Click to View the Full Thread

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: FIberglass Repair
 
Author Message Text
photoguy190
01/18/2011 09:48PM
  
I recently got a old canoe, I believe its about a 1989 16' Wenonah Fisherman. Its fiberglass with a green gel coat. The former owner tied the bow and stern to his car with ratchet straps. There are stress cracks in the middle. I can patch them I've watch videos and was given some advice so I'm good on that. I'm not sure which kit I should use, some are epoxy others say resin. I have looked at getting one from northwest canoe, but there are other kits out there that are cheaper but not stated for boats or canoes. Does this matter? Also there are chips out of the gel coat is there a place to get just green gel coat? Does it need to be boat specif. One of the reasons I'm asking is I don't want to pay more for the same product, but if there is differences I'm fine with the price. The last thing is the gel coat is pretty faded is there a product that might brighten up the gel coat?

Thanks for all your help as I get ready to start this project.
 
photoguy190
01/19/2011 10:29AM
  
Thank you, but I do think I'm more confused now :/


I've gone over the canoe and the only places that I believe need patched are these two stress fractures. About 1/4" wide by about 3" tall. They really have only softened the fiberglass and don't really go though the gel coat. I'm just looking for a kit to do it with. I've looked at this one


http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/browse.cfm/4,3255.html


And this one


http://www.shop.northwestcanoe.com/Composite-Repair-Kit-881103.htm


These aren't bad priced, but sometimes stuff like this is twice what it should be from a specialty shop. Just trying to make sure there is not a less expensive place to get the same thing.
 
Amok
01/19/2011 11:16AM
  
You mentioned Northwest Canoes. If you're in the area, I'd take a bunch of pics of the damage and stop by the shop and pick their brains before starting any project. They would be more than helpful, I've always found them reasonable to deal with. It doesn't cost anything to ask :)
As far as a fiberglass repair kit goes, I have no idea. I know that my father has repaired MANY fiberglass boats over his lifetime and it doesn't appear to be that difficult. Just time consuming. Do it right the first time, like any other home project. Which means research, research, research first.
 
Bannock
01/19/2011 11:55AM
  
OK. Wenonah uses vinylester on their canoes, so the first kit you mentioned should be good. However, epoxy (ie the second kit mentioned)can be used over fiberglass, so either kit should be good.


Now, if you don't want to spend that much, I have patched old fiberglass canoes with Bondo car body repair kits from the hardware store. Make sure you get fiberglass cloth rather than bat.


The real important thing is surface preparation.
 
Winemaker
01/19/2011 09:37AM
  

I have used both cheap FG resin from Walmart and good FG resin from Gougeon Brothers, West System epoxy. I find when I want to make structural repairs like cracks or holes, I use the West marine-grade stuff. If doing minor cosmetic repair, the cheap stuff works fine!


Epoxies are designed for different materials, different environments, surface types, and curing times. I would strongly urge you to use epoxy designed for boats.


Just to confuse the matter, there are polyester, vinylester, and epoxy resins used in canoe construction. Some argue you have to match the resin to the boat, others say it makes no difference. Someone smarter then me said:


"The success of your patch is going to depend more on your craftsmanship than on the materials. There should be NO surface your patch touches that hasn't been ground down to "virgin" material. If, as you're sanding the patch, you see a seam at edge - no matter how tiny - that's where it's going to start coming apart later.


Use no more resin than necessary to wet out your glass. Most amateur repairs I've seen were terribly resin-rich. Sop up any excess resin. I used cheap paint rollers when I did this stuff for a living, but rags will work on small jobs.


Spider cracks indicate impact damage. Sand off the gelcoat entirely on one of them. If you see white lines in the fiberglass itself that replicate the gelcoat cracks, another patch is in order, just as if the spiderweb was a large hole. You need to get rid of all the cracks by grinding them out and patching, just like you did the hole. (In fact, you'll make holes.) This is where I'd choose cloth over mat for the repair.


The easiest way to patch impact damage is to grind one side down to virgin material, then lay a few layers of mat against it. This will help you maintain the shape. Now go to the other side and grind out the cracks, making an 8:1 taper. (If the glass is 1/8" thick, then your taper should be 1".) Patch this side, then go back and grind off all that mat you applied and patch the other side correctly."



humm?