CONTINUOUSWAVE

We are the current caretakers of a Montauk that has been in my wife's family for 56 years. Last week, due to our inattention, the beached boat rocked against some sharp submerged rocks and gouged a hole in the hull just forward of the transom. The open part of the hole is about 5 inches long, and the damaged area extends for several inches beyond. There is space between the foam and the hull in the immediate area, but it is hard to tell how far from the hole the delamination extends. Tapping the hull is inconclusive. We drilled a 1/4 inch hold aft of the damage just forward of the transom - no evidence of water.

We realize this needs a proper patch and have read the information available on the site relating to hull repair. This will be a major project, but one that we feel confident we can tackle, having worked with fiberglass and epoxy on wooden boat builds.

Would doing a surface patch at this point to get us through the rest of the season be advisable?

We would then grind off the temporary patch and do the job right over the winter

We would not want to do more damage or jeopardize the structure of the boat by continuing to use it with a temporary patch.

[SURVEY QUESTION has been deleted. Please do not conduct surveys. If you need advice, please ask a specific question--Moderator]

JimMontana wrote:Would doing a surface patch at this point to get us through the rest of the season be advisable?

I advise against making a temporary repair with some sort of "patch", which I infer that you mean a resin because you later mention having to grind it away.

If you want a temporary repair, use high-quality gaffer's tape to cover the damage. Use two layers. This will keep out the water. Gaffer's tape with strong adhesive can remain adhered for years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer_tape

JimMontana wrote:We are the current caretakers of a Montauk that has been in my wife's family for 56 years.

I think you are trying to say that the boat under discussion must be at least 56-years-old. That implies that the boat under discussion must have been made no later than 1964. However, there is a problem with designating the model as a MONTAUK. In 1964 Boston Whaler did not have a MONTAUK model. See the REFERENCE article on the 16/17-foot hull at

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/16-17/

The MONTAUK model was not introduced until c.1973. This means that the oldest possible MONTAUK boat would be a c.1973 model, which would be 47-years-old in 2020.

If your Boston Whaler boat is actually 56-years-old or older, it could not be a MONTAUK. Since a MONTAUK was first introduced as a 16-foot model, I infer perhaps you are trying to describe a c.1964 16-foot boat with a center console. Such as boat could have been a NAUSET 16, an EASTPORT 16, or a SAKONNET 16. All were center console boats, with varying seating arrangements.

Please take note: a highly recommended practice when mentioning a model of Boston Whaler boat is to include the model, the model year, and the length.

Thanks much for your replies JIMH. You are correct that we have a Nauset 16, purchased by my father-in-law in 1965.

The Gaffer's tape looks interesting. I always carry duct tape with me for repairs. Will now add Gaffer's tape to the toolbox.

After additional consideration, we took the boat into a well respected repair shop this afternoon and have decided to have them do the work. They are knowledgeable of Whaler construction and quoted a reasonable price and time frame. Looking forward to being back out on the water later this season.

Our boat is not in pristine condition, but is well worth the cost of the repair.