Repair help please

J

JohnK

Member
My 2001 Laser has suffered some damage while sitting on the storage racks this winter. Unfortunately, this unpleasant finding has delayed my spring frostbiting up at Cedar Point. There is a large 2 inch diameter opening in the gel coat in the corner where the transom meets the side of the hull. I can see the fiberglass cloth below the missing gel coat. It looks like an unsecured lower mast section rolled off an upper rack and crashed into my boat. Needless to say, I will not store my boat on the racks next winter.

My question is: what's the best way to repair this damage? Should I use something like Marine Tex to fill the damage and sand smooth? Or should I use West System epoxy with a high density filler (thickening additive)?

Thanks in advance,
JohnK
 
Above or below the waterline?
Just gelcoat damage?

What about gelcoat? WEST is fine (and a better resin the boat was made with) But its not UV resistant. WEST with some microbaloons, then a little Easypoxy on top might be the trick.

I had refinshed my spare 505 CB last year using EasyPoxy. Look a LONG time to fully cure. Like weeks. Though I did shoot thick coatings. First time I used that gun. Doing the rudder now. Brushing it on will work fine too.

JohnK said:
My 2001 Laser has suffered some damage while sitting on the storage racks this winter. Unfortunately, this unpleasant finding has delayed my spring frostbiting up at Cedar Point. There is a large 2 inch diameter opening in the gel coat in the corner where the transom meets the side of the hull. I can see the fiberglass cloth below the missing gel coat. It looks like an unsecured lower mast section rolled off an upper rack and crashed into my boat. Needless to say, I will not store my boat on the racks next winter.

My question is: what's the best way to repair this damage? Should I use something like Marine Tex to fill the damage and sand smooth? Or should I use West System epoxy with a high density filler (thickening additive)?

Thanks in advance,
JohnK
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Dave, it should not take THAT long to sure. Are you sure you added the correct amount of catalyst?

John, depending how deep the gash is, you might be able to fill it with just gelcoat. Cover the hole with it, stick on a sheet of wax paper, let dry, then wetsand it unill smooth. Original factory gelcoat is avaliable at any Vanguard dealer.

Your other option would be to fll it with epoxy and have the gelcoat sprayed on over it. West System works fine for me. Add some 404 high density filler and you'll have a paste thats easy to sand and won't run, even if it's upside down.
 
No cat, its a single part epoxy (fake epoxy) It just felt 'gummy' for a while

macwas16 said:
Dave, it should not take THAT long to sure. Are you sure you added the correct amount of catalyst?
.
Click to expand...
 
macwas16 said:
John, depending how deep the gash is, you might be able to fill it with just gelcoat. Cover the hole with it, stick on a sheet of wax paper, let dry, then wetsand it unill smooth. Original factory gelcoat is avaliable at any Vanguard dealer.

Your other option would be to fll it with epoxy and have the gelcoat sprayed on over it. West System works fine for me. Add some 404 high density filler and you'll have a paste thats easy to sand and won't run, even if it's upside down.
Click to expand...


The damage seems pretty deep to me and is about even with the water line. I really have no familiarity with how the Laser is constructed. Looking at the damage, it appears as if there is an outer shell/skin seperate from an inner layer of fiberglass cloth. In order to fill/replace the broken gel coat... it looks as if I will need to build up the area with some sort of paste which is why I asked about the MarineTex product. The West System with 404 high density filler may be the other way to go.

I'll try to take pictures this weekend to give a better idea of what I'm seeing.
 
JohnK said:
There is a large 2 inch diameter opening in the gel coat in the corner where the transom meets the side of the hull. I can see the fiberglass cloth below the missing gel coat. Should I use something like Marine Tex to fill the damage and sand smooth? Or should I use West System epoxy with a high density filler (thickening additive)? Thanks in advance,JohnK
Click to expand...

John, sounds like you have a pretty good "gouge" on your deck. First off don't use Marine Tex as it cures harder then gelcoat and fiberglass so when you go to sand it, the gel and glass around it will "dish out" as you try to sand down the Marine Tex. I would use West Epoxy with silica sealer. Clean out the area of any loose gel/glass chips and lightly sand the spot with 60 grit. Tape off the area, fill it about 7/8th of the way with the West Epoxy Silica putty mix and let cure. Once cured there should still be indention that can then either be filled with gelcoat or I would use West Epoxy again but this time with white pigment and maybe a touch of black to get the light gray color of the deck, it will be close. Let cure and go sailing....
 
TheBoathouse said:
...lightly sand the spot with 60 grit. Tape off the area, fill it about 7/8th of the way with the West Epoxy Silica putty mix...
Click to expand...
I'd suggest one minor modification to that procedure. Before filling in the prepared area with thickened epoxy, paint some neat (i.e. unfilled) epoxy over it. The thinner stuff will get into the fiberglass fibers and the scratches you made with the sandpaper better than the thicker puttty and give you a better bond between the boat and the patch.

For more info. on WEST epoxy (great stuff, IMO) try:
http://westsystem.com/ (got to the "Using WEST SYSTEM Epoxy" tab)
http://westsystem.com/webpages/userinfo/manual/index.htm

Cheers,

Geoff S.
DN US-5156/Laser 145234/Renegade 510
 
GeoffS said:
I'd suggest one minor modification to that procedure. Before filling in the prepared area with thickened epoxy, paint some neat (i.e. unfilled) epoxy over it. The thinner stuff will get into the fiberglass fibers and the scratches you made with the sandpaper better than the thicker puttty and give you a better bond between the boat and the patch.

For more info. on WEST epoxy (great stuff, IMO) try:
http://westsystem.com/ (got to the "Using WEST SYSTEM Epoxy" tab)
http://westsystem.com/webpages/userinfo/manual/index.htm

Cheers,

Geoff S.
DN US-5156/Laser 145234/Renegade 510
Click to expand...


Geoff, thats a great idea that I never thought of. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! Scott
 
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