# Chipped Poling Strake



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Bad but not Titanic proportions.

You can easily do this. But the first thing you need to do is to make it worse before you make it better.

What I see is air pockets behind the gel coat and these need to be chipped off before repairing. Then you just need the epoxy and cabosil and patch it up and paint.

Do a search on fairing and that is basically what you are going to be doing. After you read a few threads then ask some specific questions.

You got this!


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## Bluwave (Nov 3, 2014)

DuckNut said:


> Bad but not Titanic proportions.
> 
> You can easily do this. But the first thing you need to do is to make it worse before you make it better. What I see is air pockets behind the gel coat and these need to be chipped off before repairing. Then you just need the epoxy and cabosil and patch it up and paint. Do a search on fairing and that is basically what you are going to be doing. After you read a few threads then ask some specific questions.
> 
> You got this!


Yeah, I would use a grinder or Dremel to see how big those air voids are. How old is the boat? This could be covered under the hull warranty. Also, what boat do you have?

-


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I had 1 small one of these on my waterman, about the size of a dime. I put a piece of clear packing tape over it, put a tiny hole in the tape, pushed in a syringe of epoxy and filled up the void. as I pulled the syringe out I stuck another pc of tape over the hole. After it cured I mixed up some gelcoat to match my fighting lady yellow and finished it up. Bet you can't find it.


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

devrep said:


> I had 1 small one of these on my waterman, about the size of a dime. I put a piece of clear packing tape over it, put a tiny hole in the tape, pushed in a syringe of epoxy and filled up the void. as I pulled the syringe out I stuck another pc of tape over the hole. After it cured I mixed up some gelcoat to match my fighting lady yellow and finished it up. Bet you can't find it.


Sounds easy enough though I have never done anything like this so it sounds kind of intimidating.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I never had either. It's easy.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

devrep said:


> I had 1 small one of these on my waterman, about the size of a dime. I put a piece of clear packing tape over it, put a tiny hole in the tape, pushed in a syringe of epoxy and filled up the void. as I pulled the syringe out I stuck another pc of tape over the hole. After it cured I mixed up some gelcoat to match my fighting lady yellow and finished it up. Bet you can't find it.


From the picture it looks like the entire corner needs attention - hence the reason I didn't tell him the way you did. The other is the black fibers. They need grinding.

You can choose either method. I personally would be getting rid of the moldy glass.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I'm sure you're right. Mine was a single small void.


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

DuckNut said:


> From the picture it looks like the entire corner needs attention - hence the reason I didn't tell him the way you did. The other is the black fibers. They need grinding.
> 
> You can choose either method. I personally would be getting rid of the moldy glass.


The black fibers are moldy? It sure doesn't look like it. This boat has never even been in the water for more than 12 hours at a time. Could it be a different material? I'm pretty sure the skiff was built with Kevlar glass in high stress areas (keel, strokes, chines, etc).

And please excuse my ignorance, I know nothing of this stuff. I could be completely wrong. But am interested in learning. Thanks for yalls help thus far


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

Bluwave said:


> Yeah, I would use a grinder or Dremel to see how big those air voids are. How old is the boat? This could be covered under the hull warranty. Also, what boat do you have?
> 
> -


I will contact the manufacturer and see what they say. The boat is a 2012


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

The fibers showing sure do not look like CF. It doesn't matter if it hasn't been left in the water for long. The glass fibers are hollow and will suck up water and turn moldy. The fact you had a void there it could have been filled with water for years before fully breaking off.

Now you are trying to overthink the repair. The builder most likely won't help you in this case because it is clearly been driven into something either by you or the previous owner as indicated by the gouges leading to the hole.


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

DuckNut said:


> The fibers showing sure do not look like CF. It doesn't matter if it hasn't been left in the water for long. The glass fibers are hollow and will suck up water and turn moldy. The fact you had a void there it could have been filled with water for years before fully breaking off.
> 
> Now you are trying to overthink the repair. The builder most likely won't help you in this case because it is clearly been driven into something either by you or the previous owner as indicated by the gouges leading to the hole.


I still don't think this glass is "moldy". It just looks like clear glass over something black and hard. Not sure what that is, but if it's mold, then I think I may have a way bigger problem. My father had a boat that had delamination issues under the water line with exposed glass that sat in the water for a year, which was not black like this.


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

But regardless, I do have an issue. But it's one thing if I just have to dremel out the void, fill, then rematch gel. Another to have to sand down "moldy" glass, reglass, then do above. Or so it sounds.

But again, Duck, you definitely know 10 fold what I know about this. But, to me, there seems to be zero mold issue here.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

most of these are caused by hollow spots behind the glass.


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

devrep said:


> most of these are caused by hollow spots behind the glass.


Behind glass... or gel?

And I agree. I can see where the "chips" came from. A void in the strake. What I am struggling with is that Duck said the glass is "moldy". Is that a thing?


