Hull damage

[Purduebarry]

Re: Hull damage

I used a 4.5" grinder with a cutting disc, much faster and a cheap grinder is okay. They also make fiberglass blades for a reciprocating saw, slower but safer than the grinder. The grinder goes fast but make sure you know where you are cutting, the outside of the hull can show up in a hurry. The circular saw is okay too but be careful, I used a hardiplank blade, closest thing to glass.<br /><br />YES you need a mask!!! Wait until your finished and your arms are raw from glass. You won't know how bad it can be until it's too late.<br /><br />The smoke is from the wood most likely. The resin makes the cutting slow and it smokes the wood.<br /><br />The hole may be intentional. If there is no foam then this was probably a drain hole all the way back to the bildge. <br /><br />They must have used epoxy, yes it's hard that's good. The alternative is soft, mushy rotten wood, never complain about hard wood!<br /><br />Go slow, you don't want to cut through the hull!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Hull damage

I use a cheap carbide tipped wood type blade , not much smoke and it's fast.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

Thanks guys! Got through the floor. Evrything looks great. No water, the stringers are hard, hard, hard.

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Hull damage

What does that hull look like from the inside?

 

[surlyjoe]

Re: Hull damage

man, that looks almost like a void under the gelcoat to me... is it mushy where you ground it down? if it were shattered you/d see more white in it, unless its pushing water out..<br /><br /><br />what I do see is a pretty consistant crack down the centerline of the keel, I would be looking into that for sure. what year/model boat is this?

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

Looks like original.<br /><br /> http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/eepks/Boat/HullInside01.jpg <br /><br /> http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/eepks/Boat/HullInside02.jpg <br /><br /> http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/eepks/Boat/HullInside03.jpg

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

It's a little mushy on the outside, but could that just be from having it in the water?

 

[surlyjoe]

Re: Hull damage

I see now its a glastron (duh), the keel cracking is prolly nothing to worry about either then, but you prolly wanna seal it up with the other.<br />I wish someone hadda suggested an inspection port before you cut the hole, then there wouldn't be anty repairs..

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

So do you think it can be reparied from th outside?

 

[surlyjoe]

Re: Hull damage

ya, thats what I would do, just taper the edges and lay it back up to the original height, then smear some filler in that crack and paint the whole area

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

Any other thoughts? Or do you think I need to grind it out from the inside?

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

I was told to sand the gelcoat off on the inside, soak a rag with Acetone and apply to where the crack should be. If there is a crack, it will remain wetter longer and I should be able to see it.

 

[bigbad 4cyl x2]

Re: Hull damage

id build up the inside with layers of mat soaked with epoxy .to make it thicker and stronger in that area. at any rate.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Hull damage

Since you have the floor out, do the repair from both the outside and inside. You'll be better off and the boat will be stronger.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

What is the difference between fiberglass mat, fiberglass mat tape and biaxial tape, chopped strand mat? <br /><br />Is there a differnce with auto fiberglass and boat fiberglass?<br /><br />What weight mat do I use? 1oz, 2oz..etc Same for cloth?<br /><br />How much in length? 5 yds of each?<br /><br />Do I need to do a layer of mat, layer of cloth, layer of mat...etc. How thick or layers do I need if I grind it all the way down to the gel?<br /><br />Do I use a poly or epoxy resin?<br /><br />Thanks!!

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

I'll start the grinding from the inside today. Say a prayer for me!!

 

[mattjenna]

Re: Hull damage

Following this thread with GREAT interest as I am in the same position with an almost identical keel problem.<br /><br />So cut an inspection hole BEFORE cuting a large hole?<br /><br />And interested in the answers in relation to the fiberglass.<br /><br />Not wanting to hijack the post-rather piggyback.......<br /><br />Matt

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Hull damage

You will need to use mat, but use roving instead of cloth, it's much stonger. Don't worry about the weight of the mat, 3/4 or 1.5oz will work, biaxial glass is stronger, but it won't make any difference on this repair. Polyester resin will work fine for this repair, just sand the inside with 36 grit out about 6", you don't need to go deep, you just need the surface completely sanded. Use the acetone rag to see if there are more cracks, or if they cover a larger area. If the cracks aren't covering a larger area than what can be seen in the pics then a mat roving, mat roving layup will be more than strong enough, but if you want to add more you can.<br /><br />On the outside, you can sand it and use putty to reshape it, or a better method is to use a small amount of mat and resin to build it back up to the original shape, then sand and paint, or gel coat it.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

Grinding is done on the inside and out. I didn't go that deep, maybe an 1/8" on the inside and outside and I see no cracks after SOAKING it with acitone. I got some mat and resin from Home Depot. Will work, or do I need the stronger stuff?<br /><br />Thank you to all who have helped me!

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Hull damage

What a mess that turned into. When I was spreading the resin with a brush, it kept lifting the fibers up and off of the mat. Guess I'll wait for it dry good and grind it back off.<br /><br />#@$@$$$@@@$!!!!!