Bass Boat Hull Repair- Fiber Glass

[Missdemeanor]

It's not just your boat..... I was crazy about keeping my bilge dry and clean... Well that doesn't matter when the stringers are made out of crappy pine 2x4s nailed together.... All new stringers being installed now using solid black locust.... Rot resistant and the stringers will out last me.

[FishingTheFL]

Ha! Mine was built out of 1x1 pieces of plywood untreated. Same with the everything else in it. Buddy suggested locusts but ifs heavy and stiff and I don't have any that is dry and readily available. I'm going to do two layers of epoxy like someone suggested. After I fix this one I'm looking at another boat that's bigger. Listed as needs new floor... I said Oh Boy... another guy trying to get one over on me... Just the floor could be another gutting. Maybe I can get the price down.

[Missdemeanor]

My original plan was white oak, but the opportunity for locust came about so why not..... I'm looking forward to getting this done, having my motors put back in...

[SylvanTroller]

Marine plywood epoxied with west marine system 105 epoxy and 206 hardener. Two sheets glued together than epoxied is extraordinarily strong and will out last is all. That's how I did the transom in my tinny. If it's encased in fiberglass on top of the epoxy that would be unbelievably strong.

[FishingTheFL]

I couldn't wait till morning so I got the floor area dug out. It butted up flush and it was solid... at least on the left side which originally looked the worst but I didn't dig the other side. Got to cold. Back at it when it warms up tomorrow.

[rolmops]

Solid wood seems great,but it is not as good 2 six ply 3/4 inch glued together and properly epoxied.

The same goes for the transom. Those 12 plies provide great flexibility and even greater strength. Just make sure to use dense plywood such as marine,although nowadays there are other very dense plywoods which are just as good when properly epoxied and less than half the price. You may be tempted to use pressure treated,but for what you need it is no good. The best tool for checking out boats is a sharp pointy knife. just stick it in the floor ,the stringers and the transom. If it goes in deep ,you know that there is a lot of work .

[Missdemeanor]

Are you trying to say that glued plywood is better than solid wood for stringers?

[TileMan Dan]

Fishing, I didn't mean to overwhelm you with info. I don't know what brand of resins you are using but they all work the same. Pot life is always shorter than actual lay up work. This is due to resin thickness. That is why you should have all you mat cut and ready to go once you mix up a batch of resin. Dont know you skill and comfort level to give you advice in that regards. It seems your skill levels are high. Working with epoxies will increase with use. I suggest you start with smaller batches and adjust accordingly due to environmental conditions that you are working in. I know this is very simplified but just have patience with your project.

[rolmops]

Are you trying to say that glued plywood is better than solid wood for stringers?

Dependent on the quality of the plywood, yes.

Of course solid oak or locust is nothing to joke about,but the strength in plywood is in the grain of the different plies going in different directions,where solid wood grain is in only one direction leaving it open to lengthwise cracks that may eventually split the stringer length wise.

[Missdemeanor]

Well.... I think I'll lay my 350s on solid wood encapsulated..... No voids for any moisture to get in.

[rolmops]

If I would use solid wood,I would go this way ,while if I would use plywood I would glue it into one solid bar. both ways are strong

Edited December 29, 2015 by rolmops

[TileMan Dan]

I thought we were trying to help out a fellow fisher fix his boat.

[rolmops]

I thought we were trying to help out a fellow fisher fix his boat.

That is very true,I got carried away,my apologies.

[FishingTheFL]

I'm complete newbie to this. I watched a buddy mix up a couple batches and he did have all the mats cut. I imagine I can do it after watching him. Just sounded like their might been a different proxies that cured a bit slower.

Those 2x4 are a bit big. I'll grab some pics tomorrow. The main beams are T shaped wrapped plywood with a layer of U shaped fiber glass. Everything is made out of plywood in this boat... either because lighter or like rolmops said the plys give it flex and strength. Either way bringing it back to manufacture design will be easiest since the wood will sit right in the slots I took it out of.

Down to just the beams. Kind a excited! Just gotta get a motor lift to lift the bow off the trailer to get s grind on the bottom and touch up some of the inside and I'll be ready to get her put back together!

[TileMan Dan]

Not a problem Rol, topics always seem to stray after a bit.

[FishingTheFL]

Rails out, found the holes, time to clean, touch up few spots inside, then pressure wash the dust out.

From there tape the outside? And drip some resin threw the crack? Grind to shape or just fiber glass over the outside then use the paste and feather away from crack then sand and paint, I'm also going to put a piece of fiber that goes width of the stringer slot to act like a stitch. Any idea where to get bulk fiber and resin?

This boat had a manufacture defect in it. They didn't stick resin on the fiber sides that held the main beams in which made them shift, causing a crack that let water in, causing the wood to rot... Glad I didn't buy it brand new lol. She will be like New soon.

[TileMan Dan]

Gotta give your credit, I put better hulls in a dumpster. Appreciate your ambition. This country needs more individuals like yourself.

[FishingTheFL]

Like I said I'm a newbie. Thought it would be an easy fix but when I started reading into beams and stringers... I realized how much work I had a head of me... I'm taking it one step at a time... the hard part is about to begin. My biggest worry is getting the beams in right, fiber glasses in, and then the floor meets level with the top of the beams. Everything else shouldn't be to hard just tedious.

I've got about 20hours in, figure by the end I'll be looking at 60 hrs worth of work... but it will float! LoL😎

[SylvanTroller]

Hoes the project ?

[FishingTheFL]

Need a heated garage to finish. Weather turned bad in January. Looks like it's warming up but 40° is still not warm enough to do the fiber glass. Might get into a heated garage end of February. Maybr sooner. Just moved in our new house. Been very busy with water system, wood stove, and emergency calls. Lots up rooted trees here when we had that 40mph wind. Hope to have it fix soon and post more pics.

I almost rather do boat repair rather then tree work some days lol

[TileMan Dan]

Yeah glasswork does not like the cold. Just be patient and everything will work out. Good luck with project

Edited January 25, 2016 by TileMan Dan

[FishingTheFL]

Boat a aluminum canoe to keep me occupied on days that were like yesterday. Not flat but not white caps either. Picked up nice 6lbs laker trolling with Minn Kota and 7 colors. Was going to try the ice but with it being 39 today and 45 tomorrow.... I'll keep my feet on solid ground or in the boat

[FishingTheFL]

So back at it since this morning I woke up with a flat tire... Finished cleaning the interior waste out. Bunch rotted crap. Ground out so more of the edges and started to use thinner to clean the holes for masking. Tommorow is suppose to warm up by noon.I plan on warming the hull up and letting some resin run threw the cracks from the top. If it cures correctly I plan on using the paste method to form the outside and sand. I'll add more pictures tomorrow. After that it's going to be few days of sanding and grinding.

[Xxx]

I worked for a guy that did body work on corvettes, we used those red heat lamp bulbs in the metal hoods with clamps on or we made things for the lights to clamp to cement blocks, clamp on in the sides where the holes are or just make T's out of scrap pieces of wood laying around and screw them down so they don't fall over

[2lbperch]

Yes, use the chicken bulbs. Also, you can put wax paper over the resin or epoxy to smooth it before it sets. Put it on and massage it in after you spread it. Gel coat cracks will always come back in a few years unless you use the lightest fabric, the stuff they put on the foam surfboards. Check out RAKA epoxy out of Florida. They have the light fiberglass cloth, called clearcoat cloth. Very light, cracks won't come through though.I restore 50's & 60's fiberglass boats for fun.