Andys insurance policy on these holes is small patches of 1708 fiberglass mat that hell soak in more 5. Here is a tried and true method for fixing holes in fiberglass boats. Get simple directions on making this boat repair, along with a list of the materials. After the new layer of fiberglass dries, it becomes part of the boat, rather than a superficial patch. If you cant find a repair kit buy 1 quart of polyester resin and hardener, and 2 square feet each of 10ounce roving and 7 12ounce fiberglass cloth. Recently i even repaired a small hole in the bottom of my 12 foot jon boat and its held up very well. First, grind around the edge of the hole to make it smooth. Attach kitchen wax paper to the boat as a nonstick material for the poly resin to set against. I purchased the boat with the scrape on the bottom. Drill 116inch pilot holes one inch from edges of the repair patch and start stainless steel wood screws in each hole. It is usually a good idea to make a small indentation in the spot where you want the hole before any drilling is done. How to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull youtube. How to patch a hole in a fiberglass hole wonderhowto. Avoid stainless or other metal screws due to the interaction of different metals.
Im a firm believer that any hole you patch on your boat should be reinforced with a bit of glass over it. First, please consider that there is most likely a small amount of oil or natural contamination so you need to rinse them with acetone. It works well, i followed the instructions and watched a west systems online video. To repair a fiberglass boat, start by cutting away the damaged area. I used a wen sanderpolisher with a sanding disc 60 grit to get those divots deep enough for a layer of glass.
Afterwards i spray painted the patch with krylon aerosol. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. I placed several layers of blue tape over the inside of the hole and then painted the fiberglass edges with epoxy resin. Patching a hole in fiberglass totalboat ambassadors kent and audrey lewis from small boat restoration in florida did a great blog post about how to patch a hole in fiberglass. For 10 years that quarter stayed in place ive since given the boat away.
Make an angle that goes towards the hull so that the resin wont get caught and create air pockets. How many layers of fiberglass cloth you use depends on how thick your fiberglass shell is. If you cant afford to do that, small holes in an aluminum boat can be fixed with epoxy putty. Place the damaged cutout section of the floor on a piece of marine plywood and mark the outline of the piece. Since i was trying to repair a 18 wall, i thought 3 layers of fiberglass material would be appropriate. You should then take a small piece of sandpaper, and rub this briskly against the sides of the hole. Excellent for projects large and small bondo fiberglass resin is a strong material commonly used for autos, boat building and other repairs. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Small fiberglass hole repair boston whaler restoration. I had one hole in the front of my boat that i gooped a quarter over. I will show you how to mix resin into fiberglass putty cabosil so you can repair a small hole up to 1 inch in diameter in your boat or fiberglass. The first thing that you need to do is to prepare the hole which you need to fill. Lowkeelt demonstrates how to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull.
How do i repair screw holes in the bottom of my fiberglass boat. Erik norrie, ceo of sea hawk, shows the best way to patch holes in a boat hull using sea hawks signature products. Make sure to lay the fiberglass layers a few inches past the actual repair area. Next, take a saw and cut out the damaged area that youve circled with the. Roughen the surface in and around the chip or dent with 80grit sandpaper to give the gelcoat a rough surface to adhere to. Watching a professional do the job can help you get on the right. Heres a quick and simple way to patch small holes in a boat hull that does not require any sanding. I was working on my rod locker this weekend and popped a small hole through the side of the boat. Mix up some marine tex and smear it across the holes and a bit around each hole. Thick enough to stay where you put it so you dont have to invert the boat. How to fix screw holes in fiberglass bass boats, canoes. Then, using your electric grinding wheel, cut a circle around the damaged area.
These pesky holes happen from time to time when boats are hit or damaged and a large hole is left in your otherwise smooth fiberglass hull. Aug 23, 2007 i tried epoxy, fiberglass, roof cement, etc. Need help fixing holes in aluminum jon boat clean the aluminum throughly. Feb 06, 2020 this was kind of a big hole as you can see i used wooden battens to hole the hull together. When repairing fiberglass boats, the challenge is to determine an. To make sure youre stripping away all the damage, always remove an area at least half an inch 1. 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. Working quickly, apply catalyzed resin to the roving with a small paintbrush. The hole is about 34 inch long and 18 wide in the center of a shallow crease made by the impact. Drilling and repairng fiberglass trailering boatus.
These scars of a life welllived are unsightly, but usually are just cosmetic. How do i repair screw holes in the bottom of my fiberglass. Small fiberglass hole repair boston whaler restoration part 4 1966 boston whaler restoration by admin if you restore fiberglass boats, fiberglass hole repair is going to be one of the tasks you face. Gregal considers sunbrella the best material for boat covers because of the fabrics composition. Sep 30, 2007 i have an alumacraft utility boat that has had a small hole punched in the side a little below the gunnel by being run into a sharp corner on a dock. A major fiberglass repair, such as patching a hole, can be a daunting task. I had a guy repair a lot of the holes on my boat by just filling them either with epoxy alone or cut out another piece of fiberglass from a throw. This fiberglass will go on the inside of the boat to act as a backing. Getting rid of old screw holes in fiberglass youtube. The hole is below the water line on the boat, so i dont want to leave it and continue to use the boat the way it is. While fiberglass boat repairs are a bit more complicated than those youd find on wooden boats, most small dings, scratches, and even small holes are, indeed, repairable. This was kind of a big hole as you can see i used wooden battens to hole the hull together.
