FIBERGLASS REPAIR

Few things are more disheartening to a boat owner than staring at the fuzzy edges of broken fiberglass. However, the repair ability of fiberglass is one of its best characteristics. The most horrifying hole in a fiberglass hull is quickly healed with a bit of glass fabric, a supply of resin, and equal parts of skill and care. The repair is fewer in patches than grafting a new piece of skin indistinguishable from the old.

Fiberglass lay-up is nothing more than layers of glass fabric saturated with polyester (or epoxy) resin.

Following a few simple rules, your lay-up will be as durable as the rest of the boat.

The process of completing the service would be to start by cutting away the damage, by tapping the impact area with the end of a plastic screwdriver handle to determine the extent of the damage, solid laminate sounds sharp, de-lamination sounds dull.

Next we would check inside the boat to make sure nothing is in the way, and then proceed by making a circular or oval cut to remove the damaged area.

The next step would be to grind damaged area, apply resin and mat until area is filled.