Minor repairs help

Slipstream

Slipstream

Member
Hi,

have a few repairs I need to make, (images attached) was wondering if I could get some advice about how to go about it.

This is what I was thinking of doing:

Repair type 1 (collision damage):
  1. Mask all the areas around the crack
  2. Slightly open up the cracks using a file / wet and dry
  3. Clean surface
  4. Mix up some two part epoxy resin
  5. scrape it into the cracks, filling it in as best I can
  6. Let dry
  7. Mask off all areas except cracked gel coat
  8. Sand and clean cracked gel coat surface
  9. apply fresh gel coat and cover with thin plastic film to keep surface flat and smooth
  10. Let dry
  11. sand and polish
  • Am I going about this the right way and is epoxy resin the right material for the job?
  • Would it be better to try and pry open the cracks?
  • Is cutting up some fiber glass matt and mixing it in with the resin a good idea?
Repair type 2 (inside top lip of center board case):
  1. Mix up some "plastic padding gel coat filler"
  2. Put on some gloves
  3. Smear it in filling the gaps
  4. let dry
  • Any thoughts why the trunk casing looks to be asymmetrical and is plastic padding gelcoat filler right for the job?
Thanks very much for any help!
dom

photo 1.JPGphoto 2.JPGphoto 3.JPGCB Trunk 1.jpgCB Trunk 2.jpg
 
I saw some of this epoxy at my local hardware store (image attached), does anyone know if it will do the trick?

Unfortunately I don't have access to any West System Epoxy.
 

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Hardware store grade epoxy will not do the trick. It is diluted and not meant for this application. Are there any boatyards around? If so, you might be able to go there with a couble of jars and get some epoxy and hardner for a few $$. I did it once when I was in high school. otherwise, but the bullet and you will have a lifetime supply which you can use for a wide variety of projects.
 
I'm guessing you're located in USA. http://www.westmarine.com sells the west system, you can get it from their web page and it's free shipping right now ( when I looked, no guarantees (c: ) ..

If you decide to go with the 105/205 series of West, I recommend (highly) the pump kit at $15 or so. It and the product last for years and years.. we have had a gallon of resin in our shop for 5 years now w/o degradation, and the pumps seem to last a long time too. We did have to clean our pumps up last year, but that's pretty good considering what they're doing. You'll end up spending about 100 bux on a quart based system.

Wiser sailors might tell you to use a completely different product on the external blemishes you have pictured. The 105 resin series is very tough stuff... not easy to sand... The CB trunk appears to need some serious epoxy, however. I would consider some micro balloon filler as well for the CB trunk.. your 'glue' is going to need a little 'body' to stay in place when you apply it.
 
Thanks very much for the info on the resin, and good to know the west stuff lasts a while :)

I spent some time reading up on the different West epoxies and will definitely go with them. Taking my time with it because I want the repairs to be good as new, if not better! Just hope the CB trunk doesn't turn into a mess.

Thanks again
 
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