The first said they didnt work on hulls or offer any repair kits. While a damaged wood boat requires expensive and intricate work, a fiberglass one can usually be repaired with just a few materials, even by people with only basic knowledge and skills. Although the structural members of the hull are designed to accommodate for these stresses by flexing, the skin of a fiberglass boat is rigid and responds to these forces and effects by developing weak spots where the fiberglass attempts to stretch. This can range from small defects that need a little patching up to major damage that affects the overall shape of the surface. With the right tools and skills, you can find a leak and fix it before it becomes a problem. How to patch a fiberglass hull patching a hole in a fiberglass hull is fairly easy. How to repair soft spots in fiberglass on a boat gone. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. First, examine the hole and look for cracks and chips extending out from the hole. Hole in the hull we discovered a crack sailing sv catsaway. The most horrifying hole in a fiberglass hull is quickly healed with a bit of glass fabric, a supply of resin, and equal parts skill and care.
Before you decide to repair your own boat hull, you may want to do a reality check. After the fiberglass repair was completed, we launched catsaway into lake ontario for her first taste of fresh canadian. Now for the bad news, mt used some poor quality gelcoat during their production run, and i have seen 5 where the entire hull had the cracks. Clear the area of any remaining debris, clean it out, allow it to dry, and sand down the affected area for a smoother application later on.
While equipment is important, proper material selection is the key to positive results. This can range from small defects that need a little. A repair pro shows you how to make invisible fixes for scuffs, dents and scratches in fiberglass boats and other fiberglass items. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best.
This type of repair is necessary if you run aground, run into a rock, or have some of crack caused by age and use. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth. Even the best boat captain has had a docking turn into a scuffandchip event. Apr 26, 2018 repairing a fibreglass crack doesnt have to be daunting. Easy ways to repair cracked fiberglass with pictures wikihow. Congrats, your fiberglass boat hull repair is done and its time to get back on the water. Additionally many times if it is a stress crack in the fiberglass itself, sometimes this happens over the core materials of certain areas of the boat. Hairline cracks in fiberglass hull my friend, mine has the 200hp straight six, what a sound when that thing is running. Listening to that advice would have been a big mistake because your typical fiberglass repair kit wont work on smc. Jul 05, 2017 hole in the hull we discovered a crack sailing sv catsaway ep. Heavy accessories like outriggers, seats, and ttops are intended to be located on reinforced areas of the hull. The time required for this job will obviously vary quite a bit depending on the number of cracks and how widespread they are, but should take no more than three hours per square foot of repair area. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats.
Feb 09, 2012 how to repair deep cracks in fiberglass boats with the new west system fiberglass boat repair kit. Heres everything youll need to know to repair these cracks. How to fix a hole on a fiberglass boat complete diy guide. Stringer to transom and hairline hull crack repair boat. When the area is dry, smooth the surface with sandpaper. Since these cracks often form from small impacts or minor flexing, they can appear just about anywhere on your boat. Next, take a saw and cut out the damaged area that youve circled with the. Apr 06, 2020 one of the best qualities of a fiberglass boat is how easy it is to repair. The second said they could order one for use, but added if we didnt want to wait, just about any fiberglass repair kit would work. Hole in the hull we discovered a crack sailing sv catsaway ep.
I am waiting till i pick up another boat to put the engine and od in. Youll save a ton of money if youre patient and use the proper tools. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. It can be difficult to diagnose spider cracks, especially when youre not aware of them. How to repair a fiberglass boat hull from the outside. Working with a fiberglass, or even a wooden hull, you will need to start by cleaning out the crack and affected area. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Is your boat an ocean vessel that is going to be put under a lot of stress. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglass which ones the best. When we surveyed the boat, we noticed slight recession of the hull, but no crack.
Core materials wood structure, right under the deck, floorboards and walkways are right under that fiberglass. Cracks appear in fiberglass boat hulls in areas of abnormally high flexing. Aug 15, 2018 and almost every fiberglass boat, even the most mollycoddled, eventually suffers the heartbreak of spiderweb andor stress cracks. However, the repairability of fiberglass is one of its best characteristics. If you answered yes to these questions, you may want to save this project until you have a lot more experience with fiberglass repair. These scars of a life welllived are unsightly, but usually are just cosmetic. The boat is complete but it has a couple cracks in the hull. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. Most of us know that fiberglass has a very limited ability to bend instead it cracks when overstressed. But you dont have to pay astronomical marina fees to get your.
This manual provides repair and maintenance solutions to many of the problems that afflict fiberglass boats. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. You may want to apply colored gelcoat enamel over the repaired area, so the repair wont be so noticeable. Plan on using a variety of sanding tools if you are dealing with a repair that bridges both a flat area and a detailed area such as a chine or gunwale. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. How to repair a badly damaged fibreglass boat youtube. Another great quality of a fiberglass boat is that, once repaired, it looks as good. Jun 22, 2019 as a 2cycle standup jet skier, i am embarrassed to say that before i met my wife, a jet skier ran into the stern of her ski boat. Fiberglass boat hull repair sounds complicatedand it can be for firsttime boat owners. Get simple directions on making this boat repair, along with a list of the materials youll need. Apr 12, 20 depending on how deep the crack is you could gt away with just a gel coat repair worst case scenario you might need to grind the gel around the crack about 4 all the way around and apply a layer off glass to stiffen the structure because you will have a weak spot where the crack is and then sand it down then gel coat over it, this is depending if it has cracked the glassfibre aswell. In fiberglass boat repair the repair area may have hardness very similar to the original laminate and you can accidentally change the shape of the surrounding area.
Its an older boat and i am not greatly concerned with cosmetics, i just want a solid hull. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. How to repair a fibreglass crack for beginners youtube. First, the hull may have been overloaded, or caused to bear a load in an unintended area. How to repair deep cracks in fiberglass boats youtube.
How to repair deep cracks in fiberglass boats with the new west system fiberglass boat repair kit. These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boat s ability to stay afloat. In this section we will provide guidelines for cosmetic composite repairs, including fiberglass crack repair, fiberglass gel coat repair, and composite repair finishing. While fiberglass boat repair may sound scary and expensive, small and moderate gouges in your hull dont have to be a nightmare. The cracks go all the way through the hull and are about 2 feet long.
Painting supplies free delivery possible on eligible purchases. Repairing a fibreglass crack doesnt have to be daunting. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage. These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boats ability to stay afloat. Weve put together an easy to follow guide specifically aimed at those new to fibreglass. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work.