The hatch seems to be made of a foam core, covered by white plastic about 1/8in thick, i have never done fiberglass work.....what would be the best way to repair it? would bondo work?
hey...cant get a pic till tomorrow, but it is a doghouse type at the rear of the boat that swings forward on 2 quik release hinges. It is definitly plastic....i cant seem to find a used one so it looks like im stuck fixing it
heres the hatch in question......all of those black lines are cracks, this was before I had cleaned the boat up nice, and those black lines were just dirt collecting.....but they cleanly illustrate the cracks. The previous owners house was broken into, and apparently stepping on this hatch was the only escape route for the burglars....
Search the old threads, rodbolt, rodbuster, can't remember; figured out vacuum molding.
Other wise, build a form base, cover the existing with saran or 4 mil poly, make a mold, then build a new one, off the old mold.
Here's a thought - go to a boat junk yard or a marine dealer and see what they have that looks good. Doghouses aren't a precise fit to the motor, they just have to be big enough to cover it and the bilge, and fit in with your furniture.
The doghouse from another boat model from that same year, or from adjacent years may fit, or you may find one from a completely different brand and year of boat that fits. Take some measurements and see.
Otherwise, this is a good starter project for you working in fiberglass... it's not structural, so if you screw something up there's no safety issue. It's a chance to make a completely custom doghouse for your boat
thanks for the felp fellas.....im gonna try and find a boat junkyard near Cocoa and see what I can find, if not Ill tackle the glass project. I thought bondo might work, but i know fiberglass is a lot stronger.....so I guess we'll see
I would remove it from the boat. Remove all hardware and trimming. Sand the areas on the inside needing the fix. Apply a layer of whatever glass. You can use poly resin (cheaper) if you want. After thats cured, sand the outside cracks and fill with filler - Bondo will work fine. Sand the entire outside surface smooth, and paint or take it to a shop to have it custom airbrushed with a heavy gloss!
