Some sunfish scratches

Kelly Nowaczyk

New Member
Hello
I have some scuffs and dents that I'm a little worried about. If anyone knows how to fix them please let me know. The splash board seal has gone bad also. Dose anyone know what is used to seal it. The previous owner tried to fix some of the dents, but it did not come out right. I am going to do a leak test tomorrow and weigh it. Thanks for all your help.

-Kelly
 

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Need a wider angle view of area directly below the tub and area around the tub. Possible
kids jumping in the tub on land syndrome? Can't tell.
 
I don't think there's a splashboard "seal", so to speak. Many of us put a bead of silicone-sealer underneath, but the splashboard works well without sealer.

Small fracture lines on the inside-bottom of the cockpit floor could show that the dents originated from inside the cockpit.

We know how to fix the dents, but the hull is pretty strong; so, at minimum, you could tape over the dents and still start this sailing season. Otherwise, you'll need several power tools to get started—starting with an electric sander.

Through Amazon, West-System epoxy sells a $30 fiberglass repair kit that might have enough contents to repair the pictured dents. A well-equipped hardware store should also have the kit, which is surprisingly complete.
 
Hey Kelly. If you're asking how to do the repairs, its likely your first efforts won't look much better unless you spend more time researching than you might spend sailing. Not to discourage but a good LOOKING repair is not done by the freshman repair person. Functional yes. Looks no. Save the gelcoat expertise curve IF that's what you want to excell at. Otherwise some tape, caulk, filler, etc is your friend so you can go sailing. If you pride yourself on pro quality workmanship, equate it to learning anything that might have a moderate learning curve. It's not rocket science but that bow repair was probably done by a "question asked" too. :)
 
EVERCOAT Formula 27 Filler | West Marine

Some around here like a "filler" called Marine-tex. I prefer this stuff as it is easier to sand and cures in about 5 mins in 75 degree temps. Therefore your not sitting around waiting for your "fix" to cure. Apply it in stages if you need to if it is setting up faster than you can fill. Actually plan on a couple times to fill as filling is much easier than sanding. Don't over do and make a big mess to sand. This stuff is basically about as strong as most fillers like marine tex
For filling and smoothing dents its the marine version of Bondo....which btw never use on your boat. It's NOT for patching holes but rather for scrapes, gouges and the like. Have the finished repair filled and smoothed but NOT overlapping good hull area. Grind the damaged edges so they gradually taper. The Formula 27 dries to a very light gray and is waterproof "as is" Matching gelcoat to complete the repairs for cosmetic reasons are another thread. Btw make your filler so it perfectly matches your original hull shape via sanding. Good luck
 
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If the punctures are under the tub that's because resin has dripped down during
manufacture and formed spikes. You can patch the fiberglass but you'll need to
put expanding foam between the bottom to the tub and the inside of the hull. If
you put a eight inch inspection port behind the splash rail you can look in at the
bottom of the tub. I've seen this problem pop up a lot. Usually there are three or
four puncture holes in the hull under the tub. The expanding foam will also help
keep the hull from oil-canning.

I would not worry about the gel coat spider-webs. You'll spend forever grinding
a v groove in them and filling with Marine-Tex. You could however do a few just
for practice.

Check and see if the splash guard has pulled away from the hull on the ends. Very
common and must be fixed to keep the hull stiff.
 
That "spikes" observation is very insightful :cool: thanks for that. :)

If I see a similar "dent", I hope to remember a more aggressive repair. (Or it'll happen again). :confused:
 
Thanks for all your help guys! I'm going to try to use the formula 27 stuff. I have all the tools and stuff that you can possibly imagine. I also have my brother to help as he is really handy and he will help me with this project. More to come.

Thansk
-Kelly
 

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