O

SH OO T I N

K
K

SS

H
H

PP

SS

Contents

R
IIR
AA

W
W

R
R

O
O

RT

E RE

LE

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

GG

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

-Cosmetic Repairs

-Structural repairs
Repairing a Delaminated Hull
Hinging & Cracking
Step-by-Step Crack Repairs
Crack Analysis
Delamination: Failures, Repairs & Prevention
Understanding Dry Delamination
Replacing Foam Flotation

6
10
13
15
16
20
21

-Deck Repairs
Repairing Non-Skid
Replacing a Soggy Deck

23
26

-Transom Repairs

30

-Resin Repair Substitutes

32

-Hardware Installations
Bedding Hardware in Cored Decks
Potting Techniques
Installations in Cored Laminates

33
34
35

DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Archives

Subscribe

Help

Quit

Fiberglass Cosmetic Repairs

Its easy to repair cracks, gouges, nicks, small holes and non-skid
yourself. Just follow these easy steps for professional results every time.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

TOOLS
Dust masks and
respirator
Safety glasses
Latex gloves
Disposable mixing
containers (paper
or plastic)
Mixing sheets
Stir sticks
Masking tape
Glue brushes
Squeegee
Preval sprayer
Rags
Putty knives (flexible)
Utility knife
Sanding blocks
Wet/dry sandpaper,
320 to 600 grit
Rotary bit (carbide,
non-ferrous, nonplastic cutting bit
with big flutes)
Hacksaw
Metal file
Chisel
Power buffer with
foam buff pad

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Materials
Gelcoat resin
Polyester pigments
Polyester or vinylester
resin and hardener
Chop-strand mat
Fillers
Solvent (acetone or
lacquer thinner)
Buffing compound
Mold release (PVA or
wax)

sake of appearance. These generally do not

affect the strength of the fiberglass laminate.
Structural repairs are spider cracks, punctures,
breaks and large holes that penetrate the
laminate, affecting the boats structural
integrity. Such repairs are beyond the scope
of this article.
Before attempting any of these repairs,
you should be aware of the potential safety
and health risks involved. Read all
manufacturers safety precautions outlined on
the labels. Many of the chemicals are highly
toxic, so the work area should be wellventilated. Always wear gloves when
handling gelcoat or resin, safety glasses or
goggles when grinding, and a dust mask
when grinding, sanding and buffing. When
spraying gelcoat or mold release, always don
a respirator with the proper filter.
When doing any of these repairs,
carefully follow the manufacturers instructions
and the directions for mixing and application
of gelcoat, resins and other repair materials.

Surveying the Damage

Clean the surface with detergent and fresh
water, then clean the repair area with solvent.
Inspect the repair to determine the extent of
the damage. Where its accessible, check the
underside of the laminate. Ensure that
structural damage has not occurred.
Spider cracking and corner cracks are
almost always related to a structural problem
caused by flexing. The telltale webs on the

By Wayne Redditt and Jan Mundy

Cosmetic fiberglass repairs can be easily

accomplished with a little know-how,
inexpensive tools and supplies purchased
from chandleries or specialty fiberglass
suppliers.
Its important to note the distinction
between cosmetic and structural repairs.
Cosmetic repairs, such as minor scratches,
shallow nicks, star crazing, gouges, small
drilled holes and non-skid, are done for the

DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

surface (Figure 1) often extend into the

laminate. The extent of the damage only
becomes clearly visible after grinding through
the gelcoat. Whitish cracks or discoloration
radiating outwards, as shown in Figure 2,
indicate a damaged laminate. Repair involves
grinding the laminate to remove all
delaminated glass, filling with putty and
stiffening the structure to resist flexing. If the
damaged laminate is not repaired, cracking
will recur in the gelcoat.

Repairing Gouges &

Holes

repair but not inside the repair zone or youll

have to refill. The thickness of the tape (about
.005) provides an accurate measuring gauge
for the finished height of the filler, allowing for
shrinkage, which is about 5%. Tip: Layer the
masking tape sequentially in a grid pattern
around the repair. To remove it, you pull the
bottom layer and it all comes off together.
Use a clean rag and clean the gouge with
solvent. Do not use solvents around the repair
until its masked off completely. Gelcoat has
been waxed and if you smear the wax into the
repair area it will cause bonding problems.

STEP 2

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

When a scratch or gouge is very shallow and

doesnt break through the gelcoat into the
laminate beneath, its best to simply wet sand
with 400- to 600-grit abrasive and buff with a
rubbing compound or polish. There may be a
slight depression created (do not sand
through into the laminate), but it will be less
noticeable than a filled repair thats not
perfectly color-matched. A deeper scratch or
gouge (Figure 3) that goes into the
laminate, but doesnt delaminate it, requires a
different approach.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

STEP 1

Bevel the edge of the repair using a drill with a

rotary or chamfering bit, or use a utility knife to
contour the edges. Remove all loose and
damaged gelcoat without enlarging the size of
the repair area. Grind the gouge until you
have a uniform dark color in the underlying
laminate.
Remove the dust out of the gouge, then
mask the area with a quality masking tape
(3M is best). Tape close to the edge of the

Place a quantity of the correct putty filler

(different types for above or below waterline
repairs) on a plastic sheet or impregnated
paper (available on pads from auto body
suppliers). Dont mix on cardboard as it
absorbs the material, especially the hardener.
Add the creme hardener. To ensure the correct
resin-to-hardener ratio, a good rule is to mix
one golf-ball size amount of putty to 2.54cm
(1) of creme hardener, regardless of the size
of the repair. Use a pre-mixed quality filler,
such as 3M Marine Premium Filler or Marine
Filler which are very fine, gritless, modified
vinylester compounds. Hardener is a different
color (in this case blue), so mix until the colors
are well-blended. You cant overmix.

STEP 3
Tightly pack the filler into the repair area,
spreading with a putty knife to remove the air
bubbles. Remove the excess, leveling the
surface with a putty knife large enough to span
the tape so the filler is flush with the taped
edge. If you fill the gouge only to the level of
the gelcoat, when it cures, it shrinks, creating a
hollow that must be refilled. Immediately
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

STEP 6

remove the masking tape. The filler hardens in

20 minutes or so, depending on the amount
and type of hardener used and the working
temperature.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

STEP 4

Grate the repair with a Surform (remove the

handle) while the filler is still green (not fully
cured) so its flush with the gelcoat. Gelcoat is
extremely hard so you wont scratch it. Let the
filler cure overnight. If the repair has any
hollows, youll have to refill them.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

STEP 5

Prepare enough gelcoat to coat the repair. Mix

a small quantity of neutral gel with your color
pigment on the mixing paper or use a plastic
container (yogurt containers are impervious to
chemicals) for larger quantities. Use a
premixed pigment thats color-matched to the
gelcoat, otherwise youll have to mix a custom
batch (see Color Matching above). For a few
small repairs, gelcoat repair kits (from Seacare
and others) are easy to work with and less
expensive than purchasing jars of polyester
pigment.

For small repairs, put a quantity of gelcoat in

the upturned bottom of a plastic container and
add catalyst at a ratio of 2%. Dont
overcatalyze or youll have a cooked edge
that forms a luminous circle around the edge.
When mixing larger quantities, use a small
syringe to measure the exact amount of
catalyst (see Non-Skid, Step 2). Mix well.

COLOR-MATCHING
Color-matching gelcoat is one of the most
difficult repair procedures. Color is added to
gelcoat in the form of polyester pigments. If
youre fortunate, your boats gelcoat will exactly
match a standard color in one of the off-the-shelf
packaged gelcoat repair kits. If the color comes
close but not quite perfect, then get ready for
some work.
Begin by finding a smooth, flat, nearvertical surface somewhere close to the repair.
Clean and buff the surrounding area. (Dont
attempt to match color to a badly oxidized
surface.)
To test the color of pigment required, dab
a small quantity of uncatalyzed gelcoat resin
onto the buffed surface. (Uncatalyzed resin will
not harden and will not harm the surface of
your boat.) Start with a gelcoat that is similar in
color to the final color that you are attempting
to match. For example, its better to start with a
white gelcoat and tint to off-white, than to
pigment neutral gelcoat, which allows you to
change the resin to any color. Add enough
pigment but no more than 10% or youll have
over-pigmented resin, causing a loss of gloss
that no buffing will restore. If you under-pigment
your neutral gelcoat, the result is a translucent
finish.
Now, add a minute quantity of the pigment
you believe will shade the color to the desired
hue and mix thoroughly. Pigments are very
viscous and must be thoroughly mixed with the
resin. Undermixing causes either a marble effect
or colored streaks in the gelcoat. If the color
does not match, try to determine the method
required to make it right. Does it need black?
White? Some yellow perhaps? There is no
shortcut to doing this. Experimentation and
practice are the only way to master this skill.
Keep a record of the amount of pigment added.
Once youve mastered the color match in your
test area, youll need to duplicate it in a much
larger quantity.
Wayne Redditt
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Finish the repair by buffing with a fine rubbing

compound. Use a foam pad mounted on a
power buffer and begin by putting compound
on the surface, then manually swirl the buffer
around to work the compound into the pad.
You can also buff with an angle sander but use
low speed or youll burn the gelcoat.

STEP 10

LE

O
O

R
R

SS

H
H

O
O

SS

W
W

K
K

PP

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

STEP 7

Mask the edge of the repair. Be sure not to

overlap the tape inside the repair or the
gelcoat wont fully cover and youll have to
reapply. Clean the repair area with solvent.
Apply the gelcoat liberally with a putty knife,
overlapping the tape. Remove the masking
tape.

Repairing drilled holes is similar, the only

difference is you need to fill the hole. Begin by
beveling the edge, using a drill with a cutting
bit. Remove the dust and clean with solvent.

STEP 11

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

STEP 8

Using 320-grit paper on a rubber sanding

block, wet sand the repair area. Place a
squeegee over the repair and check for level. It
should be perfectly flat. Any low spots require
more gelcoat. Finish sanding with 400- then
600-grit wet paper. Use lots of water. Resist
the temptation to sand with your fingers or
youll have ripples in the finished surface.

If accessible, cover the back of the repair with

masking tape. When its not, stuff a wad of
masking tape into the hole (left) or insert a short
piece of doweling (right) anything to prevent
filler from running out the hole and into the
interior. Continue, following Steps 2 and 3 on
page 12.

