Fiberglass Canoe Repair

[1gabby]

Hello,
You all helped me with my alum.boat corrosion hole repair.
Thanks...

Now another project.
I have a 35 year old Yates fiberglass canoe that a large limb fell on (while the canoe was upside down in storage) making the canoe make a 90 deg. angle bending at the keel line.
Once I removed the limb the fiberglass almost bend/sprung back into shape and I think once I re-bend the alum. gunale rail the fiberglass should pretty much lay back to where it belongs.
The tear/rip/hole is aprox. 2 foot long.
No real hole really a long rip.
It kind of ripped the fiberglass like a sheet of plywood.

I am trying to educate myself in fiberglass repair and although I'm not concered about a glass like finish (I am going to paint over the outside of the boat) I still want a good solid non-jagged finish.

I have looked at a couple of the You Tube "How Too" videos to get me started, basically just enough to relieze I need more info and help.

I know it's a lot to ask how to do this from the begining but if anyone has the time to explain or can point me in the right direction I would very much appreiciate it.

Dave

 

[57chris]

Re: Fiberglass Canoe Repair

I'd start by grinding the gel coat back to the glass at least a foot around the cracked area, about 2-3ft. back would be even better...inside and out. taper the area where it's broken like a V, the wider taper the better, and start laying woven glass strips into the V building back up until you can put wider and wider strips and pieces eventually laying on a piece that covers the whole area you ground. The length of the glass fibers are key to strength in your repair, I'd go with the heavy woven material on top and bottom...especially if you're not concerned with a slick finish. Hope this helps, i'm just an amature.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Fiberglass Canoe Repair

You coined the proper phrase....."ripped like a sheet of plywood" That is because the layers are placed in opposite directions in a cross hatch pattern.

Your repair is probably going to be at least twice the size of the damage if not 3 times.

I would seriously consider epoxy for this job just for the strength.

You may have to build a few layers on the inside to make the repair stronger.

Others will chime in