A fiberglass boat is a reliable marine vehicle made from lightweight, affordable and durable material. However, after a long time, wear and tear can actually undermine this water vehicle. At the same time, bumps and collisions can actually weaken or even destroy such durable material. To prevent these things from happening, learn these simple steps on how to repair fiberglass cracks on boats.
Materials Needed
Learning how to repair fiberglass cracks on boats is an easy thing to do. It needs a few and simple materials to accomplish including paintbrush, a resin applicator and epoxy resin. Likewise, be sure to get a marine-type gel enamel, sandpaper and fiberglass cloth.
Steps
When doing things particularly this kind of job, it is always best to be safe and secure. For the eyes, wear safety goggles to protect them from harmful chemicals. Meanwhile, protect those precious hands by using rubber gloves while working with these chemicals. These can prevent harmful irritants from affecting the hands at all times.
Look for voids and cracks on the body of the boat. Mark all of them. Get the resin applicator and then use it to apply epoxy resin in all these voids and cracks. Utmost alertness and efficiency are very important in this particular step. Because epoxy resin dries very fast, be sure to apply it fast on these imperfections before exposing it for longer periods.
Apply small amounts of resin on the cracks, preferably a thin coat of it. After that, place a single layer of fiberglass cloth on top of it. Be sure to put it quickly before the resin dries. The resin must be enough to hold the fiberglass in position.
Let the solution dry for about four to six hours. Be sure that the patches are entirely dry before moving on to the next step. Soon after, moisten sandpaper. Use the material to smoothen out the patches. Likewise, be sure to level the patches with the old parts of the boat. Do this step slowly but surely and do not over do it.
Get the marine gel enamel and the paintbrush. Apply a coat of the enamel to the patched area. This move will eventually give the repaired parts a somewhat new and shiny appearance. At the same time, doing this will protect the same parts against constant exposure to seawater as well as other conditions.
Additional Tips and Information
When doing this particular task, be sure to use at least an ounce of resin for each part of the boat that needs repair. Use an ounce for every 75 square feet repaired area.
