Patch hole in boat hull

How to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat bottom paint store. Totalboat ambassadors kent and audrey lewis from small boat restoration in florida did a great blog post about how to patch a hole in fiberglass. If theyre too small, the rivets wont go all the way through the patch and into the pontoon. Polyester laminating resin doesnt fully cure while exposed to air, so when it is used for layup, every application joins to the previous one on a molecular level. Get simple directions on making this boat repair, along with a list of the materials youll need. Finally, we had a hole roughly 8cm 3in across, around 20cm 8in below the waterline.

This makes aluminum boats easier to repair than other designs. First sand continue reading fixing or repairing small dings and holes in a boat hull. It also has 23 holes about the size of a quarter in the side. Many boatswains advise a minimum repair area of 6 inches. Covers how to patch a large hole this one was roughly 6 wide in a standard fiberglass boat hull. Remember, this is going to end up on your hull, and your hull should always be smooth and consistent.

Heres a quick and simple way to patch small holes in a boat hull that does not require any sanding. How to repair a damaged pontoon gone outdoors your. I cut small patches from thin aluminum old press plates, actually and stuck them onto the back with jb weld. Btw, i also stumbled across a product cabelas has called a hippo patch. A major fiberglass repair, such as patching a hole, can be a daunting task. If you cant afford to do that, small holes in an aluminum boat can be fixed with epoxy putty.

If the damage area is small and above the waterline, make the repair from inside the hull, if possible. It might be from a muffed landing, a dropped pair of fishing pliers or just a hole drilled in the wrong place. Here is a tried and true method for fixing holes in fiberglass boats. Now you know how to fix a hole in a fiberglass boat. Sand or grind away until the edges are clear and then sand continue reading fixing or repairing larger holes in your boats hull. For a 32 year old boat, daydreams my project boat hull is in amazing good condition. This video shows a technique of repairing holes in an aluminum boat which works for holes up to 14 in diameter.

So now my boat leaks, i tried to patch it with water weld and it held for about 2 trips and then just peeled off. A hole in a fiberglass hull is healed with a bit of glass fabric and resin. May 16, 2007 ive used jb weld to patch holes in aluminum several times over the years and it has done very good. All you need is a standard torch and fine sandpaper or. If you need to plug a hole in your grp boat, fear not repairs are easy to.

Give yourself a 16th of an inch of unmasked margin around the scratch, gouge or hole. Apr 06, 2020 there are several materials you can use to repair a fiberglass boat, but for the inexperienced boat owner, it is best to buy a repair kit. How to patch steel on a curved surface like hull plating. Aug 02, 2017 dave once again washed the areas around the holes outside the hull with acetone, and the boat was ready for epoxy. Select a stainless screw that will tap into the hole. Repairing larger holes in your boston whaler hull can be a little more involved than small dings, however, the process is still relatively simple. Next, take a saw and cut out the damaged area that youve circled with the marker. We started with the single layer outside patch, applying it to the hull centered over the hole and smoothing it into the thickened mixture photo 6. Whether the damage is leaking or not, its important to fix these as soon as possible to keep them from getting bigger. First, grind around the edge of the hole to make it smooth.

I just removed my thru hull fitting for my livewell on my fiberglass boat and need to patch over the area. Erik norrie, ceo of sea hawk, shows the best way to patch holes in a boat hull using sea hawks signature products. Carefully mask around the edges of the fiberglass boat repair area with twoinchwide 3m scotchblue multisurface painters tape no. The undamaged starboard corner was a close enough match to make a mould from. It isnt very difficult, so you diyers and shade tree mechanics will do just fine. This entry was posted in boat repairs, fiberglass repair, hawk epoxy and tagged epoxy resin, fiberglass hull, fiberglass repair, hawk epoxy, hole repair, patch hole, sea hawk on august 19, 2016 by dustin wilber. Not a great pic, but this is looking down on the port side aft, stern at the top of the pic. Hi guys,just wondering if anyone had any experience with patching holes in aluminium boats and whats the best stuff to use. Polyester resin is excellent for fiberglass layupbuilding a boat, for examplebut it is less ideal for repair work. Aluminum can corrode away becoming like paper and full of tiny holes. Used by first response emergency marine rescue operations, stay afloat stops water immediately.

