I'm about to fix a 2" hole the previous owner drilled in a vertical wall of the cockpit. I'll do the repair like Fiberglass Boat Repair
Fixing a 2 inch hole
- Thread starter Rich L
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Quickie Gelllie
Rich, your auto-body plastic squgiee gizmo will do fine, but use bondo for an inside non-structual fix like that. If any structural, then use epoxy (yachts are built out of Polyester only because it's cheaper) mixed with micro-baloon for it's consistancy and strength. Bondo will fill that, and it flexes enough, unless there are extreme mast troubles...
Rich, your auto-body plastic squgiee gizmo will do fine, but use bondo for an inside non-structual fix like that. If any structural, then use epoxy (yachts are built out of Polyester only because it's cheaper) mixed with micro-baloon for it's consistancy and strength. Bondo will fill that, and it flexes enough, unless there are extreme mast troubles...
Bulkhead - Bondo
I forgot, West Marine, along with other chandleries, has a gel-coat 'kit' with color and all, small so you don't have to buy a huge EXPENSIVE mess of it. I glassing a thin one sided piece, tape one side.
I forgot, West Marine, along with other chandleries, has a gel-coat 'kit' with color and all, small so you don't have to buy a huge EXPENSIVE mess of it. I glassing a thin one sided piece, tape one side.
How About Covering It With A Vent??
Like the ones they sell at West Marine. Sometimes you can put something over a hole and make it look like it's supposed to be there. Matching the color of old gel-coat is not easy!
Like the ones they sell at West Marine. Sometimes you can put something over a hole and make it look like it's supposed to be there. Matching the color of old gel-coat is not easy!
Many thanks!
4 replies in 11 minutes. I love this BB! I also found a 2001 Jim Willis article in the archives that covers the gelcoat end of this. Will try Bondo and finished with plastic squeegie polyester gelcoat from a kit (already have one) covered with mylar. Many thanks! (the vent is down in the outboard engine well, so a vent would be risky - could let water in if I get pooped in a following sea)
4 replies in 11 minutes. I love this BB! I also found a 2001 Jim Willis article in the archives that covers the gelcoat end of this. Will try Bondo and finished with plastic squeegie polyester gelcoat from a kit (already have one) covered with mylar. Many thanks! (the vent is down in the outboard engine well, so a vent would be risky - could let water in if I get pooped in a following sea)
layer of glass
Ross, Yeup. Expect two to three layers of glass within the hole with a 12 to 1 edge bevel. I'll put a couple additional layers on the inside where I don't have to worry about cosmetics. The West System manual is great! BTW, about spraying gelcoat, Willis mentions a disposable sprayer, but I can't find it to check it out. Anybody?
Ross, Yeup. Expect two to three layers of glass within the hole with a 12 to 1 edge bevel. I'll put a couple additional layers on the inside where I don't have to worry about cosmetics. The West System manual is great! BTW, about spraying gelcoat, Willis mentions a disposable sprayer, but I can't find it to check it out. Anybody?
Retro-fit
On my Cal 34 III (4 sale), I had two 5" speakers in the cockpit that I removed. Instead of filling, I had two peices of lexon (sp) cut and I mounted them inplace. It let in a ton of light and brightened up below. Greg P36-2 Mt. Sinai, NY
On my Cal 34 III (4 sale), I had two 5" speakers in the cockpit that I removed. Instead of filling, I had two peices of lexon (sp) cut and I mounted them inplace. It let in a ton of light and brightened up below. Greg P36-2 Mt. Sinai, NY
Rich, if you go to your friendly
neighborhood paint store with a little plastic condiment cup from the fast food shop and ask nicely they will fill that cup with pigment. The amount of pigment that you can pick up with a pencil will color a spoon full of resin. Get a bit of yellow and some black while you are there. experiment wilth the mix a little will go a long way.
neighborhood paint store with a little plastic condiment cup from the fast food shop and ask nicely they will fill that cup with pigment. The amount of pigment that you can pick up with a pencil will color a spoon full of resin. Get a bit of yellow and some black while you are there. experiment wilth the mix a little will go a long way.
Portable sprayers.
Rich: I would suggest that you look at a automotive paint shop. I have seen these sprayers that are like a spray can. You fill them with your own materials (assume that you need to pressurize the container) and spray away.
Rich: I would suggest that you look at a automotive paint shop. I have seen these sprayers that are like a spray can. You fill them with your own materials (assume that you need to pressurize the container) and spray away.
