How bad did I screw up?

[kansasrockchalk]

So after doing this several days ago, I just realized (and I am sure this is a noob mistake so don't crucify me for being an idiot) that when I cut the top off my boat that I cut the lip that held the hull and the top together. So a couple of questions.

Is it a total loss? Or is there something I can do to recover from being an idiot?

Pics:

The first 2 are of the top, you can see the lip cut.

Next 2 are of the hull.

Essentially at this point I am not sure how I am going to reconnect the 2 back together when it comes time. Is it possible? How bad of a move was this? It was all going so well until this meat head move.

Thanks.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

LOL Kansas trust me there have been worse deeds done when repairing a boat . We wont get into the Meathead that decided to put wood stringers in my Aluminum boat oh wait its worse they screwed them in from under the hull . I dont think its a major dilema but the Glass guys will chime in and if they dont we'll go find oooops . Oh yeah I wasnt the meat head who did the stringers . I was the one who left masking tape on my boat for 3 days on semi fresh paint even through 2 days of rain and then pulled the paint right off the boat with the danged painters tape .




Rick

 

[kansasrockchalk]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

I'm beginning to think you and I are the only ones on this forum Rick.

 

[Numlaar]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

NO I'm here too every day!!!

And don't feel bad, Kansas, we've all made some big blunders. I had to re-gelcoat my top cap twice cause I tried to skip the sprayer and use a roller, (what a mess)... anyway...

Sadly I can't really tell whats what from those pictures...

Can you take a picture further back more of just a general view of the boat where you can see the top edge of the hull?

If I get this straight, instead of removing the rub rail, and drilling out the fasteners to pop the top cap off, you cut it? (Just being sure).

If thats the case, then there is no seam for the top to slide down over the hull, and be re-fastened...

That means you will have to remove the rub rail from the cap, drill out the fasteners, and remove the strip of the hull that's still attached to the top cap...

Then you will need to -reconstruct the missing section on the hull...

I think there would be two options to do so, but I'm not the glass expert here...

option 1. would be to re-attach the old strip by glassing it back onto the hull from the inside. Build up a few layers of tape/resin going wider each time for strength. Fill the gap left from the cut from the front side, then finish it to match the rest of the hull.

option 2. would be to rebuild the missing piece itself, which means having a backing to lay the glass/resin onto, using a mold release to be able to remove the backing, then layering up CSM/Resin to match the original thickness of the hull. Once done, remove the mold/backing then finish it to match the rest of the hull.


Luckily if its just the piece that goes under the cap, then it doesnt have to be "perfect" because the lip of the cap, and the rub rail will cover it.

Not sure how your boat is designed inside, but I cant see this joint in my boat easily, (have to look up under the gunwale), so again hopefully it doesnt have to be too spiffy. the main thing you want is for it to be structurely sound! You don't want the top cap popping off from a rough ride!

I am sure oops or one of the more experienced glass guys can give you more details on the repair, but if you can, try to get some better pictures.

The good news is, with glass pretty much any type of repair can be done, and be as strong/stronger than when built.

The bad news is, you probably just added a lot more work to your project, and of course all the itch, dust, and joys of working with fiberglass.

I wish you the best of luck with it!

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

Look at the bright side, If a guy can cut a boat in half and lengthen it 4' then I think yours can be fixed. You might have made more work for yourself but I'm willing to bet it's not a loss.

 

[1957evinrude]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

tx you have a pm.

 

[kansasrockchalk]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

Look at the bright side, If a guy can cut a boat in half and lengthen it 4' then I think yours can be fixed. You might have made more work for yourself but I'm willing to bet it's not a loss.

Lion Hunter, where abouts in Idaho do you live? I am in Meridian.

Anyhow, I am going to go take a few more pictures here to give you a better idea of what I did...but Numlaar got it down pretty good.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

I'm beginning to think you and I are the only ones on this forum Rick.

LOL Kansas I think at that point you were the only one left it was almost 3AM here and I had wandered off to bed .


Rick

 

[kansasrockchalk]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

LOL Kansas I think at that point you were the only one left it was almost 3AM here and I had wandered off to bed .


Rick

Well you were the only one replying on my main thread as well....just was making me laugh.

 

[kansasrockchalk]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

Ok, here is hopefully a better shot of what I did...

Wider shot showing the top turned upside down:

A shot of it the other way just to give you an idea:

This is a close up from the back going toward the bow...the red is the piece of the bow I butchered off in my saw rage, and the black is the curve of the top piece, hope that makes sense.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

Ok I think I see what you did you cut the top edge of the hull off . I would say you are fine you didnt ruin the boat . You do have some work cut out for you . You are going to have to make a new lip to drop the cap on . I would say come 1/4" plywood sealed in resin and then either glassed into the side of the hull so it sticks up where the cap would slide down over it would solve your problem and give you new lip but . I am tin canner so I will let Oooops and crew verify that.


Rick

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

Hey kansas, I'm just a few miles east of you in Payette.

 

[rngale]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

here is another option which requires patcvhing form both side of the hull and alot of grinding.

grind a v-groove in both edges of both the hull and the deck then set the deck back on the hull using small temporary bolts and short blocks of wood to stabilize and attach the two together. fill the v-groove with a little putty and then in small areas glass the two halves together to hold it in polace then remove the temp. braces and reglass the whole thing into place.

 

[Lightnig]

Re: How bad did I screw up?

I'm just spit balling here, but if you remove the strip of hull that's left in the cap, and then you set the cap on the hull as it is now, how does it fit?

I'm guessing it will fit pretty close except at the bow. A little bit of massaging there and it'll probably be pretty close. Maybe an inch or two shorter, but that likely won't make much difference...