Association Forum - hole in fiberglass

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

hole in fiberglass

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Steve Siefken
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
81 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/30/2007 : 22:37:53

I was washing the boat, and somehow put a hole in it

. It is at the forward starboard side of the hatch. It is about the size of a quarter, maybe a bit bigger.

Has anyone had this problem? How to fix this?

Thanks,

Steve Siefken
'84 SK/SR #4654 "Nicosha"

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 01:27:48

Does it go all the way through? If not I'd get some gelcoat paste and smooth it on.

If it goes all the way through, I'd build up a couple of layers glass cloth and polyester resin on the inside. Fill in with small cut to shape pieces of glass cloth and resin on the outside until it was close enough to the surface for the gelcoat paste.

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 07:18:03

<b>Wait a minute! Wait a minute!</b> There <b>has got</b> to be more to this story than "I put a hole in my hull while washing the boat" I mean, I have scratched my gel coat by scrubbing too vigorously with Soft Scrub and a Scotch Brite pad, but putting a hole in the boat(especially a hole like the one shown in your picture)would require a super-duper, atomic powered, high pressure hose with an armor piercing nozzle.

Edited by - on

Steve Siefken
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 08:58:28

Believe it or not, I was on my hands and knees washing the boat. I had a sponge in my right hand and I was (partially) supporting myself with my left hand. This hole was caused by my thumb on my left hand.

I am all but sure that in the 2 years I have had the boat, I must have walked on this spot before. I still am amazed it broke this easily.

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 09:04:55

I would guess that something dinged the hatch there, maybe just dropping the lid too hard, and caused the gel coat to crack. When he sprayed it there was probably just enough pressure to wash it loose. Looks like it just goes to the matt underneath. I've got a couple of those around the front hatch where I had to break in one time when I left my keys inside! Gotta fix that some day.

Edited by - on

Steve Siefken
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 09:14:56

The fiberglass/gel coat is about 1/8 inch thick where this hole is. There is a space behind it of about 1/2 inch where I can see there is metal underneath. I assume there is a metal frame around the hatch.

Edited by - Steve Siefken on 05/01/2007 09:22:47

farrison
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
166 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 10:50:30

Could this be an old air bubble between the gel coat and the structure underneath? I have seen several of these on my 25 and others, though usually only 1/4" or so in diameter. Usually they are on a corner, like yours appears to be. When the boats are made, the gel coat is sprayed on the female mold first. Then the glass mat, core, (metal?), etc. is layed-up by hand to build up the hull/deck, and air between the layers are worked out with a roller or brush. Sometimes these voids are caused by air bubbles trapped between the gel coat and mat that someone missed. They are not apparent until someone puts enough pressure on it to break through the gel coat into the old bubble. Does the surface underneath look smooth and shiny? This would indicate that it was an air bubble introduced at the factory. If it is dull and jagged, then it is some sort of impact damage. You can fill it with gel coat or Marine Tex and sand smooth, and you should be ok.

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 13:04:08

Can you post a larger close-up picture?

If you're seeing metal behind it, is this a mounting point for a piece of hardware on the inside, like the hatch dogs or the sliding hold-opener thing?

[i(Pardon my lack of vocabulary[/i]

Might need a proper fix like my second suggested method.

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

Members Avatar

Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 19:13:32

The air bubble theory sounds correct. I've drilled or sanded down several thin spots in the gelcoat that had a cavity beneath. These thin layers seemed fragile with nothing behind it.

Edited by - on

Steve Siefken
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 05/01/2007 : 19:21:11

Here is a bigger picture...

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1009 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2007 : 01:08:25

I have a dozen or so of those on my boat. It is merely an air bubble in the layup. Just get some marine-tex or other filler material and sm0oth it out.

Tom

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2007 : 13:15:03

You might want to bevel the edges and the cracks running away from the hole, then fill it with thickened polyester resin nearly to the top and finish out with gelcoat paste.

You're not going to be able to get to the other side of it without cutting into the cabin liner, so just fill it.

I can't think of anything metal that would be behind that point. The closest hatch hardware would be the starboard latch plate a few inches away.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2007 : 17:15:34

Marine-Tex. Make sure you get the white. I'm a big fan of this product because its easy to use and the finished repair looks good. The key being - that you sand it when dry, giving you exactly the shape you need. Color won't be exact, but it will be close, and you can texture it if on a stepping surface.

Edited by - on

Scooter
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
228 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2007 : 17:17:47

I too had about a dozen of these. I did what others mentioned. I filled with resin and let harden. I made little pockets or cups with tape to hold the form. I, however, couldn't figure out how to fill it "just enough" to allow room for the gelcoat. Especially if the hole was on a bulkhead or along the gunwal (sp?) or rub-rail. I overfilled it slightly and dremmeled it out to allow room for the gelcoat.

I'm sure there are other ways people have found.

I keep finding these little holes when polishing. You can also hear them if you thump the gelcoat.

Good Luck.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.