This highstrength polyester resin can be used with fiberglass mats or cloths on surfaces including fiberglass, wood, metal and masonry to repair metal rustouts and to recreate or join surfaces. I have an alumacraft utility boat that has had a small hole punched in the side a little below the gunnel by being run into a sharp corner on a dock. May 15, 2020 after the new layer of fiberglass dries, it becomes part of the boat, rather than a superficial patch. Sweep out the hole to make sure there are no bits of wood or fiberglass in the hole, which can inhibit binding. I further reinforced the patch with six layers of glass cloth, being. How to repair fiberglass on a boat the family handyman. I was thinking i can shear the screws off at the surface, then either bend them up into the subfloor or grind them with an endmill. To patch the hole, buy a quartsize polyester resin fiberglass repair kit at a marine store. How to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat bottom paint store. First, examine the hole and look for cracks and chips extending out from the hole. The hole is small in diameter, the skin is relatively thick compared to the.
Fiberglass boat repair theres a hole in my boat part. Apr 26, 2017 how to repair a small hole in a fiberglass boat the sun is shining, the weather is warm, and the weekend forecast promises to be more of the same. How to repair a fiberglass boat hull from the outside. To help you get started, weve got the ultimate guide to repairing a fiberglass boat hull from the outside, complete with tips and tricks to help get your boat back on the. Begin laying the fiberglass patches over the area starting with bigger patches then going smaller, resulting in about 68 layers depending on fiberglass thickness. Aug 15, 2018 unless your boat lives her life dockside cuddled up to a couple of fenders, shes going to get a few scrapes and bruises. Now lay a piece of fiberglass cloth over the matinetex and work it into the material. This instructable comes from a recent project i have been working on that involves fixing up an old fiberglass travel trailer. Small fiberglass hole repair boston whaler restoration part 4 1966 boston whaler restoration by admin if you restore fiberglass boats, fiberglass. In the remodeling of this trailer, i was left with many small holes from antiquated peripherals on the sides of the trai. And almost every fiberglass boat, even the most mollycoddled, eventually suffers the heartbreak of spiderweb andor stress cracks. How to repair a small hole in a fiberglass boat the sun is shining, the weather is warm, and the weekend forecast promises to be more of the same.
Jan 05, 2009 its a 2part fiberglass putty made for this sort of thing. I used this kit to repair cracks 710 long in my badly leaking fiberglass bathtub. I actively searched for the best way to patch small holes in fiberglass on the web, and couldnt quite find concise answers this lead to a more dedicated search. Jun 26, 2012 begin laying the fiberglass patches over the area starting with bigger patches then going smaller, resulting in about 68 layers depending on fiberglass thickness. If your boat is so damaged that it needs major repair and replacement just to stay afloat, you need to talk to a professional. To make sure youre stripping away all the damage, always remove an area at least half an. You can successfully complete basic fiberglass boat repair by following these steps. Patching a small hole on the bottom of my hull pensacola.
Do this with a syringe or eyedropper, forcing the acetone into the holes. I ended up talking to surfers, sailors, and propmasters about how they make repairs to structual fiberglass and came up with the following methodology. There are 6 screws sticking out the bottom of my hull about 8 apart. This stepbystep video tutorial produced by sea hawk paints will show exactly what needs to be done when patching a hole in your fiberglass boat. How to fill holes in fiberglass doors home guides sf gate.
However, the repairability of fiberglass is one of its best characteristics. Also, if you really want to make it strong you need to do the patch from the inside of the boat and out. Then i placed foil covered cardboard over the outside as a mould, and kept adding new glass mat and cloth till it was as thick as the original construct. Feb 11, 2018 how to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull youtube stay safe and healthy. A fiberglass boat comes in handy during the summer when you want to go fishing, sailing, or water skiing, but as with all boats, wears and tears can become a hindrance to your plans. Once all of the holes has been sanded down i cut out a number of small patches using 1708 fiberglass. Cut a piece of fiberglass cloth about twice the size of the hole in your boat. Watching a professional do the job can help you get on the right track and be confident in doing the repair yourself. Covering screw holes in a fiberglass hull lakelink. Fiberglass sailboat repair fixing a big hole on a small sailboat duration. Andys simple, clear videos showing how he gets his projects done is a great resource for boat owners who need product and process advice. Most laymen dont own such a knife, but if theres a small hole that you want to patch, seal it off with a carefully wielded cigarette lighter or soldering iron, and then sew a patch over it. Filling screw holes on your boat with thickened epoxy resin. If your fiberglass boat has minor holes you do not need to call in the experts to fix it.
Aug 19, 2016 a major fiberglass repair, such as patching a hole, can be a daunting task. Fill pronounced scratches or dents with gelcoat paste and use the plastic putty knife to level the surface of. These pesky holes happen from time to time when boats are hit or damaged and a. Blow out the dust from the repair area and blot it clean with acetone. I was faced with either put this in as a temporary patch or start remodeling the bathroom. Then, put down a flexible cutting board by duct taping the two layers. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating.
How to patch a fiberglass hull patching a hole in a fiberglass hull is fairly easy. The prior owner offered to have it welded closed but it is near a seat filled with foam. Cover the cloth with some additional marinetex and smooth it out. How to repair a small hole up to 1 inch in a boat using fiberglass. The patchrivet repair reccomended by tashasdaddy is going to be your best option. My keel is almost completely covered in marinetex, from being scraped on boat ramps, gravel lake bottoms, the trailer, etc. The hole is small in diameter, the skin is relatively thick compared to the hole diameter, and the skin is backed by dense core material, plywood. Use a drill bit one size smaller to drill a pilot hole. A sailor friend of mine informed me that i would need to glass in a large patch first, and sequentially step down to a patch the size of the hole. Fiberglass boat repair theres a hole in my boat part 1 youtube.
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