posted 08-03-2008 11:05 PM ET (US)        

http://s121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/

It's about a two foot long crack just forward of the bow roller. I was looking under there trying to figure out how to drop the axle when I saw water on top of it and discovered the damage.

The only thing I can figure is maybe I gouged it loading onto the trailer but that doesn't explain the two parallel scrapes down the center so I really don't know how it happened. No way we ran aground. We always load the scuba gear forward so as to get better performance so maybe all the weight, 8 tanks-175lbs lead, mashed it during trailering? I'm sick.

posted 08-03-2008 11:53 PM ET (US)            

How come there's now white or grey gelcoat?

What's the "bullet hole"?

posted 08-04-2008 08:30 AM ET (US)            

There is a point in all boats life you either start patching up the depreciation and live with it or buy a new boat. I dont see anything there that cant be repaired.
A good glass man could easily make the hull stronger than prior. The big money will be relative to how perfect you desire the finish.

Ive worked with cloth and resin just enough to know any work involving the integrity of the hull should be left to pro's who have the right tools and "feel" to apply the resins properly. Pro glass work is as easily recognized as amatuer coverups.

posted 08-04-2008 05:05 PM ET (US)            

If so, it looks to me like your boat is inadequately supported on the trailer.

Your should have side bunks rather than a pair of rollers on each side (though this wouldn't contribute to the damage you show.)

I would think that supporting the entire weight of the boat on just two points (your keel rollers) could cause problems over time, especially with any amount of trailering.

posted 08-11-2008 02:58 PM ET (US)            

After re-reading the hull repair article in the reference section and mulling it over a while, I decided I could fix this no problem. (well maybe a few problems lol)

First I put in an order for the resin used in the article, then kicked back for a week hoping everything would dry out.

This morning I got out there with the grinder equipped with a wire brush and commenced to go at it but it didn't take long to realize I needed to use the grinding wheel like the article said. I reached up into the larger hole I had created and was pleased to discover dry foam. Then I got a big nail, bent it over 90 degrees, cut off the head, installed it into my drill and wallowed out the foam behind the crack. Unfortunately once I started tearing out the foam I found it to be completely saturated with salt water. Foam mush. I grabbed the grinder, with a rock this time, and exposed fiberglass all around the hole. I took a rag and a little nail bar and cleaned out the inside of the hole as best I could.

This is what I have:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/firststep.jpg

I figure now it's time to kick back for another week or so, and at least let the surface area of the foam dry out before continuing. The next step will be to clean it all up with acetone and then stuff in the fiberglass mush.

Any thoughts from the pros (or anyone else) would be appreciated.

posted 08-12-2008 01:11 PM ET (US)            

With the keel opened up like that, I'd think about squirting the non-expanding foam in a can in the void first, prior to laying up glass.

Second suggestion is to grind back further for a less acute angle.

Third is consider using epoxy vs poly or vinyl ester resin. The shrinkage over time is much less then either poly or vinyl.

And keep repeating "It's not rocket science or brain surgery" while doing it...

posted 08-12-2008 10:12 PM ET (US)            

After that the plan is to sand to create a base for the overlay and then more resin and mat on top. Then I have some fiberglass bondo type filler stuff to fill in any low spots after which I'll sand to shape. After all that--bottom paint.

posted 08-12-2008 10:13 PM ET (US)            

You sure that bidirectional aka woven roving was not used for strength at the keel?

posted 08-13-2008 07:36 PM ET (US)            

Sometimes I wonder if repairing a 25 year old whaler to perfection (via CW specs) is nessesary?
Except for the "possible" effects water has on the wood inside the hull, I dont feel waterlogged areas are a big big deal.

I removed the foam inside the bait well of a 22 ft Guardian Divemaster two years ago. Id say the bait well holds about 20 gallons of foam volume and I ended up with less than a gallon of water. rounds off to 5%.

Then this boat burned. I got a close look at the innerds.

Take a plastic gallon jug.
Empty, it is light, flexible and weak.
Fill 95% of it up with closed cell foam.
Now it is still light, not very flexible and strong.
Weigh it, dump this gallon into water and measure its floatation.
Now fill the remaining 5% with water, weigh it, place it in water, measure the floatation.

My point is, 5% waterlogged is a small factor.

Now rip gash in the jug. Dump it in water. Let it sit 5 months and weigh it.
To me, the big issue is finding the right products to properly seal that gash without regards to water issues.

