Tips for Boat Repairs

AUII_Forte · 03-11-2005, 05:16 PM

Hey Guys,

I am in the middle of undertaking a very unpleasant task!!

I bought a ski boat back in October, only to discover the transom was pretty much non existant not long after I bought it (the old man looked at it for me but didn't pick up on the transom!). We took it out a few times and for whatever reason I was looking over the back of the boat while the mrs was driving and noticed the outboard was moving about all over the place! So back on the trailer it went and off came the motor :(

So far I have cut the outer layer of glass out of the transom and removed all the old dead ply wood and I am about to put the new piece in. At the moment I am just patching a few holes that I made while trying to separate the plywood from the inner layer of glass (read as moments I got a bit over excited with an air chisel!! lol).

What is the best way to bond the new ply to the inner layer of glass? Just load it up with a heap of resin then clamp it in place?

Also, should I completely re-glass the outer layer or just put the piece I cut out back in? I'd like to reuse the old piece if possible because it still has all the holes in it where the motor mounting bolts etc go, so it'll make it heaps easier to redrill them through the new ply. But on the other hand it has to have 200 odd kg's of outboard swinging off it so it has to be as strong as possible.

Then there is how to paint it. I'm 99% sure I can just use 2-pack on it, but I don't know how well I'll go getting the colour matched to bright orange gelcoat from 1972! lol. Anyway, what sort of prep work needs to be done to it? Just rough the gelcoat up a bit, prime it, sand it, paint it etc etc?

What do you guy's reckon?? Sorry about all the questions!

Daniel

klawsterfobik · 03-11-2005, 09:48 PM

since you've already cut it out, reinforce it. 200kilo of engine is a whole lot of weight, especially when you floor it, you've got 200kilo + the thrust of the engine.

I wouldnt use the old piece, i'd take a template and make up a new one.

Go have a chat to your local fibreglasser, or look on the net for methods to get it done.. as well as the painting.

**Captain Stubing** · 04-11-2005, 11:39 AM

Daniel,
I found a forum thread with a similar question (link below) which should give you some ideas. From what I've seen, you have to completely cover the marine ply in fibreglass, so it's sealed from the water. Any holes that you drill through the ply should be drilled over-size, then filled with epoxy/resin and then re-drilled at the correct size.

I helped a friend paint a fibreglass half cab years ago, we used marine paint, with normal spray gear. I can't remember the exact steps, but it turned out ok. Two-pack can be used as well.

Good luck!

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