STEP 9
STEP 12

Using a power drill with a rotary bit, grind off

the filler to about .020 below surface level, or
the thickness of the applied gelcoat. Fill with
color-matched gelcoat following instructions in
Steps 5 and 6 on page 13, then proceed
through to Step 9.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Repairing a Delaminated Hull

Faulty construction causes the fiberglass laminate to
separate and peel off the hull in sheets.
the hull at that time.
When we decided to build a boat in
1985, we both agreed to start from a bare
We watched with trepidation as the haul-out
hull rather than build the hull ourselves. We
crew positioned the slings under our homeknew the limitations of our skills (and
built Classic 37 sailboat, Two-Step. Lifting the
enthusiasm) and felt it prudent to trust this job
boat with a crane always made us nervous,
to a professional. We found a small
but we were worried about the condition of
independent builder with the molds for the
our fiberglass hull following a 20,000Sparkman & Stevens designed Classic 37
nautical-mile voyage to countries around the
and, with good references, had him and his
Atlantic Ocean. Three years in warm tropical
crew set to work. We took delivery of the hull
seas can take their toll.
in the summer of 1986.
It was the only part of the
boat we did not build ourselves.
We did everything else though,
right from smelting the lead for
the internal keel to doing the
interior and exterior woodwork,
electricity and plumbing, rigging
and countless other jobs required
in building a boat. When we
finished, we had accumulated
more than 6,000 hours of labor
between the two of us during the
three-year process.
As Two-Step was lifted
out of the water we saw, with
relief, only a few barnacles
clinging to the prop and a few
bare spots on the bottom of the
keel where the 1.8m (6) draft
had found unmark-ed shoals.
The outer layer of fiberglass peeled off the hull in huge sheets
Otherwise, the boat was in great
like peeling a banana!
condition or so we first
thought.
Fiberglass hulls are renowned for their
Mistaken Identity
high strength and durability; however,
Then something very strange happened.
fiberglass is susceptible to osmosis blistering
During the next few days, as we cleaned and
and, if left unchecked, can cause structural
unloaded the boat in the yard, we noticed a
damage and hull delamination. To prevent
few deep blisters in the gelcoat, about the
osmosis from happening to our boat, we had
coated the bottom with six protective layers of size of a quarter, so we marked them and
drilled them out to dry. But as the days went
Interprotect 2000, an epoxy barrier coating.
by, more blisters began to appear. The
Now back in our home port of Port
blisters actually seemed to be growing and
Credit, Ont., the foreman gave the hand
spreading!
signal and Two-Step began to rise out of the
We continued to mark and drill out new
water. We had hauled out briefly in Gibraltar blisters daily. They were all the same size and
the previous year to redo the bottom paint
discharged a sour-smelling ooze about the
after our transatlantic passage to Europe
consistency of honey. Within a week, our
and had been pleased with the condition of
beloved boat had a serious case of the pox.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Story and Photos by Paul and

Sheryl Shard

DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

After pressure washing the hull with fresh water,

blister cavities were filled with a mixture of
microballoons, Cabosil and polyester resin.

Mystified, we sadly left the boat to dry out

over the winter.
In the spring, things got worse. We were
back at the boatyard and Paul was preparing
to fill Two-Steps blisters while I did some
refinishing in the galley. I could hear him
tapping at the hull as I worked. Then I heard
a noise that I will never forget. A sound like
fingernails on a blackboard. A scraping,
withering rrrrrrrrrrrip of fiberglass. I raced
down the ladder and found Paul leaning
against the cradle with a piece of our hull in
his hand.
Our boats falling apart, he said.
He had dug the edge of a chisel into a
large blister and discovered that the outer
layer of fiberglass would peel right off. We
were stumped. Our problem did not have the
symptoms of a typical osmosis or
delamination problem. We needed expert
advice.
We called our friend Wally Dzuryk,
former project manager of CS Yachts. He
took one look at our peeling hull, checked the
substrate and tapped the hull all over. He
knew immediately what the problem was.
Your hull isnt delaminating, he said. It
was never correctly laminated in the first
place.
Wally explained that it is common
practice for builders to prepare hull molds for
the next boat by coating them with gelcoat,
then spraying on a thin layer of chopped
fiberglass strands mixed with resin. Although
this saves time for the builder, when the hull is
left for more than two or three days the
surface must be cleaned and ground to
remove the wax that was added to the resin
to promote curing, or subsequent layers of
glass will not bond properly to the outer layer.

Boats with blisters under the gelcoat or

blisters caused by voids deeper in the
laminate are easily repaired by grinding the
blisters out and filling them with an epoxy
coating. Where blisters are caused by
inferior laminating techniques, however,
repairing the visible blisters still leaves voids
between the outer layer and the hull, causing
new blisters to appear every year. As the hull
layers were never correctly bonded, we
suspect it was the Interprotect coating that
blocked the water from getting into the void
sooner.
After a thorough survey, Wally assured
us that the underlying hull was strong and
sound. There were only a few voids in the
topsides and we could inject those with epoxy
to re-bond. We were relieved; we knew that if
we had to strip and relaminate the topsides,
we could never fair them to our satisfaction.
Under Wallys direction, we stripped
away the fiberglass laminate from the
waterline down to the keel and laid in four
new layers of fiberglass mat and roving. Next
we faired the bottom and reapplied
Interprotect epoxy barrier coat and
antifouling.

Make-Ready
The first job was to build a shelter around the
boat to keep the hull dry. We made a simple
structure of 2x2s covered with a clear plastic
tarp. For added protection, we ran a rain
gutter made of folded electrical tape around
the hull above the waterline to prevent any
water running down the topsides from
traveling down the exposed hull below the
waterline. We supported the boat with 4x4
wood beams bolted to the toe rail and various
other props at the stern and bow, so the entire
bottom would be accessible without having
the cradle pads in the way.
Then we began stripping away the old
laminate. This was much easier than we

Mat and roving were precut and labeled so they

could be applied without stopping.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

putty of resin, microballoons and

just enough Cabosil to thicken the
mixture too much Cabosil and it
would be too hard and impossible
to sand. When we were satisfied
with the fairing job, we measured
the hull into sections the width of a
piece of fiberglass mat and labeled
and marked each with a
waterproof marker. Then we
premeasured and cut the mat and
roving into lengths.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Six-Layer Wrapper
On Wallys recommendation we
had decided to use polyester resin
instead of epoxy. Its less toxic to
handle, much cheaper than epoxy
and forms a reasonable mechanical
bond to the existing fiberglass.
Epoxy would have provided a
The hull was divided into sections and labeled with a
stronger bond but would have
waterproof marker in preparation for applying the new
laminate. The lighter area below the waterline is the
added more than $1,000 to the bill.
Airex core which remained intact.
Of course, we would still apply an
epoxy barrier coat over the new
fiberglass.
thought it would be, which demonstrated how
Now
we had to wait for good weather;
poorly this layer was originally laminated.
we
needed
two consecutive dry days. We
With a sanding disk on a grinder, Paul
taped the waterline to give a clean edge. The
carefully ground to the depth of the outer
new laminate would stand proud by 15mm
layer of laminate all around the waterline.
(1/16), but would be masked by the boot
Then we peeled away the outer layer of
stripe.
fiberglass down to the keel. Sometimes it tore
The first day, we applied a layer of 1.5away in 1.8m-long (6) strips. The hull was
oz
chopped
strand mat as a base. It took five
surprisingly smooth underneath. The Airex
of
us
to
do
the
job two to position and hold
closed-cell foam core, visible through the next
the mat, one to hold the mat against the hull,
few layers of fiberglass, was well sealed.
one to mix the resin and another to wet-out
Airex is impermeable to water and adds
the glass with rollers. We had to work quickly
strength, stiffness, impact strength and sound
before the resin hardened, keeping less than
and thermal insulation that prevents
condensation in the boats interior and kept us a gallon in the paint tray while being careful
not to mix more than we could use in 15
cool in the tropics.
minutes or less. We used a paint-mixer
Dark gooey patches showed where
attachment on a drill to stir the mixture. Soon
moisture had collected in the voids, mixed
we worked out an assembly line system of
with resin and left glycol, a by-product of
pre-wetting the hull, positioning the mat,
polyester resins that, unlike water, does not
wetting the mat, mixing more resin, and on
evaporate. We pressure washed with clean
and on.
water before attempting to sand and fair the
The next day, we hand-sanded the bottom
and washed it with acetone. Then we applied
hull and left it to dry.
another 1.5-oz mat followed by 18-oz roving
To prepare the exposed hull for
and a final 1.5-oz mat. Adding one layer to
reglassing, we used a small grinder and 36grit disks to smooth the hull and create a
the entire hull took about one and a half
tooth for the new laminate. A light touch is
hours. We waited nearly another hour for
important here to avoid cutting crescents in
each layer to partially cure before applying
the glass. Then we washed with acetone and
the next layer. Applying consecutive layers
clean rags to remove any last traces of wax.
green on green forms one chemical bond
Finally, we filled any dips and crevices with a between the layers that is much stronger than
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

SH OO T I N

R
R

K
K

H
H

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

O
O

PP

R
IIR
AA

W
W

O
O

SS

SS

RT

E RE

LE

NC
A

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

Laminating the four layers was arduous overhead work and it took five crew to do
the job.
four individual layers.
When the final layer had fully
cured, we sanded high spots and
began fairing using a similar mix of
microballoons, Cabosil and resin,
and an old saw blade as a putty
knife, to follow the contours of the
hull. We enlisted Wallys help
again with the final fairing around
the waterline and his professional
eye gave us an arrow-straight boot
stripe. Finally, we washed the
bottom with acetone one more time
and applied the Interprotect 1000
and 2000 epoxy barrier coating as
per the instructions, followed by
antifouling. With the help of friends
and family, it had taken 11 days to
complete the job.
The hull repair was a massive
job but, as all do-it-yourselfers
know, the satisfaction and feeling of
control you get from tackling a big
problem can make even such a
large job well worth the effort. Now
we know our own hull and feel
more confident than ever as TwoStep cuts through the waves. She
has been back to the Bahamas
twice since we made this repair
and remains blister-free.

DIY REPAIR BILL

The following is the approximate cost for repairing a 11m
(37) sailboat from the waterline down to the keel. Prices
vary depending on the products used and amount of paid
labor. Its a good idea to enlist someone with professional
boatbuilding experience as supervisor of your team. If you
havent done much fiberglass work, check with a
professional yard for an estimate. We got rough estimates
around $10,000. This works out to almost $300 per foot
(LOA). Estimates for DIYers run from $50 to $100 per foot
depending on how much help you enlist.

Temporary shelter (lumber, plastic, staples)

4x4 legs to support hull
Acetone
Cabosil, microballoons
Polyester resin (20 gallons)
Fiberglass mat and roving
Interprotect 1000 and 2000 (6 coats)
Antifouling paint (2 coats)
Rollers, sandpaper, grinding
discs, brushes, solvent$
TOTAL:

$100
$50
$50
$50
$360
$380
$420
$400
100
$1910

Paul and Sheryl Shard spent three

years sailing to 23 countries around the
Atlantic Ocean in a Classic 37 sailboat
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Hinging & Cracking

K
K

SS

PP

SS

Pages 2 to 5 reviewed the steps and techniques

to do professional fiberglass cosmetic repairs. In
this special section, DIY details structural defects
hinging, cracking and delaminating in fiberreinforced plastic hulls and decks: how to identify
critical failures; execute repairs to damaged hulls
and decks, and provide key preventive remedies.
Whether you are making it a do-it-yourself repair
or hiring a professional, this knowledge will help
you make informed decisions that can add years to
the life of your boat and dollars to its trade-in
value. JM

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

By Nick Bailey

ome years ago, our clubs mark boat, a

new 6.4m (21') center console runabout
with a foam-filled double bottom, almost
sank before the frantic operator was able to
beach it. Just below the waterline forward, the
bottom had split open athwartship and water
pressure had torn the hull neatly along the
center strake. This left a large panel of
fiberglass flapping loose and exposed the
foam-filled hull. The boat was a write-off.
Apparently the builder, by then defunct, in a
classic case of under-engineering, had skimped
on the outer skin laminates and used flotation
foam of inadequate density and strength. The
usual pounding a powerboat hull receives
gradually crushed the foam. This allowed the
too thin fiberglass skin to flex until it cracked,
the lip snagged the high-speed water flowing
past the hull and suddenly ripped open. This
sort of dramatic failure is rare in fiberreinforced plastic (FRP) boats, but unfortunately
cracked and leaking hulls are not, especially in
powerboats with high-hours or older sailboats.

