crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

Hi folks:

I just purchased a used fiberglass boat and noticed a 12 inch long
crack that runs along the keel of this boat. While investigating the
area, it looks like the damage was caused by loading this boat onto
its trailer and hitting a roller a bit too hard. This has also
created a soft spot in the middle of this long crack.

I'm wondering if somebody can share with me a step by step procedure
of how I should repair this?

Also, when trying to see the damage from inside the boat, I noticed
there's an elevated layer of fiberglass (maybe 3 inches) above the
area of the damage. If I was to try to repair this from inside the
hull, it looks like I would need to somehow cut into this elevated
layer.

Thanks for your help!

Clark

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

It sounds like it split a seam that's there from the manufacture of the
boat.
If it's not accessible from the inside the only way is grinding & glassing.

Remove any paint in the area & clean the area as best as you can. Locate the
crack
& with the edge of a medium grinding disk "V" out the crack making sure you
get all
the crack. In other words make sure you grind till you get to solid glass.
Lay glass into
the crack but you'll probably only be able to do it in stages, especially if
the boat is on
a trailer or stands because your working upside down. Once cured grind the
repair till flush
then remove around the entire area of the repair enough material to lay over
at least 4 layers
of glass over the entire surface. Grind when cured, use any of the many
waterproof fairing
compounds to finish the repair.

Then, & this is where many people mess up! Don't just paint over the repair!
You must put
either gelcoat, barrier coat, or something to stop water from seeping in
there or else in a few years,
maybe sooner all your work will be for naught. Most people don't do the
final & most important
step because they think bottom paint will stop the water. Then they find out
the truth later.

Hope this helps.

Bill
wrote in message
...
Hi folks:

I just purchased a used fiberglass boat and noticed a 12 inch long
crack that runs along the keel of this boat. While investigating the
area, it looks like the damage was caused by loading this boat onto
its trailer and hitting a roller a bit too hard. This has also
created a soft spot in the middle of this long crack.

I'm wondering if somebody can share with me a step by step procedure
of how I should repair this?

Also, when trying to see the damage from inside the boat, I noticed
there's an elevated layer of fiberglass (maybe 3 inches) above the
area of the damage. If I was to try to repair this from inside the
hull, it looks like I would need to somehow cut into this elevated
layer.

Thanks for your help!

Clark

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

Thanks Bill for the reply. I think I understand everything you've
mentioned.

Instead of laying new glass into the crack in stages (since I'll be
doing this upside down), would it be easier for me to use Marine-Tex
epoxy putty? I'd like to know if that would work just as well as
laying new fiberglass?

Thanks so much again.

Clark

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:59:18 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Thanks Bill for the reply. I think I understand everything you've
mentioned.

Instead of laying new glass into the crack in stages (since I'll be
doing this upside down), would it be easier for me to use Marine-Tex
epoxy putty? I'd like to know if that would work just as well as
laying new fiberglass?

Thanks so much again.

Clark

The glass cloth is much stronger then simply applying putty as the
glass fibers oriented across the damage act to "tie" the undamaged
sections together..

Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

I agree. It's a lot more work but it's worth the effort.

Bill


"Bruce in Bangkok" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:59:18 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Thanks Bill for the reply. I think I understand everything you've
mentioned.

Instead of laying new glass into the crack in stages (since I'll be
doing this upside down), would it be easier for me to use Marine-Tex
epoxy putty? I'd like to know if that would work just as well as
laying new fiberglass?

Thanks so much again.

Clark

The glass cloth is much stronger then simply applying putty as the
glass fibers oriented across the damage act to "tie" the undamaged
sections together..

Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

Okay, that makes sense.

Would it be even better for me to cut through that layer of fiberglass
that's above the floor in order to repair the damage from the
inside? If I can cut enough of the fiberglass out from that
elevated layer to access the floor, could I lay new glass from the
inside, and then also fill the crack from the outside using Marine
Tex?


Clark

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

Thanks Richard, but I plan on doing this myself. That's how I'll
learn, and that's why I'm asking the questions to better understand.
How else does anybody learn a skill?

Clark

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 12:01:55 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Thanks Richard, but I plan on doing this myself. That's how I'll
learn, and that's why I'm asking the questions to better understand.
How else does anybody learn a skill?

There is the auto body repair class at the local community college.
Drag it to a friendly local boatyard and pay them to tell you how to
fix it Ask your local surveyor, not the one with the laser theodolite,
the one that checks out condition of boats. Maybe a helpful book
exists.

Casady

crack in keel of an '86 Forester fiberglass boat
 

On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 07:18:37 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Okay, that makes sense.

Would it be even better for me to cut through that layer of fiberglass
that's above the floor in order to repair the damage from the
inside? If I can cut enough of the fiberglass out from that
elevated layer to access the floor, could I lay new glass from the
inside, and then also fill the crack from the outside using Marine
Tex?


Clark


I talked to a mate who is in the business here in Phuket and he
suggests that you treat the repair much like repairing a hole in the
hull. Grind out the damage. Taper the hole back to original hull
thickness over a distance of say, four inches. He suggests using epoxy
to make the repair stronger. Lay in cloth until you built up the
damaged area to hull thickness. Fair roughly by grinding and then use
epoxy filler for final fairing. Sand fair, prime and paint.

He commented that you do need to analyze the problem to determine what
caused the original problem and possibly you may need to add some
reinforcement to prevent further cracking.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)