cost fiberglass repair

[LordNelson]

my mast step is sagging on my 1974 oday 20. I wanted to see if anyone knew what it should cost to have a repair done by a yard.

I am worried it would cost more than the boat is worth, but if I repair it myself, I know my fiberglass work would look like junk.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Are you looking at the symptom rather than the real disease?

If the deck is 'sagging' at the base of the mast, that is an indication the support post UNDER the mast has sunk. I have no idea on what the post sits in the bilge but you should be looking there to solve the problem.

 

[LordNelson]

there is a bulkhead and post under the mast step in the cabin. neither show any sign of a problem. I do see some indications that the bolts through the mast step fitting into the cabin has some stains indicating that water has gotten between the fiberglass layers. there are also stress cracks on the top of the deck around the mast step fitting.

 

[justsomeguy]

my mast step is sagging on my 1974 oday 20. I wanted to see if anyone knew what it should cost to have a repair done by a yard.

I am worried it would cost more than the boat is worth, but if I repair it myself, I know my fiberglass work would look like junk.

My mast step was quite the mess when I purchased Sovereign a few years back.

A professional gave me a quote of $1,000.00, half what I paid for the boat and trailer.

So I learned to do it myself, and it is very easy and forgiving to do. If you mess up, just sand/grind it back down and have at it again. Spent barely $100.00, tools and materials.

The most challenging part of the repair is matching the color of your existing gelcoat.

 

[topcat0399]

My mast step was quite the mess when I purchased Sovereign a few years back.

A professional gave me a quote of $1,000.00, half what I paid for the boat and trailer.

So I learned to do it myself, and it is very easy and forgiving to do. If you mess up, just sand/grind it back down and have at it again. Spent barely $100.00, tools and materials.

The most challenging part of the repair is matching the color of your existing gelcoat.

JSG has it right. Its really not that tough - the hardest part is getting started. Of all the cores I have had to replace on our old boat the one under the mast step was the easiest.

Go for it and learn a new skill while you are at it.

 

[jibes138]

Just don't mix big batches of epoxy or it can kick over on you and harden instantly. Cool it in a fridge or cooler before you mix it to slow it down. If the color doesn't match exactly, who cares? Make it strong and functional and safe and the color is just cosmetics. Try the colored gelcoat at Jamestown Distributors, many of the colors match standard common boat colors exactly.

 

[cbourne200]

My Culimbia T23 had same problem - deck sagging but interior didn't look to be sagging. So I used a hole saw to cut a hole under the mast step (had same type slot in it to allow bolt to pivot when dropping the mast), cleaned out any debris/wet core, and added several pieces of epoxy soaked glass through the hole until it met the deck. Had to pry up deck and do one side, then the other to reverse the sagging. Also decided to build frame above deck and build up about 1/4" so water would not accumulate at mast base. Since entire area under mast was now epoxy/glass mat, redrilling holes gave waterproof qualities. Don't forget to use tape to close bottom of holes inside cabin, or you'll have a mess on the cabin floor.