crushed bow on 23' oday 1978

[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

 

[Warren]

Bow Repair

Many years ago I collided with a large buoy on the Hudson River. Smashed in about 7"-8" of the bow. To make the repair, I "waxed" a heavy piece of glossy paper and taped it onto the bow to form a mold into which I could lay new fiberglass and resin. After the resin cured, the paper was easy to remove. What was left was a near perfect "bow". The fiberglass and resin was also added from the inside of the boat. As for the deck, the same basic thing was done, except this time the mold paper (for support) was under the deck. Once you have enought buildup to bring the repair up to deck level, place another waxed glossy paper on the top to obtain a smooth finish. You may have to fold (several times)over a strip of fiberglass and resin to duplicate the "belt" that is located in the vicinity of the joint between the deck and topsides. Paint the whole works with matching epoxy paint and your done! I did my repair well over 20 years ago..no problems.Good Luck!