ (12 x 6 m), and the infusion strategy was again a simple, uncomplicated set-up based on my now well-proven method of central extraction—this time with four separate vacuum ports and a resin feed line running all around the perimeter.
Vacuum integrity on the outside of the hull—just like the vacuum bag for the bottom—remained far more difficult than bagging the inside. But with the help of my wife and son we finally got it right.
When I started building this boat I was very concerned about achieving an airtight bare foam hull. Professionals told me it was nearly impossible without a proper mould. In hindsight, that turned out to be the easy part: most of the real airtightness problems came from the vacuum bag on the outside of the hull.
This photo gallery (59 images) shows the full deck lay-up, peel ply and release film, flow mesh and feed lines, the big bagging exercise, leak hunting with extra hands, and the final infusion—including a few improvised fixes along the way.
