RB wrote:
A corner of my 18' cc o/b boat got knocked off. It's at a spot aft where
the gunnel, transom, and flat top side of the gunnel all come together. The
spot is approx 4" diameter.

I'm fixing to stick some auto bondo or similar on it and then mold/shape for
the right contour.


It can be difficult to get that stuff to stick, but it's way
cheaper than epoxy fillers.

The question is how to be able to smooth it on with minimum surface
roughness. There used to be a number of tricks for doing that, such as a
paint stirrer paddle kept wet by dipping in water. Is this still the
easiest way to be able to soft mold the patch and get it close to where it
needs to be before I start shaping when dry?

No, use a modern molded PVC putty knife. Slipperier than a
wet stirrer and has a good chisel point, also wider ones can
be had.

Another trick is to use wax paper, folded along the desired
corner. Tends to trap bubbles, so get them all out... and
don't wrinkle it. I have been using painter's drop-cloth
plastic sheeting for molding fiberglass the past year, works
great and leaves a perfect finish. If it wrinkles, you can
pull it flat again, and it's easy to chase out all the
bubbles. But it doesn't do corners well.

Fair Skies
Doug King