Flex-Related Hinging

10

In flex-related powerboat hull failures, initial

stress cracks usually appear at or adjacent to
where panel flex is restrained or limited by

Figure 1

Panel flex
Floor

Strake
(hinge point)
Flex-related hinging in a powerboat.
Stringer

either
internal structural members (i.e. bulkheads or
stringers) and chines, running strakes or other
external sharp corners (Figure 1). This
concentration of flexing stress at a hard point
or corner radius may subsequently lead to
failure. This is called hinging, since the
motion of the flexing panel rotates around the
point of restraint where the crack appears.
Running strakes, chines, steps, transom
edges and all other sharp corners concentrate
the bending stresses from wave pounding and
bouncing along on the trailer. Such areas are
the most demanding of careful workmanship.
Fiberglass is reluctant to lay neatly into sharp
corners in the mold: fibers get thinned out as
they are pushed in with a lay-up tool, air
bubbles remain and resin pools without much
glass content. In a poorly designed and
constructed hull, premature cracking and failure
will begin at these locations; an experienced
hull surveyor will look here first for signs of hull
Figure 2
Flo
or t
imb
er

Keel
bolt
Hinge
point
Ballast
Hinging in a sailboat.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

DAVID AIKEN

LE

R
R

O
O

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Despite the fact that fiberglass boats appear to last forever,

poor construction and reckless use result in flexing of many
hulls and decks. Initially, telltale cracking appears on the
surface, and as it progresses, major structural failure can
occur. In extreme cases, flex-related damage can sink a
boat. Find out why your boat is flexing, how to survey the
damage, then effectively repair it to prevent recurrence.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Structural Flex Cracks

11

Do not ignore these cracks: (1) Common

stress cracks caused by minor hinging of
flat panel at a bulkhead or vee-berth; (2)
Hull deflection due to bad cradling; (3)
Long random cracks wide enough to
insert a penny; (4) A tight group of
parallel cracks on runabout at bow
indicates trailer damage; (5) Stress cracks
at stanchion bases, (6) deck hardware
and (7) corners at cabin-deck joint; (8)
Concen-tric circular cracks on cored deck
may indicate wet core.

DAVID AIKEN

DAVID AIKEN

Figure 3
Telltale
signs of
vast
structural
damage after
grounding a fin-keeled sailboat: the
hulls forward motion thrusts the
keels leading edge back and the trailing
edge gets rammed up into the hull to
generate highly visible hinging cracks and
failure at the hull-keel joint.

failure to come.
Hinging problems are also common in sailboats.
Flex-related stress cracks often occur above the
waterline in the relatively flat forward sections of the
hull, usually along the line of a bulkhead or vee-berth
top. Relatively flat hull panels tend to oil-can or pop
in and out as the boat beats to weather. Due to a
sailboats lower speeds and correspondingly cracks
are usually confined to the gelcoat layer and represent,
for the short term anyway, cosmetic rather than
structural problems. A surveyor will usually recommend
rather than require repairs to be done in the fullness of
time to these topside stress cracks.
A more serious problem sometimes occurs where
an external fin keel is bolted to a hull extension or keel
stub (Figure 2). The heavy side loads created when
the boat is heeled can cause hinging to occur at the
radius where the glass keel stub meets the hull. If the
interior stringers, grid structure or floor timbers
supporting the keel are properly engineered and
constructed and subsequently remain undamaged,
there are rarely any problems. If, however, the interior
structure is damaged or the tabbing securing the
structure to the hull is delaminated (typically by
grounding), the keel stub can bend and flex freely. This
concentrates stress at the stub-to-hull radius. The smaller
the radius at this location the greater the stress

TIPS
HARSH REALITY

A word of warning about cosmetic deck stress

cracks around hardware and fittings. These are
stressed and flexed during normal use and even
if a perfect crack repair is done, the crack will
likely return because the pattern of use and
loading hasnt changed. Do cosmetic repairs
like this just before you put the boat up for sale.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

SH OO T I N

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

R
IIR
AA

W
W

O
O

H
H

RT

E RE

LE

NC
A

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

concentration which can lead to serious

cracking and delamination (Figure 3). [Ed:
For how to diagnose and repair delaminated
hulls and decks, refer to failures, Repairs and
Prevention on page 16.]
The radius dimension at the top of the keel
stub is an important variable in determining
whether or not flex will eventually create a
problem. Many well-built small- to mediumsized sailboats have very simple and shallow
keel stub structures with a large stub-to-hull
radius. In lieu of floor timbers or a grid structure
they may have heavy solid, unidirectional glass
reinforcement at the keel bolts. These boats
have shown a surprising ability to bounce off
rocks with only minor damage. Larger, equally
well built boats (some from the same
manufacturer), built to maximize performance
often have a deep rigid keel stub with interior
structural reinforcement and a relatively rigid
cored hull. These stronger, more rigid and
more complex structures fare less well when
grounded, exceeding the loads they were
carefully engineered for. Damage may not be
obvious to the untrained eye and the boat
continues sailing for several seasons, enduring
broken tabbing, delamination, loose stringers
and the resulting excessive flex, until it starts to
sink. Haul out reveals a big crack that
originated some time ago from a subtle stress
crack barely visible through the antifouling.
Repairing such severe damage is strictly the
realm of the professional yard and often

requires the input of a naval architect or

engineer.

Repair Strategies
Its often not enough to repair the boat by
simply rebuilding and relaminating the original
structures using the original laminate schedule.
Hull stiffness, particularly in an aging boat or
one that was used for a long time with broken
and loose interior structures, may have been
affected throughout without showing any
delamination or obvious problems. Repairing
the boat by duplicating the original design may
not solve the problem and reconstruction may
require additional support structures or
reinforcement to successfully return the boat to
service.
Often the symptom is repaired without
curing the disease. I have seen examples of this
where delaminated tabbing at a bulkhead or
stringer is repaired but fails again soon
afterwards. The bond was subjected to greater
stress than it was designed for and until the
overall flexing or bending was reduced, it was
impossible to bond the tabbing permanently
without first doing some re-engineering and
structural upgrades. (Most insurance companies
and appraisers understand this necessity
particularly if a yard is reluctant to warrantee
the job without the input and direction from an
engineer or naval architect as to the
recommended course of repair.)

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

12
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

K
K

SS

PP

SS

Suppose your hull has a significant crack that is

getting larger or has started to leak. Prompt
action is now required. If the hull is cored, the
core is probably wet by now and the area of
wet core will have to be cut out and replaced,
a much more complicated procedure.
Assuming a non-cored hull, the magnitude of
the repair depends on the depth of the crack. If
the crack is leaking water into the boat, it
obviously extends through the laminate. Very
subtle hairline cracks, however, are a cosmetic
issue and can be left alone as they likely dont
need any structural repair (see Crack
Analysis on page 15). [Ed: For proper repair
procedures, refer to Fiberglass Cosmetic
Repairs on page 2--.] I dont recommend
amateur repair of structural hull problems and
neither will your insurance company. Here are
the steps a professional repair would follow.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Step 1
Prep Grinding
Use a feathering sander with a 40-grit disc to
lightly remove gelcoat in the repair area to
reveal the laminate. This is often the only way,
without taking a core sample, to make an
accurate assessment of the extent of damage. If
the crack continues into the laminate and if
there is bruised opaque milky white laminate
nearby (indicating delamination) then a grinder
is used to remove the cracked and delaminated
fiberglass. This continues until only solid green
or bluish translucent looking laminate is left.
Edges of the repair area are feathered
smoothly with a grinder to

Whitish cracks radiating

outwards
indicate damaged
laminate. Grind the
laminate to remove all
delaminated glass and
reinforce laminate.

an appropriate distance (approximately half

the size of the patch) to ensure good bonding
of the new glass laminates that follow.
A crack that travels through the laminate to
the other side requires extensive grinding and
relamination on both sides. This could be a real
challenge where access is restricted. Sometimes

PROFESSIONAL BOATBUIDER MAGAZINE

LE

R
R

O
O

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Step-by-Step Crack Repair

Laminate patches replace original

structure. Use additional patches on inside to
stiffen repair where
necessary.

it is necessary to remove interior panels which

adds to the repair cost.

STEP 2

Non-Structural
Cosmetic Cracks

13

(Left top) Spider

cracks not caused
by stress; (right &
middle) Single
cracks caused by
voids or bubbles;
(bottom) Hairline cracks at deck
hardware.

Glass Cloth
Preparation
A patch is created by
rebuilding the laminates. This
is usually done by applying
multiple overlapping layers of
mat and roving, or
alternatively, a stitchmat (i.e.
Fabmat) that combines mat
with roving in one easy to
handle cloth. Like all glass
cloth, stitchmat comes in
different weights (i.e. 1810,
which combines an 18oz
woven roving with a 1oz mat)
and either a plus or minus 45
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

14

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

FRP FLEXING
CHARACTERISTICS
One of the mechanical properties of FRP
composites is that they become more
flexible as the years go by. Microscopic
damage to laminates accumulates with
each wave a boat hits. Quality of design
and original construction as well as usage,
determines how gracefully a boat ages.
(Water absorption and osmosis problems
are other factors that affect the longevity
and rigidity of the hull.)
Bending a fiberglass laminate also
stretches the resin and glass. Polyester resin
and standard E glass have very different
elongation percentages (a measure of
brittleness) before breaking. Resin breaks at
about 2% elongation, where glass stretches
almost 5% before breaking. This is why
gelcoat, which is straight resin, develops
cracks long before any problems show in
the underlying laminate. Micro-cracking
begins to occur in typical laminates at
about 20% of the ultimate tensile breaking
strength; gelcoat crazing (develops a
network of fine cracks) at about 50%.
Different resins and gelcoats too have
different stretch characteristics. Tough,
flexible resins allow the laminate to reach
full tensile strength but may actually flex
more at lower loads. Resins, which are
more stiff and more brittle, actually prevent
fibers from carrying their full load. Hard
brittle gelcoats are also sometimes
preferred by builders because they hold a
polish and resist weathering best, but they
are much more subject to stress cracking;
less brittle gelcoats are softer and dont
weather or hold a shine as well.

or 0/90 bias which defines the angle the

roving is cut on the roll. Either 1810 or 1808
stitchmat is ideal for most repair work.
A 3mm (1/8") repair depth needs about
three or four layers of mat and roving or two or
three layers of stitchmat; a 6mm (1/4") depth
requires twice that and so on. A fair amount of
time is devoted to cutting and preparing each
layer ahead of time, carefully cut and sized to
the repair. Each layer is cut to overlap the
previous layer by an inch or two, depending on
how far the feathered edge extends.

