TOPIC: What happens when you set a boat on concrete block

Got a hole(?) in the bottom. At first I thought it was from the boat being loaded on the trailer with a forklift but after flipping it looks more like it was set on a block or large sharp object. Problem is this is a Lone Star sandwich hull with no stringers, keel or frame, just two glass shells filled with foam. The hole is more like an "L" shaped cut and is pushed into the foam. I think I might have to cut it open and put a patch underneath and then fair. Any ideas or help?

Flipping a boat without any strength is a challenge. Had to dig into my old days when I flipped a woodie. Brace everything.

Bracing so the sides won't collapse.

Without any keel or frame the only floor was a thin single layer of glass that was cracking so I had no choice but to run another layer of glass then lay 1/4 ply and then another layer of glass with a 2x4 backbone down the center. Tough as nails now.

In the over 30 years of doing these things this is the first I've run across with a bottom this bad.

Man, you don't waste any time getting down to the nitty gritty on your projects Cal! It does look like some block head put a block hole in your hull, hope I don't find any surprises like that when I flip mine over. I know you'll figure out the best way to fix it, you're getting pretty good at this stuff.

Great progress so far Cal! Not sure I can help you with that hole, haven't done nearly enough glass work for that.

Bob

Bob, Just thought you would recognize some of the bracing
Thought of you when I was doing it and remembering what a pain it was to brace the woodie. Can't get any "X" lumber in there though because of the floor. I'll try to post some type of progress on this predicament. Might be helpful for anyone in the future.

Honey do projects are starting to creep into the daily schedule, hate when that happens

Yeah looks vaguely familiar! LOL unfortunately I know the honey do issue all to well. Actually the broken bit was a blessing so I can get her vanity stool done now.

Bob

You can do the repair from the outside. Cut away all sections of the fractured glass and even if the foam comes out that's no problem. Sailboats have similar hulls. Once you have the bad glass cut away then grind and feather as for any other patch/repair. Then use some Pour In foam or the "Foam in a Can" for Pools and Ponds, to fill in the cavity. Once cured you can cut/and grind to profile and then use Packing Tape to tape it off to ensure the resin won't "Eat the foam". Now it's just a normal Glass Patch process. Anywhoooo that's what I've done for patching the old Sunfish Sailboat hulls That have foam cores and no access from the inside. Hope I didn't state things you already knew!!!

That sounds like a pretty good plan to me. Probably be cutting out a square about 5x5". I'll take pics for your advice, thanks.
Cal

Did some stuff today.
Here's what I started with

Then cut out the bad

Vacuumed out the sand and crud and cut down about 1" to good foam

Cut a matching piece of closed foam I had laying around and glued it in with foaming gorilla glue. Perfect stuff for this project. Feathered the edges.


Laid in 10 alternate layers of mat and cloth per instructions.

Tomorrow or so will be fairing.
Also did two other holes the same way.

cal, looks real good. that should last forever, or until the next cement block. lol. frog

Nice work Cal!

Bob

Pretty much the way to do it. Best practices for glass work say to grind and feather back at a 12-1 ratio. Soooo that's usually about 3" all the way around the perimeter and feather to a razors edge at the hole. This ensures plenty of surface area for a good bond.

I guess I didn't feather far enough, cest' la vie.

Anyhoo it's too late now. Thanks for the instructions, first time I ever did anything like this on an important part of the boat (bottom). All my other glass work was topside repair etc.