Not yet (just bought), but plan to before making repairs. The interior was bone dry when I checked it prior to purchase, but it hadn’t been sailed since last season...so yeah, a leak test is a good idea.Have you leaked tested the boat?
Finish as you see fit. Members here say gelcoating is tricky business, so I use paint. (Rustoleum).
While it's strictly not a hole, IMO, a leak-test will show bubbles. Some tufts of the factory roving material are showing. It can be patched as you describe, but it will still be a weak point—where weak points pull the boat towards the edges of a dock.I was debating resin vs epoxy, because I understand that epoxy and CAM matting or 1708 don’t mix, due to the binding agent. I’ve also been reading that epoxy can be stronger than resin though and possibly more waterproof? Anyone have tips of pros/cons for each?
The dent is not a hole - it’s still very solid, so I’m confident I can sand a bevel down so I can fill across the crack and build it back up.
As the lake is a fresh water resource for drinking water, the lake where I sail frowns on anti-fouling paints—which are designed for saltwater applications.
Capsized, I'd want to display white or orange bottom paint around the lake's high speed powerboats.
While it's strictly not a hole, IMO, a leak-test will show bubbles. Some tufts of the factory roving material are showing. It can be patched as you describe, but it will still be a weak point—where weak points pull the boat towards the edges of a dock.
It still amazes me how thin the Sunfish hull surfaces are! Seen from inside, the hull roving appears like a waffle. The thickest part is probably close to 5/32nds of an inch. The thin part, including the gelcoat, is closer to 1/8th. (Maybe—even less).
The weave in the below Sunfish hull photo shows about 1/4-inch-wide glass strands, with relatively large spaces between warp and woof.
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