Hager Betsey & Patrick WI
Boat Name: Salty Dawg
Model/Year: Catalina 22
Hull No. 13707
Hailing Port: Lake DuBay |
11/14/2012 8:07 AM Pacific Time
Flanges on sliding hatch are severely cracked and separating. Has anyone done this repair? Or should one take this to fiberglass shop? |
Aaron M Benham 33a Loomis Hights
Boat Name: Tidely-Idley: The never ending project
Model/Year: 1978 C22
Hull No. 8070
Hailing Port: |
11/14/2012 10:08 AM Pacific Time
Working with fiberglass is very easy but can also be very messy. If you can duplicate the shape that you want it with some kind of a mould is just a simple matter of grinding back enough so that the new layres can take hold and building it back up with cloth/mat and resin. Any shape that doesn't have sharp corners is fairly easy to repair. Get yourself a copy of either This Old Boat or Sailboat Hull and Deck repair by Don Casey to see what is involved. Don't be afraid of making repairs to fiberglass. The great thing about it is if you make a mistake, you can just grind it away and try again. |
paul osborne Lima NY
Boat Name: Emy Lyn II
Model/Year: 1984
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Rochester |
11/14/2012 10:13 AM Pacific Time
Another way to repair this is cut off the lower edge and install and piece of L shape alumium |
Ryan Graham Douglasville, Ga.
Boat Name: Luana Cordelia
Model/Year: C22 1978
Hull No. 8587
Hailing Port: Douglasville, Ga (on the hard) |
12/07/2012 2:38 AM Pacific Time
I would stick with Aaron's advise. Just mix up some epoxy really well, brush it into the cracks and edges where it is seperated. You can then use a 10 inch board with sand paper with 200 grit paper to slowly sand the surface smooth. Mix more epoxy with a easily sanded filler to a smooth runny peanut butter and brush it on to cover the area and fill gaps and cracks. Sand it again till smoth. repeat epoxy and sand if needed. Thin coats will work best for a beginner and light pressure sanding. Tap the sanding block every 10 to 20 strokes to unload the paper... Only danger here is not mixing the epoxy enough, going crazy on the amount applied or not letting the epoxy set up. |