Eight Questions on Basic Fiberglass Repairs

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
rowrat
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:52 pm

Eight Questions on Basic Fiberglass Repairs

Postby rowrat » Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:01 pm

Q1: are repairs necessary for hairline cracks in the cockpit gel coat of an older Boston Whaler boat?

Q2: can hairline cracks in the cockpit gel coat of an older Boston Whaler be remedied by just waxing over them?

Q3: can a repair to a hairline crack be made by over it painting?

Q4: what type or brand or formulation of paint should be used to repair a hairline crack by painting over it?

Q5: before the interior of an older Boston Whaler boat is to be resurfaced with either gel coat resin or with paint, should the surface be prepared by sanding?

Q6: before the interior of an older Boston Whaler boat is to be resurfaced with either gel coat resin or with paint, should the surface be prepared by a chemical primer?

Q7: where are the wires located for the combined sidelight navigation lamp?

Q8: after the keel of an older Boston Whaler boat has been repaired with fiberglass, what paint should be used to cover the repair that will provide the best protection and best match to the original color of the hull?

BACKSTORY.
I am new to this forum.

I have a 1980's 12-foot Boston Whaler boat with serial number BWC KO730 L586.

I do not know the exact model or the year.

I contacted Boston Whaler by email. Boston Whaler did not offer me any information.

This boat was neglected for may years and sat uncovered in western Montana in its hot summers and cold winters.

I am in the process of repairing and replacing some of the wood.

I am not out to create a museum piece. I want to create a decent looking boat for some seasonal angling.

The two top questions and advice I am seeking are:

1. [See the eight questions above]

2. [See the eight questions above]

When I re-wire the electrical circuits I will need one or two switches.

jimh
Posts: 11671
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Eight Questions on Basic Fiberglass Repairs

Postby jimh » Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:49 pm

Essentially, all your questions are frequently asked questions. Very detailed answers to them have already been prepared. I will not repeat those answers. I will point you to them.

rowrat wrote:Q1...Q8: ...?
Answers to your eight questions about basic repairs to older Boston Whaler boats can found in the Frequently Asked Questions answers. Please see the answer to

FAQ ANSWERS
Q5: how are repairs made to a Unibond hull?
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q5

and also

Q4: How Do I Repair the Wiring for the Combined Sidelights at the Bow?
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q4

rowrat wrote:I am new to this forum.
The forum is only a portion of the information available here about Boston Whaler boats. I strongly recommend you begin use of this website by starting at the top tier of the Boston Whaler section:

https://continuouswave.com/whaler

From there you should read ALL the answers to the Frequently Asked Questions:

https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/

Next you should read the REFERENCE section article about the particular hull you have. I am guessing it is a 13-footer:

https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/13/

rowrat wrote:I have a 1980's 12-foot Boston Whaler boat with serial number BWC KO730 L586.
You will have either an 11-footer or a 13-footer. Boston Whaler did not make a 12-foot boat in the 1980's.
rowrat wrote:I do not know the exact model or the year.
The FAQ explains how you can interpret the federal hull identification number (HIN) to discover the model year and month of manufacture of the boat, and also to identify the general model designator. See
Q1: How Old is My Boston Whaler Boat?
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q1

and also

Q2: Where is the Hull Identification Number?
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q2

Generally to determine the model length is simple and easy: just measure the hull and compare the length to various models and their length.

Generally to determine model designation is simple and easy: just compare the hull design to the various models listed in the REFERENCE section, and the images of their different configurations.

rowrat wrote:I contacted Boston Whaler by email. Boston Whaler did not offer me any information.
That outcome is very unusual. Generally Boston Whaler customer service is very responsive and can offer assistance to customers for boats that are even 50-years old.

rowrat wrote:This boat was neglected for may years and sat uncovered in western Montana in its hot summers and cold winters.
With this history, I strongly recommend you weigh the hull. Compare the current weight of the hull to the specified factory weight. If the boat was a 13-footer, the weight a bare hull from the 1980's can be found in the REFERENCE section article on the 13-footer. See above for the link. Hulls left out in the weather for decade are often in very poor condition and may not be good candidates for exertion of a great deal of effort to restore them unless there are peculiar circumstances, such as a boat being the family for 50-years.

rowrat wrote:The two top questions and advice I am seeking are...
You actually asked eight questions. You will find the answers in the reference material I have linked above.

I recommend you take some time to study the material that is available here, and then perhaps you will have more questions.

jimh
Posts: 11671
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Eight Questions on Basic Fiberglass Repairs

Postby jimh » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:04 pm

To get started on a question you did not ask, I will use the federal HIN to identify the year of production and model year of your boat, and to make an inference about what model it may be.

You cite the HIN as BWC KO730 L586

This is decoded as follows:

BWC = Manufacturer's Identiy Code (MIC)

The MIC for Boston Whaler is BWC. Congratulations, you have a real Boston Whaler boat.

KO730 is a production sequence number. I will return to this in a moment.

L586 is the encoding for date of production and model year. L5 means the date of production was DECEMBER 1985. The 86 means the mode year is 1986.

In summary so far: you have a 1986 Boston Whaler boat made in December 1985.

Now back to the production sequence number, which you report as KO730. This can be interpreted by using a drawing called the HIN SEQUENCE NUMBER drawing. The drawing shows tables of letter and number combinations that Boston Whaler reserved for particular models.

The production number you report as KO730 does not match anything in the Hin Sequence Number tables. The first problem is that the letter capital-O would never be used because it is too easily confused for the digit zero. The second problem is the letter K is not indicated in any of the HIN Sequence Number tables.

These problems with the HIN as you have presented it perhaps are the reason Boston Whaler could not identify the boat model from the information you provided them.

I recommend you take the following action before responding in this thread:
  • carefully measure the length of the boat in feet and inches
  • take a clear photograph of the actual HIN as it appears on your boat with good lighting and good focus so the HIN can be seen and interpreted. Just show the HIN.
  • take an overall photograph of the boat without the boat being obscured by debris in the foreground or background or on the boat so that readers can see the boat and its general configuration, that is, clean off all the crap and just show us the hull and any original fittings that remain; and,
  • weight the hull and report its weight in pounds.
When you have that information, please reply and continue this discussion.

When you are at the stage of restoration where you need to install boat electrical wiring, start a new thread in the forum SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL and ask any specific question you might have about electrical wiring on small boats.