Reply With QuoteFibreglass can chip when you drill/cut it. I guess there could also be bubbles in the gelcoat, although I would consider this to be poor workmanship.
Hi all,
I recently got some basic work done to my boat by Sydney Marine Mechanical. One of the things i had done was having a front cleat installed on my Tahoe Q4 Bowrider. After the install i noticed a chip in the fibreglass where the cleat base is. When i queried this, i was told by the installer this is normal, and that it's an "air gap" in the gelcoat. I was told this is a common occurrence when they lay the mould.
I have included a picture below. Appreciate any advice here as to whether i have been told lies or whether they are telling the truth? I am a new boat owner so don't know a lot currently.
Front Cleat.jpg
Fibreglass can chip when you drill/cut it. I guess there could also be bubbles in the gelcoat, although I would consider this to be poor workmanship.
While it is entirely possible it was a cavity in the glass, IMO it's piss poor not to put a bit of flowcoat in it before bolting the cleat on so it couldn't be seen
Got to love excuses. A tiny bit of white sikaflex would prob hide it
The fact that you questioned it and they didn't apologize and offer to repair it shows how much pride they have in their work. Simple things like this determines whether you get repeat business from satisfied customers or customers who go elsewhere because they question whether all other work done was done correctly.
Kids who Hunt and Fish, Don't Deal and Steal.
They may also have started the drill running in the cutting direction, ie, as you would drill a conventional hole. This makes it very easy for the bit to grab and rip a chip out. When drilling through gelcoat, it is a good idea to start the drill in reverse, to get through the gelcoat layer, then go into normal forward mode to drill the rest of the way. Good installers should know this. Or, they may be telling the truth, perhaps there was a bubble in there.
Dodgy workmanship in my opinion, chipped it while drilling. - first ding in your new baby, next one wont be as stressful.
I wouldn't darken their door step again, not because it happened, but because of their failure to admit to it, or as mentioned take the basic step of filling it in.
I'd be more concerned about it not being bedded in some goop, water can run under there & drip down inside.
Easy fix and kill two birds with one stone.
Interestingly the guy has pretty much aligned the screw heads, bet he's the kind of guy who wipes everything a tool touches with his thumb. Sometimes stuff just 'happens'.
Thanks everyone i took this up with the installer and he is refunding me half the labour cost due to being unhappy with the install.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Ausfish mobile app
Half of all the labour costs of all the work you had done there or just the cleat labour? Realistically if you can easily get your hand underneath it, how long do you think it takes to drill four holes and and insert and tighten four bolts?
Kids who Hunt and Fish, Don't Deal and Steal.
Proper way to do it is to drill out an over size hole, fill it full of resin and leave to dry. Then drill the correct size hole and fit off.
The reason for this is so that the timber inside the bow sprit doesn't rot.
I can't really tell from the photo if this is the bow sprit or not.... If it's not then likely no timber then ignore above.
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