But boats are full of holes, from antennas on the hardtop to transducers on the bottom. May 27, 2016 mark the size of your repair area using the 12to1 rule. You are going to bevel the edge of the hole with a 12to1 chamfer, so if you repair a 3inch diameter hole through a 12inchthick hull from the outside, you end up with about 15 inches diameter of surface damage to refinish. It isnt very difficult, so you diyers and shade tree me. Fortunately, if you have a fiberglass boat hull, there are repair options available which can remedy your problems. When a boats systems or interior are modified, you may need or want to glass over existing holes in the hull. First, examine the hole and look for cracks and chips extending out from the hole.

How to repair an aluminum fuel tank in a boat by chris stevenson aluminum marine gas tanks do not last forever since they endure corrosion and exposure to the environment like any other boat component. How to repair a hole in boat hull a pictures of hole 2018. The hole is below the water line on the boat, so i dont want to leave it and continue to use the boat the way it is. Fibergl other damage parts hull how large of a hole in ship s hull repairing a ed hull on 16 how to repair fibergl on a boat how to fix a hole on fibergl boat plete diyhow to fix a hole on fibergl boat plete diyboat patching holes repair and diy show to repair and. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. Fibergl boat repair for the diy er everything you need professional structural fibergl damage repair services large hole in fibergl hull need to repair cruisers boat patching holes repair and diy s how to repair fibergl on your boat power motoryacht. Own a fiberglass boat long enough, and youll end up with a scratch, nick or gouge in the finish. Leave the repaired area to cool off thoroughly and to cure.

The size of the snap rivets will depend on the aluminum thickness of the pontoon. Scrape the expressed excess off of the surface with the putty knife. Fixing or repairing larger holes in your boats hull. How to patch a fiberglass hull patching a hole in a fiberglass hull is fairly easy. Dec 24, 2019 fibergl other damage parts hull how large of a hole in ship s hull repairing a ed hull on 16 how to repair fibergl on a boat how to fix a hole on fibergl boat plete diyhow to fix a hole on fibergl boat plete diyboat patching holes repair and diy show to repair and. That particular area appears to have been patched before but now i got a new hole in the patch. Drilling holes in your hull besides docking on a windy day with a new boat in front of an audience, drilling holes is one of the most dreaded tasks for a doityourself boater. How to repair an aluminum fuel tank in a boat it still runs. Aluminum boat repair is much easier than boats made with steel or fiberglass hulls. If the damage does go all the way through, simply tape a piece of cardboard on the inside of the hull.

As we sand the topsides for repainting, we have found on a few small. Hull damage to an aluminum boat can occur from abrupt groundings, collision with other objects or just wear and tear over time. Depending on your hull laminate, you may or may not need to be more particular about the fiberglass fabric you use. Jan 24, 2017 the patch held fine until the boat was pulled later that day. Fixing or repairing small dings and holes in a boat hull. Stay afloat is a nontoxic, puttylike material that instantly plugs leaks in boat hulls and marine fittings by hand molding into any shape. Dec 09, 2019 how to repair and improve plywood boats dents, holes, replace bottom in 24 hours, making paint and varnish non skid december 9, 2019 february 25, 2017 by michael storer i seem to have written a lot about repairing older plywood and other types of timber construction boats whether motor boats, sailing dinghies, canoes or motorboats over. If the damage is significant, the boat should be taken out of the water and thoroughly inspected before carrying out any repairs.

I had one hole in the front of my boat that i gooped a quarter over. Otherwise, it would be impossible to enjoy a ride on your boat as the hole makes it too risky or even deadly but the hole doesnt render your boat totally useless if you know what to do. For boat hull plywood, cover the dried patch or repair with fiberglass tape before refinishing. Whether youre swapping out an old fishfinder transducer, changing a throughhull accessory, or just getting an old boat ready for some new life on the water, it may be necessary to plug old screw holes that lie beneath the waterline. The boat patch is a craftable item in the seafaring tab, exclusive to dont starve together, and introduced in return of them. How to repair a fiberglass boat hull from the outside boat life. This is hopefully not something every boat owner will need to worry about, but it is a good idea to know how to fix a hole on a boat just in case the unthinkable ever happens to you. Learn how to patch a hole in the hull of your boat in 10 easy steps. How to fix screw holes in fiberglass bass boats, canoes. The water pressure sucked the patch up against the hull and immediately sealed the leak. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. To cover the repair area, you position the plastic first on the repair area, then the soft foam and the plywood last. I am curious if any of you guys out there can give me some insight on how to fix this hole with out having to pay someone to do it.

