GRP Repair To Skipper

[Lakesailor]

I was given a Skipper 14 dinghy the other day and thought as you'd been kind enough to tell me about them, I'd let you see how the repair is going.

Damage from being left on trailer full of water

Ground back split, very little lay-up behind the gel-coat.

Between the skins is an assortment of bits of foam and expanded plystyrene, just loose.

Pressing on the grp gets a reasonable shape.

So parcel tape holds it whilst I bond a few strips of csm on

More mat and resin seals the hole

Loads of resin and woven matt on top of that

I used marine filler to fair the repair

and a bit of household gloss to finish

Not up to my usual standard, but only about 5 hours work.

Next the inside.....

 

[smth448]

I'd hate to give you a big head but I'm quite impressed.
From the first few pictures it looked like a skip case to me.

Tell me though which do you enjoy more,
Doing the repair / restoration,
or sailing it when you've finished it?

 

[AIDY]

well done looks good ! but does it float /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Lakesailor]

It's a good question. Probably doing the work slightly more, as it's to hand and I can do a bit now and then.
On the other hand I do love sailing the boats. Not all the hassle and calculations and all the other business to do with a larger boat. Just simply being moved along by wind power on a nice day.

It was going to be dumped before I got my hands on it.

 

[Avocet]

That resin looked a very dark red colour, What was it - just ordinary polyester laminating resin? Mine generally looks straw coloured and goes slightly green on curing.

 

[Lakesailor]

The large area was a bit of a cheat as I used a GRP filler paste with chopped glass strands in it. It allows you to get the profile quickly. As long as you've got a good base of layers of well-adhered mat and resin beneath, it should be OK. It's just the cosmetic bit really. The activator is red.
On this boat you can't get to the inside and work against a former, so you have to build it up backwards from the outside, if that makes sense.

 

[Slinky Spring]

Once you get it sorted you should race it. They are slow as hell but the handicap is fabulous. Sure to piss off someone who finished half an hour before you and is placed behind you.