bottom reinforcement tri-hull

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oldmerc63

Recruit
Joined
Mar 20, 2004
Messages
5
I have a 73 glasspar 16' that im currently refurbishing, when I bought it there was a hole in the bottom (the hole is a wear mark from the rubber wheel on the trailer about 8'' long on the V part on bottom) in which I patched several times throughout last summer. Any little knick on the bottom there seems to make it leak again and I cant seal it from the top, I cant get to it. I've modified the trailer so the boat will not sit on the front rubber wheel, which seems to be working ok I guess, yet I'd like to reinforce it with a strip of metal or something does anyone have any ideas. Im sick of working with fiberglass
 
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Elk Chaser

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Messages
186
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

The best repair would be from the top down but from everything I've read you can grind away the bad spot into a long dish shape being carefull not to punch thru and make a hole. Then glass in layers of glass starting with thin strips and working them wider and longer as you go until you get close to the original shape and then sand and use a filler for any irregualarities. <br /><br />Patching with metal on the bottom will more than likely cause more problems in the long run, hard to get it to bond to the boat good enough that it will not pull off. <br /><br />I had a similar hole caused by the same thing, boat bounced just once on the trailer and that was it. (some dork came into the ramp area at about 30 making all sorts of waves) The patch required on mine was smaller and I did the repair from the bottom just as described above and it work great, held fine all summer and other than the color it looked like new when I was finished with it.<br /><br />When you are done install a keel guard and that will help prevent it from happening again.<br /><br />I'm new to fixing up old boats but I'm learning fast!
 
JasonJ

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

Like Elk said, you can grind the damaged area and layer cloth and epoxy to fill in the grind. The repair will be strong. I had a gouge I repaired in this manner and has not given me any problems since. Once the repair is done, you can further protect the area by installing a keel guard.<br /><br />Hey ElkChaser, I noticed the North Idaho in your signature, where you at?
 
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oldmerc63

Recruit
Joined
Mar 20, 2004
Messages
5
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

Thanks fellas, Ill give that a try. Anything not to have to mess with it anymore makes me happy. The keel guard can be picked up at any boat shop?
 
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Elk Chaser

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Messages
186
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

Oldmerc, <br />You can pick it up (keelguard) at some boating stores and online. Cabellas sells them now too.<br /><br />Jason,<br /><br />I'm down south of CDA about an hour near Potlatch. Nice to see another "Local" on the board. :D <br /><br />Do you ever hit CDA rather than "The Pond"? (For those that do not know "The Pond" is the deepest lake in North America and very large, I just can't spell the name) <br /><br />We generally run the south end of CDA near Harrison and sometimes down on the Snake in Lewiston.
 
JasonJ

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

No, I don't go down 'yonder to CDA, unless its job related. Too lazy to pull my boat out of the water, but I do want to do it sometime. :D <br /><br />Lake Pend Oreille is how its spelled. :D <br /><br />It surprises me that there are so few North Idaho types on this forum. You can't drive around Sandpoint and not see a boat in almost every driveway, and CDA is about the same way. Interesting.........
 
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CTD

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Messages
234
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

You can buy watertight inspection covers in lots of sizes. I would get one about 6-8 inch dia and install it in the floor just above the damage so you can get to it from the inside too. It will also give you an opportunity to check for water in the underfloor area. Just be careful not to cut into anything important like fuel lines and wiring.
 
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Elk Chaser

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Messages
186
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

Yup, 1150+ feet deep, the Navy actually tests Submarines in that lake.
 
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mellowyellow

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Messages
5,327
Re: bottom reinforcement tri-hull

like fishin in lock ness?... :p <br />is there a reel that has 1200' of line even... LOL
 
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