Glass cloth is usually prewetted with catalyzed

polyester (sometimes vinylester or epoxy) resin
thats carefully applied to the patch area with a
brush and roller with additional layers applied
as required. Trapped air bubbles and excess
resin are worked out with a special bubblebuster metal roller.
Im not a fan of using epoxy resins in
repairs to polyester laminates, preferring
polyester or vinylester. No resin will chemically
bond once a resin has finished polymerization
(full cure), but rather are mechanical or
secondary bonds. Though epoxy is the most
adhesive of the commonly used resins, the
different flex characteristics of the more rigid
epoxy patch may cause delamination problems
later. This is a much-debated issue and some
repairers may argue otherwise. [Ed: For
another opinion, see Resin Repair Substitues
on page 42.]

STEP 4 Finishing
Quality cosmetic finishing demands a high level
of artistry. When the laminate patch has
completely cured, use a feathering sander to
remove any rough edges and any portions of
the patch that sit proud of the surface, and
rough up the surface for application of the
finish. For above-waterline repairs, fill low spots
with a neutral-colored gelcoat (a pigmented
polyester resin) thickened with colloidal silica to
a consistency somewhere between peanut
butter and mayonnaise. This filler is carefully
applied with a large putty knife or drywall
trowel to fill repair roughness and pinhole
voids. When cured, block sand the filler smooth
with 80-grit paper. Fill again if needed. A final
gelcoat is carefully color-matched and spray
painted over the repair area. Sprayed gelcoat
naturally has a fairly heavy orange peel finish,
so it must be laboriously block sanded with wet
paper from 400- to 800-grit (or higher), then
machine buffed with a polishing compound to a
high gloss. Below the waterline, when
recoating with antifouling paint, its sufficient to
simply renew the hull coatings in the repair
area.
About the author: Marine specialist Nick Bailey
is service manager of Bristol Marine in
Mississauga, Ont., an avid Thunderbird-class
racer, and a regular contributor to DIY.

STEP 3 Lay-up
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Crack Analysis
There are many different causes for cracks in gelcoat. So when is a gelcoat
crack something to worry about?

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

1 Classic stress cracks come in all sizes, from minor cosmetic blemishes to grim telltales of imminent
structural failure.
Typically found in tight corners in the cockpit and on deck, around highly loaded fittings like
mooring cleats or blocks (on sailboats) but of more concern below waterline on powerboats,
especially on running strakes, etc.
Above the waterline and sometimes below, an individual hairline crack is usually only cosmetic
unless its wide enough to insert something into it.
A tight group of parallel cracks indicates a previous big flexing event and blunt trauma (i.e.
collision), or trailer damage especially near the bow of the boat where the trailer rollers or bunks
initially take the weight during retrieval.
Straight crack on hull at bulkhead line usually indicates oil canning flex of nearby panel. Keep an
eye on it if the crack deepens or can be felt with a light touch, action is required.
2 Isolated spider cracks are cosmetic only.
Somebody thumped the hull or deck with a rubber mallet to get it to release from the mold.
Although present from day one, they get uglier as the years go by, sometimes weathering to the
point where the gelcoat spalls off but still an isolated cosmetic problem.
3 Random long wandering cracks
Below waterline only, they indicate moisture absorption into the laminate and swelling or a too
thick gelcoat layer.
On a powerboat transom it can indicate a wet transom core.
4 Concentric circular cracks.
If on deck around a fitting, they may indicate wet core and possibly even frost heave.
On rudder, definitely frost heave from moisture.
Small isolated spots on hull or deck may indicate a void or bubble in the lay-up.
At cradle pad areas, indicate improper cradling. If non-cored hull, it may be only cosmetic. If cored,
flex indicates delamination so structural repair needed.
5 At keel hull joint and underwater fittings, fairing filler always cracks when applied over metal
fittings, so is cosmetic only.
If a gap shows, retorque keel bolts.
Small cracks at faired thru-hulls, shaft struts or rudder heel castings are usally cosmetic only.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

15
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Delamination: Failures, Repairs and

Prevention
Delamination can occur in a solid fiberglass laminate or cored
hull, between the inner or outer glass skins, in bulkhead tabbing
fastening interior structures, in deck cores and in rudders. If you
own an older fiberglassboat or are looking to buy one, heres how
to diagnose the condition and some methods to cure and prevent it.
By Nick Bailey

Anatomy of a Cored Hull

iberglass
Dry areas in laminate
Resin-starved layup results
result in unbonded mat
boats are
in poor bonding of mat
Good bond between
built from a
core and mat
composite
Waterdamaged core
consisting of
Dry areas in laminate
multiple layers
result in unbonded mat
of high strength
Delamination in
fibers, usually
the bond
glass fiber
between the
balsa core and
woven into
mat layer
Rotted core from water ingress.
cloth, mat or
roving, but
bonds attaching interior structures to the hull
sometimes Kevlar or carbon fiber where
and deck.
maximum strength is required. Fibers are then
Delamination results from either shear
saturated and bonded together with a
stresses where opposing horizontal forces
hardened plastic resin, usually polyester, but
cause the layers to separate and move
sometimes epoxy or vinylester.
horizontally in relation to one another or peel
The strength and stiffness of the resulting
stresses where one layer is torn away from the
laminate, regardless of the resin and fiber
others by forces acting vertically on the
choice, will depend on thickness, the correct
ratio of resin to fiber and the effective use of the laminate.
A delaminated hull may not be in
various cloths. Lightweight core materials (i.e.
immediate
danger of sinking but the first effect
balsa) are often used, particularly in deck
of
a
delaminated
condition is a drastic
construction, to obtain the stiffness of a much
reduction in stiffness. The stiffness or resistance
thicker solid laminate without the added
to bending of a solid laminate varies with the
weight. Regardless of the construction details,
cube of its thickness: a laminate twice as thick
laminates are made up of layers of material
will be eight times as stiff. When a glass lay-up
that can separate. This is delamination.
delaminates, you suddenly have a situation
where one or more layers is no longer attached
What is Delamination?
to its neighbor and can move independently in
Delamination is one of the two common stress
shear as the panel flexes. If the internal break is
failure modes that can occur in a fiberglass
laminate; the other being cracking as discussed in the middle of the laminate stack this would
half the effective thickness and cause a drop in
beginning on page 40. Cracks result from a
stiffness to 1/8 of the previous value. If two or
laminate flexing and bending and may or may
more layers are delaminated things will get
not be any deeper than the cosmetic gelcoat
very soft and spongy. Glass layers now may
layer. [Ed: Refer to DIY 1998-#1 for complete
have much of their original tensile strength but
step-by-step fiberglass cosmetic repair
no longer support each other to give stiffness.
procedures.] A deep crack in the laminate cuts
Once excessive flex is allowed the other failure
through the bundles of fibers which make up
mode, cracking and breaking of the glass
the laminate layers. Delamination is a break in
layers, will surely follow. Whether or not a
the bond between the layers. This can occur
glass laminate delaminates depends on two
within a solid fiberglass laminate or between a
core material and the inner or outer glass skins. conditions: the strength and quality of the
original construction; and what sort of wear,
Its also a common problem at secondary

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

16

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

tear and abuse it has been subjected to since

that time.

Opposing forces create shear forces between

the laminate layers and break them apart. If
severe, the laminate will also crack or tear at
the point of impact. Delamination around the
impact can be quite extensive, involving the

Gelcoat

Figure 1

Mat

Impact Forces on
Laminates

ALISON HOOD

Roving
Mat

BEFORE

Inner resin coat

Typical fiber-reinforced plastic lay-up

for a 25-footer.

LE

R
R

K
K

PP

SS

Many details affect the quality of the bond

between different layers in a laminate.
Laminates least prone to trouble are the primary
laminates applied in the mold wet on wet: the
next layer is applied before the one below has
fully cured allowing the new resin layer to fully
cross-link molecules with the previous layer.
Traditional iso or ortho polyester resins are
relatively forgiving as they are air inhibited
from a full cure at the surface exposed to the
air and will remain ready to receive a new
layer of cloth and resin for a long time after the
layers underneath have fully cured. The final
layer will usually include some air-dry wax to
isolate the resin from the air and bring it to a
full cure. Once any resin is fully cured, it will be
necessary to prep grind the surface to promote
a primarily mechanical secondary bond if any
additional laminates are applied. Wet-on-dry
secondary bonds are relied upon to tab
bulkheads, stringers, floor grids, etc. in place,
and often to bond core materials into the layup.
A good wet-on-dry secondary bond should
be nearly the same strength as a primary weton-wet bond but relies heavily on
workmanship. Inadequate prep grinding or
contamination of the bond surface with wax,
moisture or solvents can cause premature
failure. So too can lay-up faults that reduce
contact between layers such as inadequate wet
out with resin, too many trapped bubbles or
bridging where the next layer of cloth or core
rises above a bump below.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Use and Abuse Failures

17

The most obvious causes of delamination

problems are from impacts or collisions. When
a laminate is struck and bends, the outer layers
come under compression and the inner
laminates stretch under tension (Figure 1).