Just get some enamal paint
If you has a sample pice of you boat you can take to a local paint shot they can mix a batch of paint that ia exactly the same color as your glass. After you fixed filling hole you can apply several coats of paint with a foam brush. After it is dry wet sand the area to blend if in. A vertical wall in the cockpit gets such a low weather load you will have to paint the boat before it will show. I did this on my last boat on a horizontal face and nobody could see the repair. Still I would only do this if I could not cover it wirh a sticker. Good luck
If you has a sample pice of you boat you can take to a local paint shot they can mix a batch of paint that ia exactly the same color as your glass. After you fixed filling hole you can apply several coats of paint with a foam brush. After it is dry wet sand the area to blend if in. A vertical wall in the cockpit gets such a low weather load you will have to paint the boat before it will show. I did this on my last boat on a horizontal face and nobody could see the repair. Still I would only do this if I could not cover it wirh a sticker. Good luck
Found spray gun
I found a disposable spray gun by Preval, NAPA Balkamp 770-5030. Cost less than six bucks. Comes with its own propellant and a paint resevoir for the resin. Thanks for the idea Steve! Since my gelcoat is white, matching isn't much of an issue. Thanks all! I think I'm ready for a warm weekend day...
I found a disposable spray gun by Preval, NAPA Balkamp 770-5030. Cost less than six bucks. Comes with its own propellant and a paint resevoir for the resin. Thanks for the idea Steve! Since my gelcoat is white, matching isn't much of an issue. Thanks all! I think I'm ready for a warm weekend day...
Don't forget to thin the gel coat
or it won't work in the Praval sprayer. I usually use Acetone to thin it out. Don't over thin but Don't under thin either. Buy an extra Preval and do some practice runs on some scrap... I also use a Preval to spray the wax on after I have built up my gel layer.... The easiest way to match your gel and spray on a finish is to send a sample piece of gel coat to Mini Craft and they will send you an aerosol can of the pre matched gel. See link below..
or it won't work in the Praval sprayer. I usually use Acetone to thin it out. Don't over thin but Don't under thin either. Buy an extra Preval and do some practice runs on some scrap... I also use a Preval to spray the wax on after I have built up my gel layer.... The easiest way to match your gel and spray on a finish is to send a sample piece of gel coat to Mini Craft and they will send you an aerosol can of the pre matched gel. See link below..
Use for gelcoat?
RC (et al.), What do you use for gelcoat? Can you use epoxy, or must you use poly? I saw that Mini Craft sells a gelcoat, but it's $68 a quart - don't think I'll need that much - probably need closer to 12 ounces... Appreciate your expertise!
RC (et al.), What do you use for gelcoat? Can you use epoxy, or must you use poly? I saw that Mini Craft sells a gelcoat, but it's $68 a quart - don't think I'll need that much - probably need closer to 12 ounces... Appreciate your expertise!
Rich, I have a suggestion
before you try to repair the hole in your boat bore a hole in a piece of plywood, set it up at about the same angle as the place where the hole in the boat is and repair that with fiberglass and polyester resin. Polyester resin will stick perfectly well is generally easier to work with than epoxy( don't everybody get upset. Ive used gallons of both)and it is much lees expensive, you will have to wash the wax off with acetone and it is a good idea to grind lightly between cured and uncured layers. When you get the patch almost full switch to filled resin as a fairing compound and smooth that on. This is where you start mixing in the color that you got from the paint store. Tint the fairing compound to the color of the gelcoat and sand it smooth look for any places that need a little more fill those sand and polish. Then you can apply a litte tinted resin as a sealing coat if you feel that it needs it and polish sand that. After you are pleased with the patch on the plywood then you will be confident to start making the patch on your boat. Ross in Bel Air
before you try to repair the hole in your boat bore a hole in a piece of plywood, set it up at about the same angle as the place where the hole in the boat is and repair that with fiberglass and polyester resin. Polyester resin will stick perfectly well is generally easier to work with than epoxy( don't everybody get upset. Ive used gallons of both)and it is much lees expensive, you will have to wash the wax off with acetone and it is a good idea to grind lightly between cured and uncured layers. When you get the patch almost full switch to filled resin as a fairing compound and smooth that on. This is where you start mixing in the color that you got from the paint store. Tint the fairing compound to the color of the gelcoat and sand it smooth look for any places that need a little more fill those sand and polish. Then you can apply a litte tinted resin as a sealing coat if you feel that it needs it and polish sand that. After you are pleased with the patch on the plywood then you will be confident to start making the patch on your boat. Ross in Bel Air
Hmmmm
Ross, Sounds like twice the work. Of course, the patch on the boat will probably be 10 times better. Obviously, I'm a beginner in patching holes boats. Your idea merits a try.
Ross, Sounds like twice the work. Of course, the patch on the boat will probably be 10 times better. Obviously, I'm a beginner in patching holes boats. Your idea merits a try.
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