I just bought an American Fiberglass Daysailer 16...gonna have questions for y'all!

[Coloradonosea]

Took off the wood piece on top of the centerboard, (I sanded part of it before I decided to do it right and remove hardware).
Using solvent to clean the grime, remove weak epoxy repair spot, clean out deeper scratches. Lots of shop vac action. I removed both windows and scraped a lot of white silicone caulking from everywhere (pretty sure that's not the right application for that

Looks like there was the same white silicone caulk all along the metal rail where the outer hull meats at a seam with the cabin (has a rubber bumper in the rail) its smeared all over top and underside of the rail, and I'm starting to scrape that out. Will post pics of that too eventually.

Pretty close to the point where I can start experimenting with fiber glass and epoxy. Ive been educating on process and methods via YouTube. I think ill start on the transom repair so I have more experience when I get to the centerboard repair (and then on to underside repairs-not to bad but ill definitely be asking some opinions, as its gonna be under water/potentially exposed to beach/lake bed contact.

Hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend!

 

[Coloradonosea]

Other posters here have Rx’ed the Utube videos from Andy at boatworks.com. After viewing some I think anyone venturing into fiberglass work would be well served by watching. He is an artist. But I’m not sure I have the website correct.
'

Ive been watching his videos, and his extremely informative thank you.
I have a friend who's done a decent amount of fiberglass repair on boats, and he's gonna lend a hand, which is reassuring as well as a welcome hand and good company.

 

[Coloradonosea]

Have a good evening All.

 

[Coloradonosea]

Heres the old/moldy white silicone caulking that was all around the boat, covering the metal rail and rubber bumper

Heres after cutting out all the caulking and using steel wool and solvent on the metal rail and the rubber:

 

[stickinthemud57]

Well, I don't think it qualifies as "The Lord's Work", but I think you are amassing lots of sailing Karma. Good going!

 

[Coloradonosea]

Well, I don't think it qualifies as "The Lord's Work", but I think you are amassing lots of sailing Karma. Good going!

Thanks, Im really enjoying it and feel like I already know the boat in and out (the topside at least)!

 

[shemandr]

It’s looking better already!
Some of the later pics of the centerboard trunk/sole joint don’t look as bad. Maybe the goop option is still alive?

 

[Coloradonosea]

I took of the wood trim on top of the centerboard, and got to sanding and cleaning up the hardware.
Made my first shot at Timelapse videos for everyone to check out...had to creat a Youtube channel (never thought id do that), so I suppose ill be posting more videos from now on, pretty fun way to document the progress.

Hardware removal:
https://youtube.com/shorts/y8oK3CTwA7g
Sanding top and sides:
Centerboard Trim Timelapse 2
Centerboard Trim Timelapse 3
Centerboard Trim Timelapse 4
Centerboard Trim Timelapse 5

Here's the finished product:
(need to oil/treat wood and then marine varnish?
What kind of product would be used to protect this?




Ill be sanding and finishing the rails that go on top of the cabin next, as well as doing a deeper clean on the metal rail around the hull-meets cabin-and-deck seam.

Stay tuned! And I appreciate any input!

 

[Coloradonosea]

It’s looking better already!
Some of the later pics of the centerboard trunk/sole joint don’t look as bad. Maybe the goop option is still alive?

Id like to get further opinions on this...I agree it looks better than when I started, but that's to my uneducated eye. the deck tab is pretty warped and has pulled back and away from the centerboard on both sides, I can see being able to fill it with goop/epoxy/some 3M product (5200?). Seems like I could force the sole tab/lip over with some pressure/lever (bottle jack horizontally with a 2x4 to spread out the pressure along the seam/tab?)...I could mock this up and take pics and share them. I imagine after adhering the two pieces (centerboard and sole tab) that I would want to run layers of fiber glass mat/tape across the joint/seam to strengthen the connection from centerboard to deck.

 

[Coloradonosea]

Id like to get further opinions on this...I agree it looks better than when I started, but that's to my uneducated eye. the deck tab is pretty warped and has pulled back and away from the centerboard on both sides, I can see being able to fill it with goop/epoxy/some 3M product (5200?). Seems like I could force the sole tab/lip over with some pressure/lever (bottle jack horizontally with a 2x4 to spread out the pressure along the seam/tab?)...I could mock this up and take pics and share them. I imagine after adhering the two pieces (centerboard and sole tab) that I would want to run layers of fiber glass mat/tape across the joint/seam to strengthen the connection from centerboard to deck.

There is also a good bit of spongy-ness or instability on either side of the centerboard in the floor. more pronounced on one side vs the other (definitely contributed to by the seperation of the centerboard/sole joint). I assume this is from the centerboard repair not being done yet, but...I have read that leaks like this allow water in the foam that is laid inside the hull, and can deteriorate/shrink it.

Some folks have described drilling hole in the deck and then introducing expanding foam to make the boat more buoyant and the pack out/support the underside of deck.

I assume I would have to research the interior construction of this particular model of boat/design to determine if this would be a good option. I want to make sure I'm not interrupting a pathway for water to leave the hull via the drain at the bottom of the Transom (lowest point in the boat, directly behind/inline with the area I'm fixing with the centerboard joint.

Thanks in advance on questions anyone can answer.