GRP boat repair

[stuartbaggs]

Hi.

I have this hole in the corner of the gunwale of my dinghy.

What do I need to do to patch it up/fix it?

I'd also like to re-paint the plastic (white for hull and blue for gunwale/thwarts) and get it looking shiny again. What do I need to buy?

Many thanks

 

[KAL]

Other more qualified forumites might have different ideas, but I would use some marine epoxy filler, let it go off, then sand to match the profile of the rest of the area.

 

[stuartbaggs]

Thanks - what sort of paint do you use for GRP? Nothing fancy required - just want to renew the finish on the surface as it's got a few marks.

 

[Lakesailor]

Stuff some expanded polystyrene in the hole to support filler and then use some glass fibre paste, which has stranded glass fibres in it. Sand to shape and paint. It's only a decorative corner and you just want to make it watertight and look OK.
I repaired a badly damaged dinghy using the same technique and it's still going.

Use any paint you fancy. Marine yacht enamels are not very tough. I found Berger domestic gloss paint to be very hard-wearing. Don't waste money on 2 pack paints.
(I never did paint this repair)

 

[stuartbaggs]

Many thanks - that's a great help.

If you could post a link to some filler paste/white paint you think might be suitable it would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[VicS]

If its accessible from underneath patch up from below with glass chopped strand mate and ordinary polyester resin. Then fill and fair from the outside .

useful book on line www.topcatsail.co.uk/GRP-REPAIR-MANUAL.pdf


Also see the "Use guides" and "How to Publications" on the Wessex resins site http://www.wessex-resins.com/westsystem/how-to-use.html although using epoxy resin will be a bit of an over kill.


Rub down to key and use a good quality domestic paint

use special paints from somewhere like International Yachtpaints http://www.yachtpaint.com/gbr/diy/default.aspx if you want but again an overkill IMHO

 

[stuartbaggs]

Thanks - what's a cheap white paint I could use to a) cover the hull again and b) cover the filler/resin.

 

[VicS]

Thanks - what's a cheap white paint I could use to a) cover the hull again and b) cover the filler/resin.

Cheap? Probably your favourite DIY store's own brand. Personally I'd use Dulux or Crown but the Berger paints that LS suggests are good.