broken daggerboard

F

flaserlover

Member
:(:mad:i was recently sailing in high wind, i tacked ad missed the hiking strap as i went out to hike. the boat capsized as i was falling and i landed on a piece of the daggerboard and took a really big piece out of it (the trailing edge), when i notice this happened i went swimming and got the piece. I really don't want to have to get it repaired professionally cause i don't have the money. anyone have an idea of how to fix it? i was given a suggestion by a coaches friend: he said to cut the tops off some nails and stick the pieces together using the nails, the only problem with that is, when i have the money to get it repaired proffesionaly it will cost me even more. because they will have to fill in the wholes made by the nails?:(:)
 
Any suggestions I would have are along the same lines as your friend... I would not use nails tho... I would try to use some type of plastic dowel and secure with epoxy.

I doubt that the daggerboard could be repaired even by someone who is a professional. So when you scrimp and save for a 'repair,' plan on just buying a new one.
 
How big a piece?

I usually fix these "sharkbites" with solid epoxy, if they are no more than 3-4 inches, but I also wouldn't be too concerned about epoxying the old piece back in if it's larger than that. It's often plenty strong enough once re-epoxyed in.

Use clear packing tape to either cover the joint, or to make a lower mold. And hold the trailing edge in place with a straightedge clamped on.

I doubt the nails help much, and the execution is quite difficult.

Al
 
vtgent49 said:
I usually fix these "sharkbites" with solid epoxy, if they are no more than 3-4 inches, but I also wouldn't be too concerned about epoxying the old piece back in if it's larger than that. It's often plenty strong enough once re-epoxyed in.


Al
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I have done this too...The resulting repair is remarkably strong. I caught a repaired board on the slipway last year and took a small chunk out of the tip again. The break was after the epoxied repair which remained completly intact.
 
Just a thought based on thought NOT experience, but if you embed nails round the repair and should you suffer the same fall again is there a risk that should the same piece be knocked out you would have embedded nails to cope with (fall onto, etc.) when righting the boat, etc. ?

Ian
 
Deimos said:
Just a thought based on thought NOT experience, but if you embed nails round the repair and should you suffer the same fall again is there a risk that should the same piece be knocked out you would have embedded nails to cope with (fall onto, etc.) when righting the boat, etc. ?

Ian
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I have this problem now. Broke the tip off the daggerboard ages ago and a friend repaired it for me (I am rubbish at things like that!) using nails to give the repair strength. The board has then been dropped on the tip and the repair snapped leaving a very sharp jagged edge with nails sticking out of it.
 
Depends on how big of a chunk you've got, small chunks I fill with epoxy and then sand them smooth. A big chunk will need some extra support like stated above. The right size alluminum rod would probably make it sturdy, you want the rods to go in deep so there is enough surface area to reduce the load on the break, drill the holes to the diameter of the rod and put some epoxy on the rods, then push the pieces together, apply excess epoxy but try to make it smooth, then sand it back down to normal size and make it smooth once it dries. If you do it right you should be able to stand on it without it breaking.
 
If it's a really big piece that's broken off (like if it's broken in half) I think I'd grind a 4" strip (2" on each side of the break) down about 1/8" all the way around and then wrap a few layers fiberglass around it.
 
Kaiser said:
If it's a really big piece that's broken off (like if it's broken in half) I think I'd grind a 4" strip (2" on each side of the break) down about 1/8" all the way around and then wrap a few layers fiberglass around it.
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its not as big as that; im still sailing with it missing the piece
 
I have used the procedure below with very good results. The info is from a well regarded V15 sailor in CT

Daggerboard Repair

I can tell you the method that I worked out which is light years better than the fumbling approach I used to use. I use Marine Tex (I now buy the large size!). Other supplies needed are packing tape (use clear packing tape so you can see what you're doing), denatured alcohol (or boat stove alcohol, same thing), utility knife and sandpaper (400 wet/dry for finish sanding, and coarser like 120 grit for preparing the area and sanding excess extending beyond edge of blade after Marine Tex cures and 220 if you have more than a little sanding to do).

Break loose any chips. Use a utility knife to cut away cracked gelcoat so the gel coat is cut vertically down to the fiberglass laminate. The bond to gelcoat is not nearly as good as to the fiberglass so avoid "feathering" the gelcoat prior to repair. Clean area with alcohol to remove any waxes, oils, salt and moisture. Mix MarineTex on a piece of cardboard with a wooden paint stirrer or with a wide screwdriver. Mush onto one side of area so it stands just above the surrounding area. Stick packing tape onto the area away from the edge of the board and as you press it in place smush any excess MarineTex towards edge. You can run your fingernail around on top of the tape to encourage the MarineTex to fill any voids or bubbles. At this point you should have Marine Tex sticking out beyond edge of board. Flip board over and do same on this side. When you are done the tape should be stuck on both sides of board covering MarineTex and protruding out beyond edge of board and stuck to itself adhesive side to adhesive side.

Marine Tex will cure nicely this way. Give it over night to fully harden. Then peel off tape and you should barely have to sand except for amount extending beyond edge of board which will sand very quickly.

Wrap 400 grit around a flat block of wood when sanding to get a flush, flat surface. Use 120 to "cut back" the amount extending beyond the edge of board first, then finish sand with 400. If you overdid the amount you put on you can remove the excess quicker with 220 grit before switching over to 400 for final sanding.

Clean up with the denatured alcohol, which is a much better and more friendly solvent for epoxies (incl MarineTex) than are other solvents such as acetone.

The beauty of the packing tape is that it supports the MarineTex and lets you get complete coverage at near net shape so only minimal sanding and no additional filling will be required. I rarely have to do a second application even for a major repair. Good luck!
 
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