bow fiberglass repair

[Chris Tunstall]

I am trying to repair a crushed bow of a 1978 oday 23 foot sailboat. about 3 inches of the nose was crushed. The fiberglass estimate would total the boat and send it to the dump, so I am trying to repair it myself. Any helpful hints on repair. I have had to cut out the top 2 inches of the hull on the bow tip. I also had to cut away about 7 inches of the deck in the point of the bow. the bow crushed intoo a cement wall crushing the stemhead through the top of the deck while the bow pulpit bent and tore up and began peeling back the bow deck.I am looking for insight or good web page discussing fiberglass repair in a spot as critical as this spot on a sailboat?cct

 

[Bill Ogilvie]

Put in a bowsprit

I don't see how you can restore the strength needed for the bow to keep the headstay taught. If you put a short bowsprit on the deck, with an anchor point inside the V of the bow, you may not need to worry about strength. I think Catalina sells a reinforcement for the headstay.

 

[Doug Rodrigues]

Seek information from the experts...

The experts I refer to are the clubs or rentals who train students to sail. In Berkeley, California, one of the clubs there regularly has to perform bow repairs because so many of the students and ham-fisted members would sail the boats right into the dock or the sea wall! I have seen boats re-paired, re-repaired, and even re-re-repaired! Amazing! Such outfits would have the best knowledge on how to do such repairs, OR you could simply go ask a professional repair outfit. However, the professionals make their money by doing repairs, not spending their time giving free advice. Bill's suggestion sounds like a good start.

 

[Ed Garcia]

Try West System

Get ahold of some of the West literature on fiberglass repairs or Don Casey's book on Hull & Deck repair. With some patience and planning I think you'll be able to effect a sound repair. I used both to repair a hull dent and cracked cockpit on my O'Day 25. Good Luck.Ed

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

You need someone on the scene

Chris - There is no reason you cannot repair your boat and get back in business but since the damage is to a highly loaded area you want to be sure its done right. I would try to befriend someone who has done some similar work to look over your shoulder the first time. One of the keys will be to not only make a patch/plug that is shaped right and strong, but to tie it to the hull correctly so the load is well distributed. Even so, I would be thinking about how to tie the new stem into the hull to carry the load.Justin - O'day Owners' Web