If you need to repair a hole or leak in your fiberglass boat hull, you have two choices for how to proceed. Mix up some marine epoxy and coat the screw threads. They claim it will adhere to any surface and provide a waterproof patch. When repairing fiberglass boats, the challenge is to determine an. There are 6 screws sticking out the bottom of my hull about 8 apart. Insert the screws and when tight go inside the hull and put some epoxy on the threads exposed on the inside. Attach three layers of fiberglass strips with resin to the inside of the hull. Repairing dings and holes in the hull of your boston whaler, 15, 17 or larger boat is not as difficult as you would think. It takes a bit of patience, but do it right and few will notice.

How to fix a hole on a fiberglass boat complete diy guide. Patching holes in aluminium boats fishing fishwrecked. If an undamaged part of the boat matches the damaged area, it can be used as a mould for just such a backing plate. Especially if the hole has not caused any delamination between the hull and the foam. I was working on my rod locker this weekend and popped a small hole through the side of the boat. One of the worst things that can happen to any boat is damage to the hull. All these materials must have a larger size than your work area. This is part 1 of a 3 video series outlining how to repair structural damage to your fiberglass boat. To prepare a firm base for the patch, enlarge the hole. Lowkeelt demonstrates how to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull. How to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull youtube.

How to repair a fiberglass boat hull from the outside. I get lots of calls about leaking aluminum pontoon boats and rivet hulled aluminum boat leaks. Seriously, the best way to fix a hole in an aluminum boat is to take the boat to a weld shop and let them weld it with a tig welder. The inside edges of the hole are also abraded and wiped with epoxy. Feb 16, 2017 i purchased the boat with the scrape on the bottom. One season when we hauled out in trinidad, we decided to eliminate three throughhulls in our creekmore 34, eurisko. Any sugestions on how to patch this would be greatly appreciated. A hose can pop loose or the thruhull itself fails, leaving you with a serious hole below the water line. Patch holes in aluminum boats with west system gflex epoxy by randy zajac and rob monroe when we started testing gflex epoxy as a solution to leaky seams and rivets in aluminum boats, we put out a companywide call for test boats. Patching old screw holes in aluminum hull the united.

Watching a professional do the job can help you get on the right track and be confident in doing the repair yourself. It doesnt happen often, but once in a while, you get a ding, crack, or hole in the hull of your boat. Aug 19, 2016 a major fiberglass repair, such as patching a hole, can be a daunting task. If you cant find a repair kit buy 1 quart of polyester resin and hardener, and 2 square feet each of 10ounce roving and 7 12ounce fiberglass cloth. Yesterday i went over a reef and accidentally put a small pencil sized hole in an existing patch on the boat. Mar 15, 20 this is part 1 of a 3 video series outlining how to repair structural damage to your fiberglass boat. How to repair an aluminum boat hull gone outdoors your. Looks like theres still plenty of steel right next to the frame and the stringer, should i cut the old plate beyond the framestinger and weld in a patch. Before you can repair this hole, you have to cover up the inside of the hull to prevent the wet fiberglass from caving in.

Patching a small hole on the bottom of my hull pensacola. Jul 18, 2019 to repair a hole, cut out the damaged section, wash and apply a dewaxing solvent, grind the area with a disk sander, apply a laminate or acrylic patch to the outside of the hull with polyvinyl alcohol pva mold release, apply a fiberglass patch measured and cut to fit the hole. For 10 years that quarter stayed in place ive since given the boat away. Buy fiberglass rubbing compound to finish the repair.

We elected to patch our holes with chopped strand mat and 12oz biaxial cloth, because thats what was available. Patch holes in aluminum boats with west system gflex epoxy. Grade the sizes so the widest piece is on the inside of hull. How to plug screw holes below the waterline in a boat boats. To patch the hole, buy a quartsize polyester resin fiberglass repair kit at a marine store. How to patch a hole in your boat hull video tutorial. Jan 07, 20 this video shows a technique of repairing holes in an aluminum boat which works for holes up to 14 in diameter. Jul 17, 2017 weld the patch onto the aluminum with a propane torch.

