BoatBanter.com - heat forming fiberglass

Robert Haston wrote:
I have a kayak with a coaming which was too close to the deck in one spot.
I would like to bend it up slightly.

Sounds like an NDK Romany or Explorer. It's a common problem with them,
one of the myriad common defects in NDK boats. This is the kind of basic
quality problem that should NEVER happen, as it's incredibly easy to
prevent.

I know you can heat form epoxy easily, but can you use a heat gun to bend
polyester/fiberglass?

You can't "heat form epoxy easily", at least not without damaging the
glass to resin bond and/or "cooking" the resin and weakening it.
Polyester is no better.

You can try it, but more than likely, you'll simply damage the coaming
and have to replace it. If the boat is new, take it back or get the
dealer to order and install a new coaming. If they don't have the
capability to do the work, perhaps you can cut off the old coaming and
grind away the remnants, then glass the new one in yourself.