Anyone recommend anyone for hull repair?

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wilko999

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Trying to find someone local to me who would be able to do a hull repair on a 14' Fletcher. I'm based near Reading, Boat is on a trailer, the hole can be accessed with it still on trailer so either mobile or I can take the boat somewhere. Should be a relatively easy fix, grounded the boat coming out a lake and by the looks of it opened up something that had been done before but have a hole the size of a 5p right at the bottom. amazing how much and how fast the water comes in when afloat!

Would attempt myself but having never ever done anything with fibre glass I don't want to bodge it/make it worse.not do it correctly! Any recommendations would be greatly received.
 
mlines said:
What lake? We have another session booked over at Taplow, is there a shallow spot? Or was it Eversley as I remember you said you were going over there.
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Hi,

Yep did it at Eversley! It was my fault, I was being cocky, lifted engine at last possible moment and drove the boat onto the trailer resulting in a scrape with something on the bottom. Fairly shallow there as you probably know and should have put the trailer in the water further but had taken my mate's car rather than a 4wd and he was worried about going to far down the slip.

Didn't notice it until we went to Henley festival with 3 of us on the boat and were having to run the bilge pump every 10 minutes. Left the boat in at Wyatt's in the cheeky place near the little bridge as it's quite a narrow boat and 24 hours later when retrieving it I honestly think it was less than a few hours away from sinking! Ran the bilge pump for a good 15 minutes and now that's the last time that worked too! That I can fix myself, I've done those before but never messed around with GRP.
 
mlines said:
I must have seen your boat just before you found it as it was just about sunk on its mooring when I walked past the other day. I assumed it was full of rain water.
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One with the blue cover on it, it was literally an inch away from coming over the transom!

It's going at the end of the season or early next, been great since I've had it though and other than a self inflicted bit of damage had no issues! Time for something bigger next year that I can get more than 4 people on so will be on the look out for something 18-19' ish. Either a bowrider or small cabin and something sea worthy as my folks live on Poole harbour and own a mooring with no boat on it any more due to spending most of their retirement abroad these days. Would be nice to have it down there for the odd week here and there. I wouldn't dream of taking my current one out the harbour, far too small for that unless it's a mill pond day.

Need to be careful ish though as I hear Wyatts is now full even in the trailer park, a friend who bought my old one got the last spot apparently and anything a lot bigger might be an issue with space.

Anyway, back on topic and if anyone knows anyone that does GRP work please let me know! Ta.
 
drove the boat onto the trailer resulting in a scrape with something on the bottom. Fairly shallow there as you probably know and should have put the trailer
 
It really is a simple job to repair(if messy) with glassfibre.
Just a case of removing all lose bits and making sure area around hole is dry,You could fill any holes with any body filler which contains strands of glass fibre for bulk and then use glass mat to provide strength.
A good sand down should provide a reasonable smooth finish and perhaps complete job with a layer of gel coat available in small tubes at your local chandler.
The job could be OK forever or at least until you can get it done over winter.

A few years ago my unhitched speed boat decided to make a break for freedom down a steep shingle bank for the briney,unfortunately a groin got in the way punching a hole in the transom.
Even counting the recovery of said boat and trailer and nipping back home,repair was carried out and boat launched again about 2 hours later,including a quick spray job to match boat hull colour .:)
 
Thanks! So something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/FIBRE-GLASS...LDO6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1342787673&sr=8-4

and just have a crack at it myself. I don't mind doing it if it's simple, just didn't want to make things worse. I'm generally not too bad at all things DIY but having never worked with fibreglass just wasn't sure about taking it on but that post just made me feel a lot better about it! A 2 hour turn around to do all that, right I'll have a go myself over the weekend and go and pick up a kit this afternoon! At least the weather looks dry and to be honest with the forecast for next week as it is it would be nice to finally use the boat again without getting soaked.

I assume if for any reason I completely mess it up it can just as easily be cut out and re done by a pro?
 
I assume if for any reason I completely mess it up it can just as easily be cut out and re done by a pro?[/QUOTE]



Couple of tips from previous personal bitter experience.
You need a vast supply of disposable gloves.
You will need a good supply of cheapo rubbish paint brushes.
In warm weather resin goes off mega fast....have all your cut bits of mat -scissors -catalyst spare gloves more spare gloves spare stirry bits of wood all to hand when you start.
Do lots of little bits,so you can easily correct,rather than one monster great all in one go dollop of drippy glassfibre glob.
All you want to do at the moment to make boat float,you can make it look pretty later.
 
Thanks for the advice and today I went for it on my own. It's a shame I didn't read this post first - the outcomes to each part are listed next to your sound advice!



Couple of tips from previous personal bitter experience.
You need a vast supply of disposable gloves. After my hand had stuck to my driveway for the third time I worked this out. For anyone else attempting this, if you own a large hairy dog such as a golden retriever, under no circumstances what so ever (if you didn't wear the gloves) stroke or pat the dog. This also applies to children, one of mine has a slight bald patch now

You will need a good supply of cheapo rubbish paint brushes. Luckily those I did have already and now no longer do

In warm weather resin goes off mega fast....have all your cut bits of mat -scissors -catalyst spare gloves more spare gloves spare stirry bits of wood all to hand when you start. This would have been sound advice had I read it before starting. I worked this section out on my way to the shop to pick up my second repair kit due to the first one forming a solid ball in the pot. when i got to the shops it took some effort to remove my hands from the steering wheel. The steering wheel now has dog hair, child hair, parts of my drive and a fair amount of epoxy resin on it. It also smells a bit, sorry I mean a lot.

Do lots of little bits,so you can easily correct,rather than one monster great all in one go dollop of drippy glassfibre glob.i will be doing that tomorrow on my third attempt. i think i have it sussed out now

All you want to do at the moment to make boat float,you can make it look pretty later.[/QUOTE] There is absolutely no chance of it ever looking pretty but as it's right at the bottom and I cant see it I can live with that! Fingers crossed for Monday afternoon for the floatation element. Should anyone be in the vicinity of Wargrave late afternoon and see a fletcher boat semi submerged going along the river that will be me. If I don't reply to this thread by Tuesday lunchtime, approach that stretch of river with caution to avoid fouling your props on a submerged sunken boat.

OK. Jokes aside, seriously thanks, it's so far cost me £30 which is a lot less than it would have and it does seem very straightforward....once you know what you're doing! I have had 2 attempts, and yes i genuinely did layer it all on in one massive dollop of drippy fibreglass, it doesn't look pretty and probably will do it again but I'm pretty sure it's already water tight! I guess like anything else, you only learn from having a go, getting it wrong and then learning from mistakes! At least the weather's nice!
 
" I guess like anything else, you only learn from having a go, getting it wrong and then learning from mistakes!"


Yeah, If at all, only ever get married once!
 
It doesn't look pretty, you can't see it though, but the boat officially floats and after 5 hours afloat this afternoon, not a single drop came out the bung hole after coming out the slip! Thanks to all who said go for it on your own, especially Old Git, cheers. Repair seems to have held up very well.
 
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