Need Books on Repairing Fiberglass Hull
 

I would like to get some recommendation on books / videos / web sites
that focus on doing major repairs on fiberglass boats.

I want to learn what are involved in making major repair on fiberglass
boats to see if these are something that I can do in free time.

If there are good books on doing minor repairs on fiberglass boats, I
would like to know too.

I am under the impression that we are better off asking metal workers
to fix problems in aluminum boat hull. Therefore, I only ask for books
on fixing fiberglass boats instead of both fiberglass boats and
aluminum boats.

I have already checked local big name book stores, and I cannot find
anything other than books that deal with minor cosmetic repairs and
maintenance. And I am hesitate to buy books through mail order without
skimming through the books or without other people recommendation.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

I haven't read this one, but if it's as good as the Gougeon Brothers' other
publications, it ought to do the job. From: http://www.westsystem.com/
Product Guide tab

002-550 Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance
Softcover-84 pages.
A complete, illustrated guide to most fiberglass boat repair problems.
Includes detailed instructions on repairing rotted stringers and frames,
delamination, keel damage. Also covers fairing keels, hardware bonding,
finishing and installing teak veneers.

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

wrote in message
oups.com...
I would like to get some recommendation on books / videos / web sites
that focus on doing major repairs on fiberglass boats.

I want to learn what are involved in making major repair on fiberglass
boats to see if these are something that I can do in free time.

If there are good books on doing minor repairs on fiberglass boats, I
would like to know too.

I am under the impression that we are better off asking metal workers
to fix problems in aluminum boat hull. Therefore, I only ask for books
on fixing fiberglass boats instead of both fiberglass boats and
aluminum boats.

I have already checked local big name book stores, and I cannot find
anything other than books that deal with minor cosmetic repairs and
maintenance. And I am hesitate to buy books through mail order without
skimming through the books or without other people recommendation.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

I haven't read this one, but if it's as good as the Gougeon Brothers' other
publications, it ought to do the job. From: http://www.westsystem.com/
Product Guide tab

002-550 Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance
Softcover-84 pages.
A complete, illustrated guide to most fiberglass boat repair problems.
Includes detailed instructions on repairing rotted stringers and frames,
delamination, keel damage. Also covers fairing keels, hardware bonding,
finishing and installing teak veneers.

Thanks! The description of the book sounds exactly the kind of info
that I need to know.

Jay Chan

Need Books on Repairing Fiberglass Hull
 

Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance
Softcover-84 pages.
A complete, illustrated guide to most fiberglass boat repair problems.
Includes detailed instructions on repairing rotted stringers and frames,
delamination, keel damage. Also covers fairing keels, hardware bonding,
finishing and installing teak veneers.

I have bought the book. I am still in the second chapter. It has quite
a lot of info about doing minor and major repairs on a fiberglass boat.
I love it. And it only costs me $3. It is a steal. Thanks for the
suggestion.

Jay Chan

Need Books on Repairing Fiberglass Hull
 

The books are good, especially that one (I have it myself), but the best way
to learn is to find someone who is doing it and watch them or offer to
assist them to learn the techniques. It's a difficult to grasp skill if you
are trying to learn it only from a book, but you will catch on quickly if
you can watch or help someone else who is doing it. You will also gain an
appreciation of how time consuming it is and therefore learn which boats are
"beyond saving". Serious structural damage will usually require so much
time that it won't be worth trying to repair it. Finding another boat may be
far easier and cheaper.

--
Charley


wrote in message
ups.com...
Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance
Softcover-84 pages.
A complete, illustrated guide to most fiberglass boat repair problems.
Includes detailed instructions on repairing rotted stringers and frames,
delamination, keel damage. Also covers fairing keels, hardware bonding,
finishing and installing teak veneers.

I have bought the book. I am still in the second chapter. It has quite
a lot of info about doing minor and major repairs on a fiberglass boat.
I love it. And it only costs me $3. It is a steal. Thanks for the
suggestion.

Jay Chan

Need Books on Repairing Fiberglass Hull
 

..., but the best way to learn is to find someone
who is doing it and watch them or offer to assist
them to learn the techniques. It's a difficult to
grasp skill if you are trying to learn it only
from a book, but you will catch on quickly if
you can watch or help someone else who is doing it...

Yes, I understand this. We can learn knowledge from reading a book; but
we can only learn a skill from experience. When we have added hardener
into epoxy, the clock will start ticking. And we will be under time
pressure to get the work done. People like me who don't have experience
with handling epoxy can make some mistake along the way.

The problem is that I am far away from any boat-repair shop, and my
neighbor's boat is made in aluminum. I think I will try to compensate
my lack of experience with watching some videos on boat building and
repairing.

Serious structural damage will usually require so
much time that it won't be worth trying to repair
it. Finding another boat may be far easier and
cheaper.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will stay away from boats that have
extensive damage in the bottom of the hull. I can see that trying to
repair a large area in the bottom of the hull can be more than a bit
tricky. But I will not hesistate from replacing the transom of a boat;
this task seems quite manageable.

Jay Chan