Fibreglass repairs

[skelz]

Set out for riverfire yesterday only to find my feet getting wet in my 4.5 m fibreglass half cabin. Approx 20 years old.I dont know where the hole is or the best way to fix. Looking for some guidance on-
1. The best way to locate holes in a fibreglass boat.
2.What is the best way to repair.Judging the amount of water I think the hole is only small. Only seemed to fill up when stationary and took approx an hour to be noticed.I have seen a fibreglass putty/ filler by septone- is that the best product to use ?
3.How much do you reckon it would cost to have it professionally gone over and have hull relined ???
Thanks
SKELZ

Love hear to any funny/not funny stories people have regarding boats sinking

[banshee]

G'day Skelz,first thing to check is your bung washers,then around your bung fitings,if this dosen't appear to be the problem put some water in your boat and see where it comes out(I'm guessing you have gone over the exterior of the hull and checked the sharp bits for cracks,chines,keel etc.).Some one local will have to advise on repairs in your area.

[NQCairns]

Hi skeltz, start at the easiest and luckily the most probable culprit.
Apart from extraordinary reasons that you would probably know about the possibility that it is a hole through the fibreglass proper is remote, unless there was a manufacturing fault. Your water is probably getting in from around the bung hole (most typical) or through one of the other holes drilled completly through the transom (engine bolt holes) most unprobable is a mounting hole for any hardware like transducer etc. All of these holes require the same fix they need to be glued back up, use 3m 5200 or sikaflex neutral cure, 5200 is best. Start at the bung hole should fix you problem.

PS getting the hull relined would probably be worth more than the boat, fibreglass and labour + profit margins to be bothered to do this work makes it a back yard proposition mostly. good luck nq

[skelz]

Further inspection of hull shows a soft spot in the fibreglass (on keel). whilst I dont think is caused yesterdays water ingress i am a little worried. WHAT SHOULD I DO ????

[NQCairns]

Where abouts on the keel?

[skelz]

right ar the stern end before it flatens out ... looks like a bodgy repair job has come unstuck.... Start to think it might be better to get another hull... only paid $3200 about 3 months ago.... motor seems okay... first boat learning experience

[gunna_too]

Further inspection of hull shows a soft spot in the fibreglass (on keel). whilst I dont think is caused yesterdays water ingress i am a little worried. WHAT SHOULD I DO ????

G'day Skelz,
I am in the process of repairing a small hole in my old seafarer half cab (25 - 30 yeras old) I too found a small soft spot right on the keel up the bow area just before it straightens out . It was a spot I believe where the keel bumps on the rear of the trailer frame when trying to retrieve ina bit of a surge or when the deckie lets it come up too fast and miss the rear roller ::).
I found it by stickin the hose up the Bung hole and look for the water leaking out.
You can just fill it over with filler , but its better to do the job properly (Nothin worse than water INSIDE the boat out at sea :o)
What you must do is get ALL the soft suspect looking F/glass out,(I used a small burring bit in the drill) I now have a hole right through the hull big enough to put my little finger in. I have sanded back the area around the repair out to about 100mm either side of the hole lengthways and about 30mm to the sides. You must also make sure that the area (even inside the hull/hole is absolutley dry as fibreglss will not bond properly with damp surfaces. I use a hair dryer or if you are carefull a heat gun.
Before you start filling the hole make sure it is roughed up a bit to give the filler or f/glass a "key" to bond to.
If you can get to the repair from the inside then great as this is the easiest way to work. I have to do mine from outside so I will first get some F/glass matting and wet out with some polyester resin, then work that up into the hole and try to spread it out on the inside, then get some more resin up into the hole to wet out the cloth more and give it a good bond with the inside of the hole.
I then start to fill the hole with more layers of resin impregnated f/glss cloth Making sure that the resin fills right in and there is no air air trapped in between the cloth anywhere.
Progressivly build up your repair with overlapping layers until it is close to flush with the existing surface.
Now sand it back with say 120gr wet & dry and then clean with a cloth and some acetone. Use an appropriate filler (like epifill or similar to fill any small air holes or imperfections then sand this back with say 400gr wet & dry then 600gr W & D. Nearly finished :D, Now you can get some gelcoat and paint over the whole repair and surrounding area and try to seal it up to cure. (I use thin plastic like glad wrap with a bit of spray on cooking oil to stop it sticking,and tape up around the edge to keep the air out)
When its cured you can either leave as is or if you are fussy you can use a very fine wet & dry (1200gr)to give it a final smooth finish.

Norglass Product have everything you'll need AND there Aussie made.
I'm only a handyman but have done a good few F/glass repairs on my boats over the years and had no further problems. there are plenty of books and also some webpages with good "how to" instructions as well.

Good luck and lets know how it turns out. [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]
Cheers Gunna too

[NQCairns]

Gunna has good advice, one thing to add when you start filling the hole try alternating between chopstrand and your structural fibreglass like biaxial or triaxial, this will give you the best and strongest matrix.
Also glassing upside down is one of the most frustrating jobs I have ever attempted, consider getting the hull off the trailer and on it's side just far enough to be working near vertical or as close to as possible.
Below is a link to a still in progress project ::) ;D I started, it has some holes that I patched in the transom, if I were to do it again I would have fared the edges wider and used the alternating layers of glass types :( but you get that) I have an old bodgee repair in the same place as Gunna's problem that I will be able to repair with 3 times the strength as original now. Hope you give it a go, but if you need an excuse to trade up, you have a doosy ;D ;D nq

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/board/YaBB.cgi?board=Boats;action=display;num=1053916686 ;start=0#0

[skelz]

Thnaks for the heads up guys I think any repairs are beyond this little black duck ... going to drop it in to a professional at hemant for a quote. I will re examin after that.
BIG THANKS TO gunna_too