DURING

Cracks

Cracks

AFTER
DAVID AIKEN

O
O

W
W

O
O

SS

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Pitfalls of Solid Laminates

Outer
laminate under
compression

Bond between laminates

breaks

area of the hull which bent but did not

obviously break. Stress cracks are also usually
in evidence in the delaminated area. A planing
powerboat hull can delaminate over wide
areas on the bottom without any obvious signs
of distress until cracks appear. The
delamination in this case is due to the constant
stress and flex from slamming waves.
Although sailboat hulls can also be
damaged over time by wave pounding, other
than the obvious damage from accidental
grounding, improper cradling is the most
common cause of sailboat hull delamination.
Most sailboat manufacturers specify that at
least 60% of the boats weight rests on the keel
with the cradle pads taking the remaining load.
If the cradle base frame is not rigid enough
and sags under the keel when transported, this
can grossly overload the cradle pads, dimpling
the hull at the pad locations. A solid glass layup hull may be flexible enough to tolerate
dimpling without permanent damage; if the hull
is cored, then maybe not (see below).
A dubious yard practice, which also
contributes to sailboat hull problems, is storage
with the mast up. Ever notice how a boat will
heel 15 or more under bare poles in a storm
when tied to the dock? A 50-knot gale
shuddering and shaking a dry-stored boat with
mast in will slam load the leeward cradle pads
with many extra pounds per square foot. Im
not going to attempt to calculate the loads, but
judging from the damage I have seen, the
typical four- or six-pad storage cradle was
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

BALTEK CORP.

never designed to safely distribute such

overloads, nor was the hull designed with this

Used in decks and other curved surfaces, Balteks

Contourkore is end-grain balsa core panels cut
into small squares and glued to a fiberglass scrim.

sort of abuse in mind.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Wet Delamination
In extreme cases of water absorption into a
solid laminate very large osmosis blisters can
form between the laminate layers. These can
be pie-plate size and bigger, and the osmotic
pressure forces apart the laminates. Such
delamination problem is rare where boats haul
and dry during the off-season, but is more
common where boats remain in the water yearround, particularly the tropics.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Core Problems:
Manufacturing

18

Cored laminates employ either balsa or PVC

foam cores in a sandwich construction to
maximize stiffness without adding weight.
When laying up a hull or deck its often difficult
to get a perfect bond between the core and the
inner and outer laminates. New techniques
such as vacuum bagging, the application of
core bonding putties, improvements in the core
materials themselves, and the use of various
resin-infusion processes all contribute to better
bonds between the core and inner and outer
skins than was possible using the traditional
hand lay-up technique. Despite the fact that a
perfect bond between core and skins was
difficult to achieve in the past, thousands of
production-line boats with cored hulls exist and
nearly all have cored decks.
Core lay-ups are traditionally applied by
prewetting the core with catalyzed resin and
bedding it down to a resin-rich layer of mat.
When the core is layered after resin has gelled,
this causes bonding problems and future
delamination.
Core designed to lay into a curved surface,
such as a deck, is contour cut into small blocks
and held together with a light scrim of backing
material. When not enough resin soaks into the
gaps between the core blocks, the bond is too

dry and weak and delaminates. When too

much resin soaks in, particularly when thinned
with more styrene monomer than ideal, styrene
vapor lingers in the core, the resin never fully
cures and it delaminates. The problem of
excess styrene vapor is surprisingly common. It
can register as a wet area on a moisture meter,
albeit its usually nowhere near any hardware
that could provide ingress for water. A core
sample reveals dry core, tacky resin and the
characteristically pungent odor of styrene it
smells like maraschino cherries and vinegar.

Core Problems: Maintenance

Even when a cored laminate is well
constructed, its subject to water penetration
from leaking thru-hulls and deck hardware. In
theory, well-bonded core should not allow
water to migrate from a leaking fitting. In
practice, the partly open slots of the contour cut
core blocks provide passageways for water to
infiltrate. This occurs more rapidly below the
waterline in the curved hull panels and more
slowly in the flat deck areas. For example, the
quickest way I know to condemn a cored hull
to a premature death is to install a knotmeter or
depthsounder thru-hull into a cored area
without removing the core at the thru-hull
location. Because of this risk most
manufacturers of boats with cored hulls will
provide a special location where the core has
been deleted suitable for thru-hull installation.
The affect is further exag gerated in northern
climates, where the soggy core is subject to
freezing and the resulting frost heave further
delaminates the lay-up. The same leak-freezedelaminate cycle is also responsible for many
cored decks on older boats facing radical
surgery.

Cradling Cored Hulls

The same cradling concerns mentioned above
hold true for cored hulls. Although a cored
laminate is more rigid and will resist cradle
dimpling, it has structural limits. Any significant
depression or dimple at the cradle pad usually
indicates that the delamination damage is
already done. Sometimes the delamination at a
cradle pad results from an internal fracture of
the core itself as opposed to a loss of bond to
the inner or outer skins.

Detection
Detecting delamination is surprisingly
straightforward. A surveyor will refer to the
technique as percussive sounding, which
simply involves light tapping usually with a
hammer. Healthy laminate gives off a nice
sharp rap or knock; spongy or delaminated
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

areas a softer thud or muffled thump. The

technique is not infallible: areas of fairing filler
can sound cheesy but may not be of any real
concern and thick laminates with a deep
internal delamination may sound quite solid. A
dry delaminated deck when walked on may
crack underfoot. Should delamination be
suspect, a moisture meter reading and possibly
a core sample analysis will determine how best
to proceed.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Repairing Solid Lay-up

Repairing delaminated solid lay-ups requires
addressing the bad area aggressively with a
grinder and 36-grit paper to remove the
damaged laminates. Its usually possible to
leave the very last laminate in place to provide
a backing for the new layers of glass. The
repair proceeds like any other glass repair,
except that you may have to reinforce and
stiffen the hull if excessive flex led to the
problem. If the solid laminate is also very wet
and delamination is the result of very large
interlaminate blisters, the boat will need
extensive drying, peeling and other work
associated with a major osmosis repair.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Core Repairs
Deteriorated cores are the most common
delamination repair. If the core is dry, it may
be possible to rebond the skin to the core by
resin injection and infusion. This is usually done
by drilling a variety of holes in the outer skin
and persuading unthickened catalyzed epoxy
resin by gravity or vacuum into the holes to
diffuse throughout the damaged area. After the
resin cures, the area should be rebonded. If the
core is wet, you have no option but to cut away
the outer skin to expose and dry out or replace
the wet core.
Wide soggy areas require major surgery
and reconstruction but localized areas near a
leaky fitting or thru-hull can sometimes be
addressed without large-scale removal of the
outer skin. A good example is wet deck core
around a deck fill plate or ventilator mount.
These fittings already require a large hole in

the deck that allows access to the damaged

core. A variety of improvised tools can be used
to dig out the hole perimeter [Ed: See DIY
1998-#2], wet balsa core which is soft, rotten
and easy to remove. Leave the hole exposed in
a dry or covered location long enough to dry
the adjacent core that may be merely damp as
opposed to wet. When dry, the cavity is filled
with resin and chopped glass fiber mix or
thickened epoxy resin and the fitting reinstalled.
To gain access to a localized bad area, cut an
opening, then later install (after the repair is
done) a new deck prism, hatch, ventilator or
whatever. This approach neatly sidesteps the
issue of how to refinish the repair area,
particularly if its patterned nonskid and more
difficult to duplicate. Tip: Its often easier to
sand off the nonskid in the repair area and
finish the gelcoat as a smooth glossy finish. Do
this to the matching area on the other side and
your deck appears factory-original despite a
localized repair.

Prevention and Maintenance

The single most important maintenance item for
all cored hulls or decks is to seal all fittings
fastened into or through the core (Page 5).
This is rarely done; most cored decks suffer
years of neglect simply because core leaks
initially do not drip water inside the boat. By
the time you see the brown-colored ooze on the
headliner, its too late a sure sign of
terminally rotted balsa core.
The solution to the problem of fasteners
allowing leaks into the core is to remove the
core adjacent to the fastener and replace it
with solid, impermeable material (thickened
epoxy resin or polyester and chopped fibers), a
process known as potting (page 35). If
manufacturers had done this beforehand, boats
may have been more expensive but
delamination failures would be less of a
concern today. To lessen core problems, I
recommend a moisture survey at least every
five years and a complete rebed of deck
hardware every 10 years or as needed,
whichever comes first.

19
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Understanding Dry Delamination

LE

O
O

R
R

SS

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

20

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

K
K

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

By Ken Hendry

A 1990 Regal 32 Commodore was slated for

a routine blister repair job so the hull was
sandblasted below the waterline to open voids
and create texture for subsequent coats of
epoxy resin and Interlux Interprotect barrier
coating. Blasting exposed the typical small
osmotic voids extending to the laminate, but
also many nickel-sized areas with a shallow,
flat bottom and obvious dry laminate. Such
condition prompted a call to a surveyor to
examine the results and devise a repair
strategy.
Close inspection found a resin-starved
outer laminate under the gelcoat. Rope-like
fiber laid along the chine and strake edges
from bow to stern to provide a sharper edge
was also badly resin starved. Complete
removal of the gelcoat was recommended by
the surveyor.
I didnt relish doing what must be one of
the least pleasant jobs on a boat, namely
sanding and grinding, especially grinding
gelcoat off the multi strakes of a large cruiser
that results in many hours refilling gouges.
Instead, I opted to have the hull peeled; a
removal technique that involves using a handheld power razor to strip coatings on flat or
curved surfaces to a specified measured depth.
[Ed: For a synopsis on peeling, refer to
Removing Coatings in DIY 2000-#2].
In three hours the peeler machine had
removed all gelcoat, including on the chines
and strakes, leaving a smooth outer laminate
that was sanded to obtain good tooth before
recoating. Peeling had exposed deep voids,
probably from air bubbles in the resin, in
several areas. It also chipped the fiber
reinforcing on chines and strakes, mostly due to
the lack of resin bonding the fibers. Another
call to the surveyor resulted in an increased
repair requirement of laying a thin mat (veil
mat) reinforcement with epoxy resin over the
existing outer laminate to provide extra resin

Peeling a 32-footer took three hours, removed

about 90% of the gelcoat and required minimal
sanding to ready the hull for recoating.

Examples of Dry Delamination: (top)

Sandblasting of hull reveals resin-starved pockets
in outer laminate; (bottom) Peeling of outer
laminateexposes dry areas on chine and
deeper air hole on hull side.

thickness and surface strengthening. Pieces of

mat, about 2m (6'6") long and the width
between the strakes were laid on dry then
wetted out with epoxy resin, first brushed on,
then rolled out and squeegeed. Mat is easier to
apply than fiberglass cloth as the weave
doesnt skew (twist) when rolled out. About 40
hours were spent laying down the mat,
applying another coat of epoxy resin and
reconstructing the chine and strake edges. After
the surface was sanded and faired with
thickened epoxy, I applied Interprotect barrier
coat followed by antifouling. It took 73 hours
to complete the job and repair costs not
including taxes totalled $6,631 in Canadian
funds: $500 for sandblasting; $900 for
peeling; $150 for the survey; $1,416 for parts
and materials; and $3,665 for labor.
Though this was my first occurrence with
dry delamination, its apparently becoming
more prevalent, especially with older boats.
[Ed: Paul and Sheryl Shard recorded the dry
delamination of their sailboats entire outer
laminate and step-by-step repair in DIY 1996#2.] No manufacturer is infallible - lemons are
well documented in the automotive market -
and I suspect this cruiser was just the bad one
in a lot and not representative of the builder.
(The boatbuilder did compensate the owner,
who was not the original owner, for a portion
of the repair costs.)
About the author: Ken Hendry operates
Hendrys Trent Talbot Marina in Beaverton,
Ont., and is an experienced fiberglass and
osmosis repairer.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Replacing Foam Flotation

Boat manufacturers add foam flotation for safety. When
foam absorbs water it increases the boat's designed
weight which affects performance, handling and flotation
capacity. Replacing the foam is possible, but not easy.

