Broken Tailbone (Keel/Transom)

Tops

Tops

Mildly Thixotropic
Started all of this back in this thread:
https://sailingforums.com/threads/padeye-and-camcleat-versus-the-hook-versus-ratchet-block.46905/page-2#post-218647
And as of tonight I am down to this, chasing the cracks caused a couple loose pieces to come out near the transom:
tops_ghost_tail1.jpgtops_ghost_tail2.jpg

Wondering if after replacing the missing wood block (I want the option of either gudgeon system) if I should remove more of the existing glass, the stuff that looks more tan and brown instead of green.
Thanks!
 
"I like the smell of 4:1 epoxy in the morning..."
200 GSM cloth and 300 GSM epoxy-compatible mat for the metric folks.
Fillet and upper corners of wood block are rounded over so the cloth lays in nicer.
Fun fact: if you stir your epoxy with a stick previously used for yellow pigment, don't be surprised when your fillet material (1 part mixed epoxy, 2 parts glass spheres, 1 part fumed silica) turns out looking like banana creme...

Leaning toward knocking a little more out and putting in a larger patch between the block and transom.



tops_ghost_tail3.jpgtops_ghost_tail4.jpg
 
More bigger hole 1" (25mm) more progress glassing. Got to try out some new rotary tool attachments to grind and sand. Low spots were doped with fillet blend before glassing. Ran into trouble trying to bend the tab of mat 90 degrees up the channel in the transom and letting the last 1/2oz (15ml) of fast epoxy go 'exotherm' in the sun on an unseasonably warm early fall day. A few pinholes and some fairing to sort out but otherwise happy with the forward progress.

tops_ghost_tail5.jpg
tops_ghost_tail7.jpg
tops_ghost_tail9.jpgtops_ghost_tail10.jpg
tops_ghost_tail11.jpg
 
Rut-roh! What do they say about picking at things...? ;)
Would I be better off with a 'Shoreline' or 'blind' or '?- type' repair for this?
Thanks!
tops_ghost_tail12.jpgtops_ghost_tail13.jpg
 
Not much room but here goes, the patch in front of the daggerboard seems to be solid:
tops_ghost_tail14.jpgtops_ghost_tail15.jpg
 
Tops said:
Rut-roh! What do they say about picking at things...? ;)
Would I be better off with a 'Shoreline' or 'blind' or '?- type' repair for this?
Thanks!
View attachment 58301View attachment 58302
Click to expand...
For the short term, I'd apply resin into the cut, fold "wetted" cloth over a putty knife, and insert it into the void. Slice the cloth fair, and dress it with more resin--or THIXO.

Trying to make the more-desirable "Shoreline" repair look invisible is a lot of work.
 
L&VW said:
For the short term, I'd apply resin into the cut, fold "wetted" cloth over a putty knife, and insert it into the void. Slice the cloth fair, and dress it with more resin--or THIXO.

Trying to make the more-desirable "Shoreline" repair look invisible is a lot of work.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I think I am following you here. Would a person want some fibers going across the crack/split/slot thing as well? I am not so worried about the repairs being invisible, just that they are sound and mostly faired.
top_channel1_f360_pknife_grabcad.jpgtop_channel1_f360_pknife_grabcad2.jpg
Drawing is in Fusion360, scraper is from GrabCAD.
 
Some progress: worked on the tail to fill in the pinholes and divot from last weekend's patching. I used a heat lamp to warm the area before epoxy was applied and for a couple hours after. We went from near 90F ( 32C) last weekend to 50F (15C) this weekend with frost on the way for next week. I also chased the crack until there was stable material and it's now wider and 9" (22cm) long. I also found another wet divot nearby. I think I'll have room to slip in a backing piece under the crack.
tops_ghost_tail16a.jpgtops_ghost_tail16b.jpgtops_ghost_tail17.jpgtop_channel1_backer1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Got the patches in after preheating boat and patches under the heat lamp.
Hopefully the final result is more sturdy and neat than the look of the rigging.
Wedges and wood bits added after pipes and clamps seemed a touch loose.


tops_ghost_tail18.jpgtops_ghost_tail19.jpg
 
I kept going to try to get a chemical bond between layers.
Cleared the rigging, added some epoxy with filler, and taped off for a topcoat of lightweight glass cloth and epoxy resin.
I should have prepped the area a little wider but wanted to get this much done as I may not get back to it for a while.
tops_ghost_tail20a.jpgtops_ghost_tail20b.jpgtops_ghost_tail20c.jpg
 
I decided to trim the top fiberglass and remove the tape before they epoxy was fully cured, to save some grinding and picking out bits of tape later.
tops_ghost_tail20d.jpg
 
Patch sanded and old bailer removed. A couple 'skipperdoodles' on the bailer side that will need filling/fairing.
At this hull thickness (.464"/11.8mm), will I need a 'long/old-style' replacement? Is this dimension smaller on newer boats?
tops_ghost_tail21.jpg
 
Tops said:
At this hull thickness (.464"/11.8mm), will I need a 'long/old-style' replacement? Is this dimension smaller on newer Sunish?
Click to expand...
I've only owned one "old" Sunfish, but that bailer had been removed, and the hole glassed over. Other Sunfish were from the mid-70s, and have never seen a thickness of .464"/11.8mm in that area. My guess is, you'd need the deeper cockpit drainer. (Or simply glue the original De Persia bailer back in place).
 
The De Persia I pulled is missing the ball, seal, nut, and top half of cap. Bottom half of cap is corroded into the through-hull. It was only held in with love and various forms of resin and caulking. A test-tube sized rubber stopper was keeping the lake water outside the boat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top