thin fiberglass on the 37 hull

[Howard Levine]

Hello Gang, I hope everyones spring chores are going well! My new 37 is giving me a ton of work but its still a pleasure.One thing i noticed and thought i would mention on here is that while i was working on the thru-hulls in the engine room i noticed dim daylight shining through the hull just behind where the shaft tube is.  Under the boat nothing looks wrong but they must not have laid-up the glass very thick there. Also right down in front of the engine you can see some transparency in the hull there also. It was kind of spooky realizing the glass is that thin! Looks like some of my epoxy and mat should be saved to add support to these areas. Another spot just under the water line on the bow of the boat i had a blister. after grinding it out i noticed the boat's glass is very thin there also and this seem's to be a great place to have some thickness!!!!  Right were "she'd" slam into some flotsam.Just thought you'd like to know and maybe check your boat for thin spots.howie

 

[Peter Brennan]

Not so thin

Yes, seeing daylight through the hull is a bit spooky at first. But not unusual. It is in fact a solid, tough layup but it is translucent. Get some primer and paint the inside whereever you can reach and follow that with white enamel and you will feel much better. As to blisters, I have had none but the usual procedure is to grind them out to solid FRP and fill them with epoxy. These boats have been remarkably blister free.

 

[Peter Brennan]

Test plug

Further to my earlier note, I drilled a hole in the bottom the other day to install a keel cooler for our new refrigerator. (Almost got it in the wrong place -- disaster narrowly averted.) The plug is a good 1/2-inch thick of solid FRP. Which does not mean it is immune to blisters but you don't have to worry about normal hard knocks, even if you can see daylight through it.