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

RT

E RE

LE

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

Level flotation foam keeps an outboard-powered

runabout afloat when swamped.

canoes and kayaks. Testing procedures for

manufactured boats require that integral air
chambers be flooded. This eliminates any
construction flaws. Few manufacturers use this
type of flotation in small boats.
Rigid urethane foam blocks and other
shapes are cut to size to fit hull cavities. Rigid
foam is expensive and requires more time to
install than the blow- or pour-in liquid foam,
which partially explains the widespread use of
the latter.
Besides ease of use, there are a number of
other reasons that manufacturers use the
blown-in urethane foam. It expands to fill in
cavities completely and bonds to surfaces. This
creates a very rigid-feeling structure. The
adhesive properties can also be utilized to
secure structures and accessories, such as fuel,
water and holding tanks. A boat that has
plenty of blown-in foam seems solid and well
built.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

ABYC

R
IIR
AA

GG

When most people think of flotation in small

boats they immediately think "foam" and
invariably have a story to tell about water
saturation. So what can you do about flotation
and foams in particular? Let us first examine
the underlying reasons why foam is the most
popular form of flotation material.
Federal regulations require flotation in
boats under 6m (20'), except canoes, kayaks,
sailboats and some other craft. American Boat
and Yacht Council (ABYC) defines three types
of flotation: basic prevents a swamped
inboard, stern drive or sailboat from sinking
when its passengers are in the water clinging
to it; level flotation keeps a swamped
outboard-powered boat over 2hp floating in a
level position; and modified basic flotation
delivers the same buoyancy as basic but also
floats manually-propelled boats and outboard
boats with less than 2hp in a level attitude.
ABYC also specifies building practices that
cover buoyancy in the event of swamping. In
brief, the recommendations cover three types
of installed flotation: non-integral air chambers;
pre-shaped plastic foam; and liquid mix plastic
foam poured or sprayed in place.
Non-integral air chambers are separate
from the hull structure. These include air
bladders which are commonly placed in

NC
A

SH OO T I N

By Wayne Redditt

21

Placement of Level Flotation Foam for Typical Runabout

Fb=flotation material needed to support the swamped boat.
Fp=flotation material needed to support the engine.
Fc=flotation material to support the live load.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

O
O

SH OO T I N

K
K

SS

H
H

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

22

PP

SS

R
IIR
AA

W
W

R
R

O
O

RT

E RE

LE

NC
A

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

Level flotation foam keeps an outboard-powered

runabout afloat when swamped.

Over time, repetitive hull slamming, freezethaw cycles and water lying in the bilge causes
an unpredictable deterioration in the watersaturated, closed-cell foam. This results in the
boat becoming excessively heavy, which
affects performance and handling, and creates
a loss of flotation capacity. This loss of flotation
may be sufficient to sink a boat when
swamped. Fortunately, many manufacturers
exceed the recommended standards for
flotation and should the foam degrade, their
boats still float.
What can you do if you suspect that the
flotation foam in your boat is saturated? Simply
weighing the boat will tell you whether or not
the foam has become heavy with water.
Alternatively, have a marine surveyor perform
a moisture check with a meter to distinguish
wet structures from dry ones. You may even
have access into flotation compartments
through inspection ports.
Once diagnosed, the decision to replace
the foam may require careful consideration.
Most manufacturers do not intend the foam to
be removed and it's not an easy task. The stuff
bonds strongly to the hull, stringers, deck
structures and whatever else it contacts. In most
cases, removing the foam requires removal of
the floor and bulkheads. Removal is entirely
mechanical and manual. Chisels, pry-bars,
scrapers, grinders and the like are the tools
needed for the job. There are no solvents that
you can pour onto the cavities to simply
dissolve the foam.
The time may come when you decide to
refoam the hull to achieve the buoyancy
necessary for safety. Over the years, every

possible option for replacing flotation has been

tried Ping-Pong balls, white or blue
Styrofoam, even Styrofoam peanuts. Because
Styrofoam doesn't resist gasoline or styrenecarrying products like uncured polyester resin,
you cannot use it in the bilge or as a "glassedin" component. Some boaters may opt to wrap
Styrofoam in polyethylene plastic and heat
sealing the film or perhaps use zip-locking
freezer bags to prevent fluids from contacting
and degrading the foam. Personally, I would
opt for closed-cell urethane foam blocks cut to
fit into the hull cavities. One benefit of this
approach is that you can insure the drain holes
in the bilge remain open and free to transport
water to the pumps.
Using pour-in-place urethane foam that
expands to fill the compartments may be
attempted by the do-it-yourselfer, but be
careful. The foam has enormous capacity to
distort structures as it expands. By not
calculating the volume properly, I once bulged
a cockpit sole about 2.5cm (1") in the center
on a small cathedral hull runabout. It also
makes keeping the bilge drain holes open
extremely difficult. And you don't want to
perpetuate the problem of water collecting and
saturating the foam all over again.
The benefits of positive flotation have
saved many lives. If you wish to calculate the
flotation required for your boat, ABYC
publishes a detailed formula in its manual.
Interested readers should contact DIY's editor
for copies.
About the author: Wayne Redditt teaches
boatbuilding, repair and restoration at
Georgian College's Marine TechnologyRecreation course in Orillia, Ont.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Repairing Non-Skid

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

then load it into the Preval spray bottle. Add

catalyst at a ratio of 2%. An easy method to
measure it is to calculate the number of drops
per millilitre. In our demonstration, five drops
equaled 1ml. Dont overcatalyze. Stir well.
Working time is about 20 minutes.

RT

E RE

LE

STEP 1

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Damage to non-skid decks is usually caused by

dropping heavy objects, such as the anchor or
a hammer, or stowing small outboards,
bicycles, a dinghy or other bulky gear
topsides. Repairing premixed painted non-skid
is easy, just reapply. It becomes more difficult
with a molded non-skid. The procedures
outlined below use a three-step repair method:
First a pattern or mold is made of the non-skid,
a replacement patch is laminated from the
mold, which is then glued onto the deck after
removing the damaged deck surface. This is
not an easy repair and usually takes some
careful analysis of deck camber, total area of
repair and pattern alignment.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

STEP 3
To make the mold, first select a flat portion of
the non-skid deck that is in good condition.
Wash the surface and let it dry. Mask off an
area twice as large as the repair area. Use
paper or plastic sheeting to prevent overspray
getting on the deck. Clean the work area with
acetone. Using a disposable Preval sprayer
(available at autobody supply shops), spray
the masked area with a thin, even coating of
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Wear a respirator
this is toxic stuff! You can use mold-release
wax instead but it fills up the pores, giving an
uneven coating. If the work area is not
completely covered with PVA, the mold will
stick to the deck and youll be doing another
repair. Allow the PVA film to dry for about 20
minutes.

STEP 2

23

Use a syringe to measure the exact amounts of

color-matched gelcoat and catalyst. (A metric
one is preferred as its easier to calibrate in
millilitres than ounces.) Measure the gelcoat

Spray a thick coating of gelcoat over the PVA

film. Do not brush on the gelcoat. If you disturb
the PVA with the brush the mold will stick to the
deck. Note the dam formed by masking tape
along the edges of the work area in the photo.
This is so the sprayed gelcoat doesnt create a
hard edge. Let the gelcoat cure completely
(one to two hours).
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

STEP 4

To make a replacement patch, take your mold

and repeat the entire laminating process. First
wax the mold (use PVA or mold-release wax),
then spray or brush on a thin coating of colormatched gelcoat. Dont make this too thick; the
grid pattern in the mold should be just almost
filled.

STEP 7

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

Once the gelcoat has cured, laminate two

layers of chop-strand mat onto the gelcoat. Let
cure overnight. Remove the part from the mold.
This should perfectly match the pattern and
color of your decks non-skid. If the bottom of
your replacement piece isnt uniform, sand it
until flat.

RT

E RE

LE

STEP 5

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Build your mold by laying up three or four

layers of chop-strand mat soaked in general
purpose polyester or vinylester resin mixed
with hardener according to directions. Pour a
small quantity of resin in the center of the cloth,
then spread with a squeegee.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

STEP 8
When all the layers are wetted out, use a
ribbed metal roller, working toward the edges,
to remove air bubbles. If youre in a hurry, you
can overcatalyze resin by up to 5% when
making your mold and replacement patch.
Your finished mold should be about 4.7mm
(3/16) thick. Let cure overnight, then pop it
off the deck. Wash both the mold and deck
surface with water to remove the PVA.

STEP 6

Outline the repair area on deck with a felt pen

so it forms a square or rectangle. This is the
easiest to cut, although you can radius the
corners. If your non-skid has a geometric
pattern, count the number of diamonds, for
example, so that all sides are equal and youll
be cutting in the groove.

STEP 9

24

Using a router with a 1/2 straight, single-flute

carbide cutting bit, carefully remove the deck
surface. (Dont use spiral or double flute bits
which tend to break away.) Step the depth of
the cuts so you just cut into the laminate below
the gelcoat. Make the first cut no more than
1.5mm (1/16). Keep lowering the router bit
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

patch is positioned, it will squeeze out the

gelcoat, eliminating the join line.

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

RT

E RE

LE

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

R
IIR
AA

GG

STEP 12

NC
A

SH OO T I N

until the cutting depth matches the thickness of

your replacement piece. Cut carefully. Too
deep and youll go through the deck. Dont do
this with an expensive router as fiberglass dust
will destroy it.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Mix a small quantity of laminating resin with

catalyst and drop some in the center of the
cutout. This acts as a glue. Be careful not to
touch the gelcoat. Place a few strands of mat,
cut to short lengths with scissors, in the bottom
to help bond the repair.

STEP 10
Square the corners with a chisel, cutting into
the repair zone. If you attempt to chisel into the
good non-skid, it will crack the gelcoat and
youll have an ever-growing repair zone.
Transfer the shape of your deck cutout to your
replacement patch, aligning the pattern so it
matches perfectly. Place it in a vice, then cut to
size with a hacksaw. A hacksaw gives a
perfectly clean cut without the edges breaking
away. Dry-fit your patch and file, if necessary,
with a metal file to fit the deck cutout.

STEP 11

25

To make an invisible repair, mix some colormatched gelcoat with catalyst and apply to the
edge of the deck cutout. (We used a lighter
gelcoat for demonstration purposes.) When the

STEP 13

Place the replacement part in the cutout.

