Fiberglass Repair

[bazzert]

I put a small hole in my boat last weekend; it does go through the fiberglass and leaks water into the cockpit.

I got some advice on fiberglass repair and checked out David Nystroms site. I think I could manage the repair. However before I get started I thought I would ask for further advice. The hole is very small; below a certain size is there a better way to do a repair like this ? (someone suggested just sealing it with 5200, but I want to do the right thing).

thanks in advance,

Barry.

[jdkilroy]

Barry,

This does not appear to require any sort of structural repair as I do not see any gel coat cracks radiating out from the primary insult.

I would apply a small (2" x 2") fiberglass patch to the inside and then fill the outer defect with epoxy; tinted or not with white gel coat tint. You would want to thoroughly rinse with fresh water (including through the hole) then dry and then clean with acetone or fiberglass cleaner prior to any repairs.

My preference is West system epoxy but you could use regular fiberglass resin as well and that may be easier to get in smaller amounts.

On the other hand, a small circular piece of Gorilla tape would work just fine as well.

Have fun, Jon

[bazzert]

Barry,

This does not appear to require any sort of structural repair as I do not see any gel coat cracks radiating out from the primary insult.

I would apply a small (2" x 2") fiberglass patch to the inside and then fill the outer defect with epoxy; tinted or not with white gel coat tint. You would want to thoroughly rinse with fresh water (including through the hole) then dry and then clean with acetone or fiberglass cleaner prior to any repairs.

My preference is West system epoxy but you could use regular fiberglass resin as well and that may be easier to get in smaller amounts.

On the other hand, a small circular piece of Gorilla tape would work just fine as well.

Have fun, Jon

Thanks Jon,

That's what I will do. A double layer of duct tape got me out to the salvages and back on monday night!

Barry.

[Brian Nystrom]

I got some advice on fiberglass repair and checked out David Nystroms site.

I didn't realize that my uncle David had kayak repair pics on the web, too.

I think I could manage the repair. However before I get started I thought I would ask for further advice. The hole is very small; below a certain size is there a better way to do a repair like this ? (someone suggested just sealing it with 5200, but I want to do the right thing).

The pic looks like pretty significant damage, albeit to a small area. To fix it properly, you're still going to have to remove all the damaged material and taper the outside of the the gelcoat and glass as you would for a larger repair. Reinforcing a small area like this from the inside is easy. Once you've done that, cut a couple of pieces of glass using a quarter and a nickle as patterns, then epoxy them in place. Once it's cured, clean it and apply gelcoat over it. Sand, buff and you're done. One advantage of doing this is that you'll learn valuable repair techniques on this small repair, so you'll feel more comfortable when the time comes to do a larger one.

[bazzert]

I didn't realize that my uncle David had kayak repair pics on the web, too.

Ha! I meant Brian!

The pic looks like pretty significant damage, albeit to a small area. To fix it properly, you're still going to have to remove all the damaged material and taper the outside of the the gelcoat and glass as you would for a larger repair.

So the perimeter of the tapered area should be slightly larger than the larger quarter sized cloth patch ? And finally (probably a dumb question) can I apply both layers on the outside at the same time ? or do I have to wait for the first to cure ?

thanks for the help,

Barry.

[Brian Nystrom]

So the perimeter of the tapered area should be slightly larger than the larger quarter sized cloth patch?

Exactly.

And finally (probably a dumb question) can I apply both layers on the outside at the same time ? or do I have to wait for the first to cure ?

Definitely apply them at the same time. The best way to do it is to apply the first layer, then apply the second without adding more epoxy. Just push it into place with a fingertip (gloved) or a paintbrush and let the epoxy that's there wet it out. That way, you end up with a better glass-resin ratio. Also, don't be afraid to add more glass if it seems appropriate. Most repairs require 5-6 layers of 6 oz glass or 3-4 layers of 9 oz glass to equal the original glass thickness. Again, this is great practice for doing larger repairs.

A couple of other tips:

- Although I prefer to use epoxy for repairs, for something small like this using polyester resin makes the process simpler, since it's completely compatible with gelcoat and it cures faster than epoxy.

- When you buy your gelcoat, make sure to get "finish" or "waxed" gelcoat. The more common "laminating" gelcoat won't cure in the presence of air. Although with a small repair on a smooth surface like this, it's easy to seal off the repair with Mylar or polyethylene film, when you're doing larger repairs on more challenging surfaces like keels and hard chines, it can be a real hassle to get a good air seal. Having finish gelcoat on hand is a major convenience.