Am I out of commission? <Gelcoat damage>

[twentiesforever]

Hello Members,

I am absolutely meticulous about keeping my boat in top shape so it breaks my heart when there is damage. My storage facility took the boat out of the winter storage rack damaging the hull a bit in the process. I just noticed it 24 hours after bringing her home. How serious is this? I called a local repair pro and he is booking 3 weeks out! Should I not put her in the water? Could I wait 3 weeks?

 

[jdonalds]

I would not put it in the water. When water gets into the fiberglass it can leave lasting damage. That should be relatively easy to fix. Find another shop that can do it in a day. I wouldn't wait three weeks. Heck I'd do a patch up job myself so as not to wait three weeks. As long as it is water tight after patching use the boat for the season and have it repaired over the winter.

 

[zipper]

@twentiesforever WOW that sucks. Did you try calling Fiberglass Plus in Colchester? I would not let that inner layer get wet. There are color matched gel coat patch kits available. And if you did not notice until later, is the storage facility going to pay for, or deny, it?

 

[jpass]

A short dip in the water won't hurt the underlying fiberglass (remember it's saturated in epoxy resin), but I would not leave the boat in the water longer than I had to though.

Try Spectrum for one of their color kits. They're roughly $35 and will easily fix that damage.

http://www.spectrumcolor.com/Items.aspx?code=K&key=cat

 

[Bill D]

The Spectrum paste kits are awesome. Easy to work with and super results. If you can't get one fast enough, you could seal that gouge with some marine epoxy or marine tex and use the Spectrum when you have time.

You just don't want to waterlog the glass.

 

[zelone]

marinetex it for now, fix after season ends.

 

[Bruce]

@zelone wrote, I would fill it with marine epoxy for now then sand a little out and refinish it with a Spectrum kit after the boating season. JB Waterweld or the Atwood versions at Walmart will work fine if marinetex is not easily available.

 

[djetok]

Is the boat storage facility not on the hook for this? It looks like a fork lift stabbed it, if that's how the move them around. I would think they would know someone to get it fixed quicker.

 

[swatski]

This is a perfect specimen for the Spectrum 2oz PASTE kit. Call them for the kit number, order through iBoats.
I wouldn't think twice. It will be done right. The price of the kit is about $30. Your piece of mind - you what I'm thinking!

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[swatski]

Hello Members,

I am absolutely meticulous about keeping my boat in top shape so it breaks my heart when there is damage. My storage facility took the boat out of the winter storage rack damaging the hull a bit in the process. I just noticed it 24 hours after bringing her home. How serious is this? I called a local repair pro and he is booking 3 weeks out! Should I not put her in the water? Could I wait 3 weeks?

Here is what I would do (YMMV). Get the paste kit and use it as soon as it comes in. This will be fairly strait forward and the best way to do the job as the Spectrum manufactures OEM gelcoats - it will be compatible.
While the exact chemical nature of Yamaha FRP products (fiber- or fiberglass- reinforced plastic) is neither pure polyester nor epoxy and it is a trade secret, one thing is for sure: those are not your daddy's cored fiberglass hulls.

I would have no hesitation to use the boat while waiting for the Sectrum kit or fiberglass shop repair. I would not wet slip, but I can not see how getting it wet would ruin this kind of FRP. There is no core in these hulls, and this does not look like a structural damage (in a sense of damage caused by an impact that would break fiber across the hull thickness) - more like a deep ding. Properly performed prep and repair is going to restore it to like new condition, whether you dip in in the water between now and then or not.

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[biglar155]

Is the boat storage facility not on the hook for this? It looks like a fork lift stabbed it, if that's how the move them around. I would think they would know someone to get it fixed quicker.

While I agree with this in principle, living life has taught me that winning this fight would mean spending time arguing and getting worked up that could have been spent patching the hole and getting on the water.

If the damage were worse, then it's worth the fight. For me this is a DIY and get on with your life project. (Then again, I put MOST projects in that category.)

 

[djetok]

While I agree with this in principle, living life has taught me that winning this fight would mean spending time arguing and getting worked up that could have been spent patching the hole and getting on the water.

If the damage were worse, then it's worth the fight. For me this is a DIY and get on with your life project. (Then again, I put MOST projects in that category.)

Oh I agree totally as well. They might know of someone or they could might get in completed quicker if the OP didn't feel comfortable doing the project.

 

[tdonoughue]

I second (or third, or fourth, or...) that you should do the Spectrum kit on this. Use a shot glass to mix the stuff up with the hardener--that is all you will need--about 1/2 a jar. Has the consistency of peanut butter. Glop that on, smooth it the best you can (a little higher over the middle if you can manage it). To get fancy, spray some PVA mold release on it. To not get fancy, use some Saran Wrap or a stiff piece of plastic to cover it (with masking tape at the edges). Let it sit 24 hours. Wet sand it if you want to just to knock down the high parts; buff it if you like. Or skip all that (it is on the bottom) and go boating.

 

[1rjclark]

I had a similar chip and fixed it with spectrum. It's just takes a bit of patience to sand it down and buff it out. I'm sure you could do it in a day if you start first thing in the am.

 

[Speedling]

The frp can soak a bit of water and since it is between that and the gelcoat i would not put in the water.
As was said, epoxy, then gelcoat it.
The epoxy will really make sure it is a solid repair.
I would be sure everything is good and dry before the epoxy as well.
There is no wood core in the hull which is good but it can still be damaged!