Immediately remove any excess gelcoat with
an acetone-soaked rag. The color-matched
gelcoat gives a virtually invisible repair.
(Contrasting gelcoat was used and is visible in
the photo.) Weigh down the patch with a
heavy object.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Replacing a Soggy Deck

A water-saturated, cored deck poses a safety concern and
reduces a boats resale value. If your boat is in such
condition, dont despair. Heres a solution that is not too
costly, provided you have the time and patience to learn
and do the repairs yourself.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

TOOLS AND
MATERIALS
Hammer
Chisels
7-1/4 circular saw
with saw blade and
Multidisc
Tape measure
Drill and bits
Holesaw set
Jigsaw
Belt sander
Low-rpm (2,500)
orbital sander
Screwdrivers
Wrenches
Taps and tap handle
Scissors
Knife
Pencil
Markers
Fairing board
Epoxy and polyester
resin
Laminating supplies
including: rollers,
squeegees, tongue
depressors
Rubber gloves
Dust mask

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

By Don Campbell

26

After many years of dinghy

sailing, Don and Phoebe Campbell
decided to look for a larger boat that
could be cruised and raced on the
Great Lakes. They narrowed their
choice to a 30-footer or larger with a
full keel and a budget below $25,000,
then went boat shopping. Of the
available boats they discovered two
classes: those that were structurally
unsound and those that were above
their budget. They found a 1973

Alberg 30 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. The hull

was sound but the deck and cockpit floor were
mushy. Water weeped out of the stanchions,
which were movable through as much as 35,
and a moisture meter read higher than 60% on
half of the deck.
A survey revealed no surprises. Water
saturation had decayed a large portion of the
balsa-cored deck. Preliminary estimates from
boat repair yards started at CDN$6,000 for the
known conditions and more if things were worse
once the deck was opened up. Knowing all of
their options, they purchased the boat at a
giveaway price, trucked the boat home and put
it into an unheated equipment shed to do the
repairs themselves.
Don had built two Mirror dinghies from kits
and so had some experience with epoxy and
polyester resins. He had a considerable amount
of other building experience making equipment
for his vegetable farm processing lines, but had
never undertaken a project such as this. Heres
how Don replaced White Opals totally
saturated cored deck.

he first step of the repair was to visit a

local boat repair yard for some
professional advice. Generally, most
repairers are willing to give advice and
help if asked. Even if there is a cost, it will save
both time and money on the job.
I was advised to fully scaffold the entire
hull. It was expensive to do but saved much

Strips of the outer deck laminate showing the rotted core.

DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

Before starting the repair, photographs of the

deck were taken in series so that the whole
deck could be reassembled in one composite.
Next, all fasteners and hardware were
removed and labeled, then stored in marked
boxes. The outer skin of the entire deck and
cockpit floor was cut into about 30.4cm (1)
sections through to the core using a Multidisc
(it has diamond chips in the blades) in a 71/4 circular saw. A 5cm- (2-) wide strip
was left on the outside edges along the
cabin, cockpit and toe rail. (One cutting disc
did the entire deck, about 34m (114).) The
deck was then peeled off where it was weak
and chiseled away where necessary.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

27

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR

THE JOB

Preparation

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

time and wear and tear on the hull from

ladders, and my knees from climbing, and
simplifies working with power tools and
chemicals. The pros also recommended using
diamond-cutting tools to remove the outer skin
of fiberglass, leaving some of the original top
surface for bonding the final layers. (Glass
fibers quickly dull carbide and steel cutting
blades.)
Repairing a delaminated deck involves
stripping the outer skin, excavating the wet,
mushy core and replacing it, then rebuilding
the laminate. On some boats it may be
necessary to brace the deck with vertical
supports placed in the cabin before removing
the outer skin to prevent sagging and to
maintain the original deck shape.

Side deck prepped for balsa core after

coating the inner skin with polyester
then epoxy resins. Note the beveled
edges.

As the laminate was left intact around the

edges for matching and bonding surfaces,
removing the core between the outer and
inner skins was a big problem. After trying
several tool shops without success, I initially
tried a circular saw blade on a variable
speed drill. This was too unsafe and hard
on the wrists and it tended to make holes in
the inner skin. After two days of drawing
and an hour with the cutting torch, I
transformed a piece of 6.3cm (2-1/2)
heavy angle iron into a horizontal chisel
(Figure A) with a flat top for hitting with a
hammer. I then made a mirror image, rather
than use my left hand on the hammer, and
that was effective for most of the removal. A
saw blade was fitted with a handle (Figure
B) and that worked well to gouge out the
mushy core. A fairing board was made of
hickory, cut thin enough to flex and yet
strong enough to be useful. A broken shovel
handle was sectioned for the handles.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Removal of the balsa core, 6mm (1/4) in the

deck and 9mm (3/8) in the cockpit floor,
was done with a 5cm (2) chisel. A wider,
homemade chisel made of a truck spring
would have been quicker. The hardest job
was to remove the core between the skin
layers left on the edges and for that I made
the necessary tools (see The Right Tools for
the Job). The edges of the outer skin were
then beveled to give as wide a scarf joint as
possible.

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Lay up

set close to the work area before mixing the

resin. Care was taken to taper and stagger the
joins of each layer. Resin was mixed in small
batches that were usable before they heated.
Fillers included cabosil, microfibres and
microballoons used to thicken the epoxy,
increase bonding strength, facilitate sanding or
decrease sagging, depending upon the need.
Smooth squeegees and rollers were used to
apply epoxy to cloth and notched squeegees
were used with a lot of pressure to apply
fairing compounds. Ridges were intentionally
left in fairing layers to reduce sanding time
and once fair, a layer of epoxy was applied
with rollers or smooth squeegees or both to fill
in the low spots. As many of the resin and
cloth layers as practical were applied green
to avoid the waxy amine blush, a bi-product of
cured epoxy; otherwise, it was necessary to
wash and lightly sand before applying the next
layer.

After thoroughly vacuuming the deck twice, a

layer of polyester resin was brushed on the
inner skin and while still green (uncured),
overcoated with West epoxy applied with a
notched squeegee. While the yard
recommended using polyester resin, I choose
epoxy instead so this step was necessary to
insure good adhesion.) A layer of 2-oz woven
cloth was laid in and wetted out with epoxy
followed by a layer of 6-oz cloth (Figure 1).
Final Finishing
The 6mm (1/4) balsa core was then fitted
Extra effort was made to have the chainplates
and epoxied to the laminate. A coat of epoxy
better than original. A positive blank cut from a
was then rolled over the top surface to seal the
plastic chopping board of the desired shape
core. All thru-hulls were marked and at least
was used for all seven chainplate risers.
2.54cm (1) of the core surrounding the fittings Plasticine was shaped over the blank to form a
was removed and the cavity filled with a
mold, then coated wih polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
thickened epoxy mixture so the
core would be sealed when the
thru-hull was fitted. I then applied
two layers of 6-oz cloth and the
surface was faired with epoxy
The cost to repair a delaminated deck depends on the
mixed with microspheres. A final 6size of the repair and the prices of materials at the
oz layer of cloth was applied and
time. For this job, which was done in 96 and 97, the
when fully cured, the surface faired
following costs in Canadian dollars were incurred:
with epoxy and microspheres. Two
coats of epoxy were then rolled on
to seal the fairing compound and
10gal West System epoxy and hardener
$ 850
lightly sanded and prepped for
Polyester resin and hardener
$ 40
painting.
Fillers (cabosil, microfibres
A similar procedure was
carried out for the cockpit floor
and microballoons)
$ 100
with two extra layers of fiberglass
2-oz and 6-oz woven roving
$ 300
tape feathered onto the vertical
sides. (Cores in most decks are
Balsa core, 6mm (1/4) and 9mm (3/8) $ 300
normally used only for the
Scaffolding materials
$ 450
horizontal surfaces.) Because of the
decks long narrow shape, we cut
Deck paint
$ 75
the cloth into 45cm (18) strips or
Miscellaneous supplies, gloves, pots,
smaller and butt joined the ends.
One large piece was used for the
sandpaper, brushes, rollers, etc.
$ 150
foredeck. These were all cut and
TOTAL
$ 2,265
set in place. If two layers were
LABOR
350 hrs
applied green on green (while

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

DIY REPAIR BILL

28

still tacky), the second layer was

DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

A competitive Y-Flyer racer, Don Campbell built the

first of two Mirror dinghies in 1970 to sail on the
Grand River, which was the northern boundary of his
farm in South Cayuga, Ont. The Alberg 30 was
purchased to allow all the non-racing members of the
family to enjoy sailing, and has been an interesting
repair project for a retired farmer.

TIPS
HELPFUL HINTS

LE

O
O

K
K

SS

H
H

PP

Photograph the placement of

hardware on the original deck before
beginning repairs.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

and filled with solid epoxy mixed with coarse

fiber fillers (Figure 2). This process was
repeated to make the seven risers. These were
then bonded at the appropriate places to the
deck with epoxy. Stainless steel cover plates
were fastened with bolts, tapped into the
epoxy and sealed with a polyurethane
adhesive sealant (Figure 3).

29

Consider all safety and health

practices before starting.
For deck repairs, fully scaffold the hull.

SS

W
W

R
R

O
O

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

For advice, find someone who has

experience.

The final look is up to the boat owner. The

original gelcoat had a pattern of raised
diamonds (not easily duplicated) and the
application of a sand-filled coating was more
than I wanted to try without some extra air
tools. I selected Sikkens Deckpaint, an
inexpensive, one part gray non-skid paint
thats quickly and easily applied with a roller.
Although this paint was somewhat soft initially,
it has been satisfactory throughout the first
season without much glare and good anti-skid
properties.
The last step was to rebed the hardware
and this was done with backing plates and a
polysulfide sealant (see Bedding Hardware).
Thru-bolted fittings and thru-hulls were aligned
from below because this repair didnt
obliterate their original location. Holes were
cut with holesaws where possible and a jigsaw
was used for the one large inspection port in
the cockpit floor. The boat was now ready for
launching.

Fully understand how to use and apply

the resin, fillers and related materials you
choose.
Be meticulous when it comes to
bonding old and new layers
to ensure a sound foundation.
Buy the recommended tools.
Be prepared to design and/or make
your own tools.
Cover areas that you dont want epoxy
spilled on with drop cloths.
To save time and materials when it
comes to filling and
fairing, keep the layers as fair and even
as possible as you build the laminate.
Plan for extra time, as much as 33%,
so you can enjoy the job and not be in a
panic to finish.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Transom Repairs
Follow these repair procedures to restore a
rotten or delaminated transom to original
condition.

K
K

O
O

PP

Most fiberglass boats powered by sterndrive or

outboard engines will have a plywood-cored
transom. It's usually constructed of two layers
of 19mm (3/4") plywood, with an inner and
outer skin of fiberglass laminated to the wood.
If you suspect your boat's transom is
rotten, it's a relatively straightforward, though
lengthy job to repair. Moderate woodworking
and fiberglassing skills are required, but more
importantly, patience and attention to detail
are keys to success. All the rotten, delaminated
wood must be removed and replaced,
followed by reglassing the inside surface of the
transom. You'll need just the basic tool
inventory: circular saw with carbide blade,
hammer, chise
els, pry bars, screwdrivers, wrenches and
socket sets, jigsaw or reciprocating saw (to cut
the hole for the outdrive in the new transom),
electric drill and bits, putty knives, rollers,
scissors, buckets, stir sticks and cleanup
supplies, safety and protective gear.
To confirm the diagnosis of transom rot or
delamination, use a small plastic-faced
hammer and tap test the laminate. If it sounds
hollow instead of firm, you have one or both
conditions present.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Repair Strategy

30

Prior to removing any components, it's wise to

draw a "map" of the exact location of all
components that are attached to the transom.
These include wiring harnesses, transom
lights, vents, all mechanical accessories,
hoses, pumps, blowers, etc. Taking a photo
wouldn't hurt either. Its easier to spend a few
minutes at the beginning than ponder the
location of these things later.
The boat must be securely blocked to
prevent the hull changing shape as you
remove the structural section of the transom.
This cannot be overemphasized. The boat will
twist if not properly blocked prior to removal
of the transom skin. If the new transom is
installed into a twisted hull, the change will
be permanent and undesirable.
Remove the engine and outdrive. Label all

connections for ease of reassembly later.