Make an angle that goes towards the hull so that the resin wont get caught and create air pockets. How to patch steel on a curved surface like hull plating if you are going to take the time to do it do it right. How to repair and improve plywood boats dents, holes. How to patch a hole in a fiberglass boat hull a pictures. The hole is small in diameter, the skin is relatively thick compared to the hole diameter. Heres what youll need to know about how to repair a.

How to patch a hole in a fiberglass hole wonderhowto. The area inside the hull was first weakened by an anglegrinder, followed by 25 minutes of bashing with a lumphammer. I was thinking i can shear the screws off at the surface, then either bend them up into the subfloor or grind them with an endmill. I had a roller come off trailer and the bracket gouged a small hole through my gell coat. Firstly, the outer surface is cut back to make a shallow depression. First you are going to sand or grind into the hole which is actually going to make it bigger. If the damaged area includes a hole more than a 1 to 1 12 inches in diameter, youll need to provide backing for the patch. I can drill out the rivets, but expect the seat was also glued. Actually i did a 2 sided repair on mine for an even smaller hole. The area should be hammered flat to shut the hole as much as possible. The holes were all different sizes, but we treated this as one project, performing each step on all three holes before continuing.

These pesky holes happen from time to time when boats are hit or damaged and a large hole is left in your otherwise smooth fiberglass hull. First, please consider that there is most likely a small amount of oil or natural contamination so you need to rinse them with acetone. Repair your boat hull with this 10 step boat repair hull patch project. With the boat in a cradle, yacht repair company osmotech uk set to work smashing the hole in the hull, which proved.

The steps to fixing a simple ding or small hole are as follows. In our case, the damage was superficial and didnt go all the way through the hull. Fiberglass boat repair theres a hole in my boat part. This stepbystep video tutorial produced by sea hawk paints will show exactly what needs to be done when patching a hole in your fiberglass boat. Jun 29, 2011 repairing dings and holes in the hull of your boston whaler, 15, 17 or larger boat is not as difficult as you would think. Also, mask off any adjacent areas or items to protect them from inadvertently applied gelcoat or errant sanding.

Cabelas aluminum boat patch repairs leaks in aluminum boats. But what if a hole in your hull came from the outside. As with any kind of boat, sometimes boat repair is necessary. This method of plugging old screw holes is effective, and will save you from a trip to the repair shop.

One of the most common sites of leakage is the thruhulls. Recently i even repaired a small hole in the bottom of my 12 foot jon boat and its held up very well. Heat the torch and start welding all around the edges. This fusion bondage epoxy will repair and waterproof aluminum boat rivets, minor cracks and small holes without welding. Patching old screw holes in aluminum hull the united states. How do i repair screw holes in the bottom of my fiberglass. Fortunately, special brazen rods have been designed specifically to patch and fill in holes on damaged aluminum boats, allowing boat owners to perform self repairs. Start by taping a piece of formica or plexiglas to the inner surface of the boat, making sure to cover the hole thoroughly. Unfortunately, all boats suffer impact damage, collision or hardgrounding that can lead to leaks and cracked seams. Nothing can sink a boat faster than a hole, and even the smallest hole could sink a ship. That pushes a little through the hole to seal it and provides some backing. A successful repair will depend on the degree of access to the hull. A patch kit like this takes up very little room and can be stored almost anywhere aboard. Press the patch down into the hole until the patch surface is flush with the rest of the board.

Working away from the canoe, we stacked up the three inner patches and squeegeed them to make sure there was no entrapped air. If its not addressed, it threatens the integrity of your boat to a degree well beyond surface dings and marks. Fiberglass boat repair theres a hole in my boat part 1 youtube. The most horrifying hole in a fiberglass hull is quickly healed with a bit of glass fabric, a supply of resin, and equal parts skill and care. How to patch a hole in your boat hull video tutorial nice tutorial and what you did will most likely last, but i personally would have done a 2sided repair for that size hole. The patch held fine until the boat was pulled later that day. Leaving your boat in the water has the clear benefit of saving you both time and hassle, but does make it more difficult to repair certain kinds of leaks. Now that the holes cut out, you need to determine the thickness of the hull. Once applied, give your patch plenty of time to dry and set before you bring your boat into the water again, but dont be afraid to test it once youre sure that the patching is properly set. Cant get to it to rip it out as it is too close to the hull to access it. Continue melting the metal and blending the patch together with the surface of the aluminum until the hole is repaired.