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

spray some bleach in there and see what happens. You are over thinking this. It is what it is, just fix it.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

The worst part is that you may be working on your back. Now if you could flip the boat, his would be a weekend fix


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

I tend to overthink everything when it comes to my boat. Kind of a perfectionist. Flipping the boat would definitely make this job easier. I will at least have to put the boat on blocks as the bunk is up against the strake. 

First, I need to open the cracks to see how large of a void I'm working with and clean the edges. As a filler should I use epoxy then gel over to match the sky blue? Or, can you get by just using a sky blue gel coat paste already mixed that's used to repair things? Is forming whatever material I use to match the contour of the strake going to be tough?

Sorry, I know I am a lot to handle sometimes. Thanks guys


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

you need to over fill it in steps and sand it to contour. Then gel coat.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

You could make a mold of the other strake and use that but it seems like too much work, I'd stick with dev's recommendation and overfill then sand to match shape. 

As far as filling the whole thing with gelcoat, I would rather fill with thickened epoxy then gel to match the color

Let us know how it goes!


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Jack up and support the boat above the bunk. Then get your Dremel out and go to town.

Give us a report on Sunday.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Your best bet is to contact Paul Ellig in Vero Beach. He did the lamination schedule and all layup of the hulls for Skull Island. He'll tell you what you're looking at.....

https://twitter.com/elligyachts


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## T Bone (Jul 24, 2014)

Thanks guys. Will report back


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

DuckNut said:


> The fibers showing sure do not look like CF. It doesn't matter if it hasn't been left in the water for long. The glass fibers are hollow and will suck up water and turn moldy. The fact you had a void there it could have been filled with water for years before fully breaking off.
> 
> Now you are trying to overthink the repair. The builder most likely won't help you in this case because it is clearly been driven into something either by you or the previous owner as indicated by the gouges leading to the hole.


Some special fibers are hollow but most are not and I've purchased millions of pounds of it in a previous position. Nonetheless, it _will_ wick moisture.

This repair is pretty common and is mostly likely from the builder not taking the time and making sure all the little nooks and crannies are full of material and wetted out properly. Take something and tap along the entire strake and listen for hollow spots if you dare. Or do like I do and wait to see if and when they get popped. You should be able to run across anything and that not happen if the glass is solid. It had air pockets in those areas.


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

Sublime said:


> Some special fibers are hollow but most are not and I've purchased millions of pounds of it in a previous position. Nonetheless, it _will_ wick moisture.
> 
> This repair is pretty common and is mostly likely from the builder not taking the time and making sure all the little nooks and crannies are full of material and wetted out properly. Take something and tap along the entire strake and listen for hollow spots if you dare. Or do like I do and wait to see if and when they get popped. You should be able to run across anything and that not happen if the glass is solid. It had air pockets in those areas.


That is a warranty repair for sure, I had the same issues on the cap with my skiff. Get Marine Tex for the repair, it is under side and so you won't need to gelcoat the repair unless it bothers you. I live 8 hours away from the Builder and so decided to do a home repair, on cap and the bottom.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

No Bait / Lures Only said:


> That is a warranty repair for sure, I had the same issues on the cap with my skiff. Get Marine Tex for the repair, it is under side and so you won't need to gelcoat the repair unless it bothers you. I live 8 hours away from the Builder and so decided to do a home repair, on cap and the bottom.


Yep. It is not worth waiting to get it back. I pole across a lot of stuff so my bottom is not shiny. Scratches mean you are fishing it.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

So why isn't this done yet?


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

You may want to check out JB WaterWeld also. It is half the price of MarineTex if I recall and is easier to work with in my opinion. Just cut a portion off and knead it in your fingers then press into the void.


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

Sublime said:


> You may want to check out JB WaterWeld also. It is half the price of MarineTex if I recall and is easier to work with in my opinion. Just cut a portion off and knead it in your fingers then press into the void.


First I heard of JB Waterweld, will check it out. I installed torque tabs on the lower unit skeg fin with the putty, lasts a couple of years. Helps with torque steer.


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

It's good stuff. Moldable, sandable, paintable, and strong. Can't ask for more.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

I've used MarineTex many times. I don't like the fact that if you use the kind with the paste in the bottle and the little tube of catalyst it is hard to determine the right amounts to disperse. I see Marine Tex come in squeeze tube now. That would be easier. 

Note. I bought some gray Marine Tex. It is VERY dark gray.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Try this


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

Sublime said:


> I've used MarineTex many times. I don't like the fact that if you use the kind with the paste in the bottle and the little tube of catalyst it is hard to determine the right amounts to disperse. I see Marine Tex come in squeeze tube now. That would be easier.
> 
> Note. I bought some gray Marine Tex. It is VERY dark gray.


Grey matched my Yamaha.........


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