Keep all nuts, bolts and other fasteners
together in labeled containers. Remove all
items that are attached to the transom and are
in the vicinity. You will require clear working
space all around the inside portion of the
transom in order to remove and replace the
wood core. Once you've removed everything,
make a cardboard template of the transom
shape, marking the placement of all thruholes, fasteners, etc.

Preparing the Core

Working from the inside of the transom, use a
circular saw to remove the fiberglass skin. [In
some cases it may be easier to repair the
transom from the outside, removing the outside
fiberglass skin, but this requires more detailed
finishing. ED.] Set the blade depth so it
goes just through the thickness of the outer skin
and doesn't cut the core. Carefully cut all
around the perimeter as close to the outer
edge as you can get (the saw fence determines
this). Use pry bars and wedges (made from
wood scraps) to carefully remove the skin.
Then remove the plywood, being careful not to
damage the outer skin in the process. This is
usually a messy job. Wear a respirator, since
rotten wood contains a fungus that may cause
allergic reactions in some people. Slightly sand
the surface of the
exposed fiberglass skin
to expose clean
fiberglass.
2a

2b

1a
1b

Bolt holes
Outside
transom

Figure 1
Parts 1a and 1b are one layer of the transom.
Parts 2a and 2b are the second layer. Horizontal
cuts are necessary due to confined working space
in most boats and are staggered so they don't
weaken the finished structure.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

ANNE-MARIE HENDRY

LE

R
R

H
H

W
W

O
O

SS

SS

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

By Wayne Redditt

O
O

SH OO T I N

K
K

SS

H
H

PP

SS

R
IIR
AA

W
W

R
R

O
O

RT

E RE

LE

NC
A

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Fitting and Finishing

31

Epoxy resin is used to coat the plywood and

exposed fiberglass skin and to bond it all
together; polyester resin in used to laminate the
layers of fiberglass. First seal all plywood
edges with "raw" or unthickened epoxy resin.
Now roll on one coat of epoxy on the plywood
and the fiberglass surface. Mix up a batch of
epoxy thickened to a consistency of
mayonnaise with a low-density filler (i.e. a
blended microfibers and colloidal silica filler).
This filler prevents glue sag and will fill any
gaps between the layers. [This is a personal
preference as West System recommends using
a high-density filler, such as its 403
Microfibers, for this job. Ed.] Onto the wet
epoxy, apply the thickened epoxy with a
squeegee or notched trowel. Use this mixture

Bolts
C-Clamps
4x4
Clamping
Caul
ANNE-MARIE HENDRY

After the wood is removed, the exposed

laminate is dry and the inside of the boat is
cleaned of debris, you must plan the method
to replace the plywood. When the boat was
built in the factory, the transom was
installed prior to the deck being placed onto
the hull. You are attempting something that
is slightly more difficult. The plywood must
be installed in a number of pieces, in order to
be able to fit around the deck overhang,
engine stringers and cockpit floor. Transfer
the shape from the cardboard template
onto the plywood you have purchased
for the job. A word on plywood:
Marine grade is expensive but worth its cost;
exterior grade G1S (Good One Side) will do if
your budget is really tight, but the flaws in the
wood make it undesirable for this job.
The pieces you have formed must be
staggered at the joint as shown in Figure 1. If
the butt joints are too close together, they
seriously weaken the structure. Dry-fit all pieces
before attempting to glue them into place. The
clamping strategy must be worked out ahead
of time, since there is no time to waste once
glue is applied. The usual method of clamping
involves drilling bolt holes completely through
the plywood, outer fiberglass skin and a
clamping caul (Figure 2). This caul may be
angle iron or simply a 4x4 timber. The idea is
to keep the transom flat while the glue cures.
Use bolts with oversize washers or small
plywood blocks to hold the sections together
and screws to apply pressure while the glue
cures. Coat fasteners with auto paste wax or
Pam cooking spray to facilitate removal. If you
plan to leave any screws (or nails) in place,
use ones made of stainless steel or bronze and
countersink the heads in the plywood.

Figure 2
TIMBER CLAMPING CAULS - When gluing
plywood to the outer laminate, place at least two
4x4s across the transom horizontally and thrubolted. If plywood is precut for outdrive, bolt
sections together with C-clamps. This ensures a
perfectly flat mounting surface for outdrives.

between the layers of plywood and the

fiberglass surface and as filler putty around the
edges. Apply liberally, so epoxy squeezes out
the edges when clamped. Clamp using your
cauls, clean up excess epoxy and let fully cure.
Once cured, remove the fasteners and fill the
holes with slightly thickened epoxy. A plastic
syringe makes this job easy.
A new inner fiberglass skin is now
laminated over the plywood. Use polyester
resin as epoxy doesn't work well with most
chopped-strand mat (CSM) fiberglass. Begin
with 1-1/2oz CSM. The technique for
successfully saturating fiberglass on vertical
surfaces involves using short paint rollers with
thick-nap roller covers. Lay the CSM over the
transom, overlapping the edges and holding in
place with masking tape. Dunk your roller into
a bucket of catalyzed resin and roll the resin
into the CSM. Make sure it's well saturated. A
resin-rich laminate is okay for this job. Let it
cure slightly (it should not be "wet") before
following with a layer of 18oz (or heavier)
woven roving. Use the same technique to
saturate this layer. Alternate layers until you
have a thickness approximating the original
laminate. When cured, paint the surface for a
finished appearance.
Cut out the drive opening and reinstall the
drive, motor and accessories. Whew, big job,
but worth the hassle if you love that old boat.
Wayne Redditt teaches boatbuilding, repair and
restoration at Georgian College's Marine TechnologyRecreation course in Orillia, Ont. Inquiries directed
towards this column are welcome. Send your
comments or questions via mail, fax or e-mail,
attention ShopTalk.
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

LE

R
R

K
K

SS

O
O

PP

SS

W
W

O
O

H
H

E RE

RT

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

Resin Repair Substitutes

One point to keep in mind when

contemplating a repair to fiberglass (a.k.a.
fiber reinforced plastic or FRP) structures is
that the process of polymerization (essentially
turning liquid into solid plastic) that occurs
during boat construction is a non-reversible
process. Once turned to solid plastic, there is
no longer any chance to chemically bond a
resin (regardless of its make-up) in the same
way that the original is bonded.
Boat builders use a laminating resin
during consecutive layering of reinforcements
that retains an active surface for subsequent
layers to bond with chemically. The final layer
is put on with an air-inhibited resin that allows
complete polymerization. When properly laid
up, the surface is hard and tack free (see
Delamination: Failures, Repairs & Prevenion

on page 16). At that point all further bonding

is known as secondary, meaning the bonds
are primarily adhesive in nature.
Whether to use epoxy, polyester or
vinylester resin for secondary bonding is
debated endlessly amongst professionals.
Repair epoxies may be formulated to have
extraordinary adhesive properties, but have
difficult laminating properties. Most resins,
regardless of type, are compromised in one
category or another. Researching the
chemical system that you intend to use is the
crucial step in successful repair work. Virtually
any resin system epoxy, polyester or
vinylester may be made to work effectively,
if you understand its application and
limitations.
Wayne Redditt

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

32
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

RT

E RE

LE

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

R
IIR
AA

GG

A deck that squishes when walked on, has

water weeping out the laminate at a fitting or
water dripping into the interior are sure signs
of saturation of a cored deck. Water usually
seeps into a cored deck when the outer skin
was built too thin
and fractures
Resin filler
(visible by the
telltale webs) or
from hardware and
thru-hulls that were
improperly installed
by the builder
and/or not
maintained by the
owner.
Balsa has good
compressive
strength, which
makes it a desirable core material, but it must
be sealed to prevent water migration. Any
holes drilled into or through a cored laminate
must be completely sealed with marine
adhesive sealant, either a polysulfide or
polyurethane when you dont plan on
removing the fitting. Apply an ample amount
of sealant under the fitting and backing plate
(if used) and coat the threads of the fasteners.
Its recommended installing all thru-bolted
hardware with a backing plate to distribute the
load on the underside of the laminate. Backing
plates are made of stainless steel, bronze or
aluminum. Backing plates can also be made of
hardwood but these must be thick enough so
they dont bend and they require oversized

NC
A

SH OO T I N

Bedding Hardware in Cored Decks

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

33

ANNE-MARIE HENDRY

Resin filler

Balsa

Balsa

Backing Plate

washers. These are sized slightly larger than

the base of the fitting (about 2.5cm/1) and
installed below deck. In extreme high-stress
areas, a matching plate is mounted between
the fitting and the deck.

Sealant
Fiberglass
Balsa

Backing Plate

Sealant

With some highly loaded fittings, such as

grabrails, bow and stern pulpits, stanchion
bases and dock line cleats, the core
compresses and crushes under the load. To
prevent crushing of the core, remove the core
under the hardware, excavating a hole thats
slightly larger than the outside dimensions of
the fitting, then fill the cavity with a mixture of
thickened epoxy, polyester or vinylester resin.
Heavy hardware (windlasses, etc.) may also
require fiberglass reinforcing of the laminate.
Preventative maintenance is your best
defense against water penetration.
Occasionally remove and rebed all fittings,
trim and thru-hulls especially hardware with
cracked caulking and add backing plates if
necessary. For high-stress
hardware, you should
remove the core under the
Sealant
fitting and fill the cavity as
described above. Repair any
Fiberglass spider cracking or any
damaged laminate. If your
boat is stored outdoors in the
Balsa
winter, cover it, and level the
hull so water doesnt collect
on the deck or cockpit and
drain through the scuppers.
Sealant
Jan Mundy
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Potting Techniques

Inner skin

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

RT

E RE

LE

Drilled
hole

Outer
skin

R
IIR
AA

GG

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M
NC
A

SH OO T I N

DAVID AIKEN

(1) Core is drilled with small pilot bit; (2) ream everything out with speedbore drill or small holesaw to
remove all material to the depth of the the inner skin; (3) hole plugged with thickened resin mixture; (4)
hole redrilled for fastener, hardware properly bedded and installed.

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Drill to here only

3
Solid resin plug

Taped hole

Redrill for fastener,

bed and install
hardware

34
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628

Installation in Cored Laminates

W
W

O
O

R
R

K
K

SS

H
H

O
O

PP

SS

RT

E RE

LE

Drill hole sized to fastener

NT
AIIN
TE
MA
ENN
M

R
IIR
AA

GG

Core

NC
A

SH OO T I N

RO
TR
T
OU
UBB

Countersink for fastener

Liberally apply
sealant onto and
into hole to form
an O-ring for
maximum
waterproofing

35
DIY boat owner 2001 1-888-658-2628