OK? I dont know all the names but I do know there are plenty of sealers nowdays that work with water. After that, put 3 layers of roving and mat over it. Gob some bottom paint and away you go.

posted 08-19-2008 01:09 PM ET (US)            

Two days ago I recleaned inside the gouge as best I could with a bent screwdriver and an acetone soaked rag. I cut off a section of mat and pulled it apart to where I had a pile of fibers and then spent a little time cutting them into smaller pieces. Mixed up a cup of resin and stirred in what I thought was a good amount of fiberglass to make the mush. Took a stir stick and mashed it all into the gouge filling about a third of the hole.

What I learned:

The fiberglass I cut up wasn't near fine enough which made it difficult to mix a lot of it into the resin. As a result some of the resin dripped down onto the concrete--wasted. As I worked my way through I added more glass but what a mess that was with the resin on my gloves and all. I vowed to cut up the glass much finer and put down wax paper below the work next time.

Some of the dripping resin landed on my arm. Long sleeve shirt next time.

That's a big hole and it's probably going to take a lot more than the quart of resin I ordered and the one pint mixing cups are too small.

I let it all set up for a couple days to see how it would turn out--Solid as a rock.

This morning I went at it again. This time I spent a lot more time cutting up the glass mat.

What I learned:

Always wear a long sleeve shirt, gloves, mask and a sock over your head when chopping up glass mat. Otherwise you'll look like you're covered with your daughter's sparkle makeup.

This time I mixed up two cups of resin in a quart mixing cup and added a lot more glass. Put down some wax paper and went at it, stuffing the glass mush into the gash with a stir stick and my nitrile gloved hands. I put some of the mush into the low places left from the first application.

What I learned:

Iso resin melts nitrile gloves. The glove didn't immediately melt through or anything but after about a minute it began to sag and when I was through I had resin on my fingers.

One needs to get it right the first time because filling the low places with mush on the second pass is difficult. Perhaps if I had ground it down first it would have worked better. You can see from the picture the front doesn't look as good as the back.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/glassfilled.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/glassfilledfront.jpg

I'm thinking tomorrow I'll grind down the high places and fill in the low spots with my fiberglass bondo stuff, sand it down, let it cure for a day and start laying the glass on top. I only have a cup of resin left so I'll order some more today.

posted 08-19-2008 02:18 PM ET (US)            

I add the resin and filler together and mix first, then I let it sit for a couple hours so all the air bubbles rise. Then you can add the hardener and go to work.

And yes working on a keel (under the boat) is not the cleanest thing to do. But in all, it looks like you'll have a solid patch (and no one will really know).

I would suggest a water barrier type surface coat (then bottom paint). I would be nervouse with a fiberglass bottom paint finish. You really want to make sure that the interface between your new patch and old hull doesn't seperate and start absorbing water. I am not sure what type of "bondo" material you are using, and it may do the job.

posted 08-19-2008 04:17 PM ET (US)            

Westmarine carries a Polyester Structural Filler, made from chopped glass and resin.

Filling that gouge is the weakest part of the repair but serves as a mold for the shape. The glass work is where your strength will come.

Be sure to layup your glass at least 6" on each side of the keel. Be sure to use laminating resin and not finishing resin for the 1st few layers. Stagger the overlay so the layup tapers to the hull. I would use 3 layers of 12 oz cloth or 2 layers 12oz biaxial if you can find it.

Hope this helps some

posted 08-19-2008 05:10 PM ET (US)            

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/Grind.jpg

Filled in the low places with duraglass.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/duraglass.jpg

I'm waiting now for the duraglass to cure and I'll sand it all down even again and commence with the glass mat. We'll see how far I can get with one cup of resin.

posted 08-19-2008 08:09 PM ET (US)            

Type [url] before the beginning of your link and [/url] at the end of the link and they will show up like this:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/Grind.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/duraglass.jpg

posted 08-19-2008 08:37 PM ET (US)            

I leveled out the inside patch and exposed even more fiberglass on each side. Wiped it down with acetone, mixed up 1/2 cup of resin and layed on three strips of mat; the first being 23" X 1 1/2" and the next two successively bigger. I figure that's enough for today.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o230/Telsta860/Glass1.jpg

I have two more strips cut and I'll put that on with my last 1/2 cup of resin tomorrow.

Note: I bought my mat from M&M Auto Paint here in Medford where I originally asked for 6oz, but the guy had no idea what I was talking about. The mat they have isn't marked as to how heavy it is. Maybe it's thinner? I figured I could just keep laying it on until I had enough? I don't have enough mat left to cut any more strips so I could order some different stuff from the big city if I needed to.

posted 08-22-2008 03:23 PM ET (US)            

It really is like paper mache for grown ups. Glasswork is messy and nasty, but not hard.