3M Tape Tips

22 Nov 19:

Some great tape tips from Geoff Kerr at Two Daughters Boatworks.

From Geoff:

"Here is a bit of a primer for the uninitiated:
You must use good masking tape for a project if the tape is to be left in place for multiple days, which it will be on a boat project. Here are the acceptable industry standards. Notice that they are all three 3M products. Read the labels ( the product numbers are printed inside the roll) and make sure you are getting the real thing ( some store sell blue tape that is not 3M), and suck it up at the checkout.

# 2090 is the workhorse.

# 2080 has a lighter adhesive for use on freshly painted surfaces. It used to be blue as well, now it is lavender.

# 218, known as 'Fine Line" in known for the crispest edges, and comes in the largest variety of widths. A narrow roll can be handy when masking a tight curve.

I keep all three varieties on hand."

Geoff also made a wonderful series of 42 videos on How To Build a Caledonia Yawl, it is hosted on the Off Center Harbor (OCH) website. Part 1 explores the Caledonia Yawl design and Part 3 covers essential boat building tools, seems to be a thing this week, maybe some ideas for Christmas presents. The videos are included with a membership to OCH, but they are worth every penny, and you get access to the other 700+ videos on the site. Just in time for the holidays.

FMI: Off Center Harbor Geoff Kerr

Geoff Kerr at Two Daughters Boatworks

We have picked up a lot of building tips while watching Geoof Kerr build a Caledonia Yawl in his 42 part series hosted by Off Center Harbor. One we used today was a tip on how to clean epoxy out of a centerboard case slot during assembly with part of a paint stick :) One we forgot was to drill the case log screw holes before assembly because drill clearance is tight once the case is built :/

(Image: Small Craft Advisor).

He also has a great video on the steps in the painting process.

From Off Center Harbor: "Geoff Kerr does business as Two Daughters Boatworks in Westford, Vermont, on New England’s “west coast.” His interest in boats began at age 16 with a Hurricane Island Outward Bound School course and continued as a Coast Guard officer. Geoff learned the trade later from Joe Youcha at the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, where he served as shop foreman and instructor in that dynamic environment. In his present, one-man, full-service Vermont shop, Geoff does small-craft repairs and restorations, as well as new construction, specializing in Iain Oughtred’s Caledonia Yawl. He has been affiliated with Chesapeake Light Craft since the company’s infancy, and is a licensed builder of their many designs, as well as an authorized and experienced instructor."

Off Center Harbor/Geoff Kerr

Off Center Harbor offers a lot of free content and more paid. I think the Caledonia Yawl series alone is well worth the cost of a one year membership. We enjoy the site so much that we bought the Life Membership. But you know we are a little boat struck :)