# 01' hell's bay whipray 16 bow eye repair?



## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

The bow eye "U" bolt has some fiberglass crack around it and wanted to know if I can put marine tex around it then inside out. Then re- drill a holes to install a new bow eye with bracket inside?

Any tips?


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Contact Kevin at ECC/OCBW I think they have seen that issue once...


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

> Any tips?



How did it happen? If its normal use then call Hells Bay. I have heard great things about their customer service. They may cover the repair.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

> > Any tips?
> 
> 
> 
> How did it happen? If its normal use then call Hells Bay. I have heard great things about their customer service. They may cover the repair.


How? don't know. Blake's post reminded me of the pix on their site. So figured they would be a good source for info on how to fix it.


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## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

> > Any tips?
> 
> 
> 
> How did it happen? If its normal use then call Hells Bay. I have heard great things about their customer service. They may cover the repair.


It's normal use and shows a small signs of tiny spider crack around the bow eye every time I wrinched it up on the trailer. It's nothing major but wanted to prevented any futher damage.

I will sent a HB a email and see what they said.


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## brew1891 (Dec 10, 2006)

please post pics of skiff.


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## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

> please post pics of skiff.


Sure!...when I get down to south Florida to pick it up then bring it back to Orlando.

As for right now....it's need new bearings, wheels and tires for Ram-lin trailer.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

You should be able to get that through ant trailer parts supply store. Not sure where in SoFl it is, but I use Dixie Trailer Supply in Oakland Park.


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## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

> You should be able to get that through ant trailer parts supply store. Not sure where in SoFl it is, but I use Dixie Trailer Supply in Oakland Park.


Thanks for heads up Jan.

Actually, I'm in Orlando and can run to ram-lin trailer factory in Taft whie it's local.

I can stop by and picked up the parts and wheels, then I can head down there probably next month to get the trailer back on the road.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

If you don't take it to pros to have it repaired, here's what needs to be done to do it right.... Bow eyes should have reinforcing inside the hull... If that area's not properly reinforced you'll end up with what you're seeing. Don't even think about MarineTex for the cracks you can see, worry about the structure underneath. These great little technical skiffs were built to be as light weight as possible. In some areas it's easy to be a little too light weight...

At any rate, remove the bow eye, then grind out the existing reinforcing until you're into clean glass, use a hard wood block shaped precisely to fit the inside vee and glass it into place with several layers of glass that extend an inch or two outside the block onto clean glass (that area needs to be sanded down to clean glass - no gelcoat remaining). Once all is properly cured, then re-drill your mounting holes using the existing ones, then carefully seal the drilled holes with either five minute epoxy or fiberglass resin before re-mounting a new bow eye with backing plate ( a thin ss backing plate should come with a new bow eye). Prior to re-fitting that new bow eye, carefully hand sand the surface areas where you've got gelcoat cracking and re-gelcoat them. Once you've got new gel cured out, carefully water sand it out working all the way down to 800grit paper before compounding and waxing. If you've properly matched the color the repair won't be noticeable. If you done the interior reinforcing properly that new bow eye will be a stronger installation than what was originally there. Good luck.


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## kuzus (Apr 23, 2009)

Great reply. Only one thing to add to that. Make sure you completely grind out the gelcoat cracks, going down into the glass if necessary. A dremmel tool is good for this. As with any gelcoat cracks, if you just cover them up, they are likely to reappear.


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## PatKent (Mar 29, 2009)

> If you don't take it to pros to have it repaired, here's what needs to be done to do it right....  Bow eyes should have reinforcing inside the hull... If that area's not properly reinforced you'll end up with what you're seeing.  Don't even think about MarineTex for the cracks you can see, worry about the structure underneath.  These great little technical skiffs were built to be as light weight as possible.  In some areas it's easy to be a little too light weight...
> 
> At any rate, remove the bow eye, then grind out the existing reinforcing until you're into clean glass, use a hard wood block shaped precisely to fit the inside vee and glass it into place with several layers of glass that extend an inch or two outside the block onto clean glass (that area needs to be sanded down to clean glass - no gelcoat remaining).  Once all is properly cured, then re-drill your mounting holes using the existing ones, then carefully seal the drilled holes with either five minute epoxy or fiberglass resin before re-mounting a new bow eye with backing plate ( a thin ss backing plate should come with a new bow eye).  Prior to re-fitting that new bow eye, carefully hand sand the surface areas where you've got gelcoat cracking and re-gelcoat them.  Once you've got new gel cured out, carefully water sand it out working all the way down to 800grit paper before compounding and waxing.  If you've properly matched the color the repair won't be noticeable.  If you done the interior reinforcing properly that new bow eye will be a stronger installation than what was originally there.  Good luck.


 I agree with this being the way to repair it.
But why wasn't the boat built like this from the factory?


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

> But why wasn't the boat built like this from the factory?


May have been, we won't know until we see pictures...hint-hint.











Looking at the thickness of the hull in this image,
it appears to have substantial reinforcing to back up the eye.
You'd have to work at it to cause that much damage.

As a guess I'd think the stress fractures in the gelcoat
are caused by overtightening the nuts on the back of the eye.


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## hmaadd29 (Aug 18, 2007)

that skiff in the pic had some issues from its previous owner. 


I would imagine nothing needs to be done its just surface craks from 9 yrs of winching and trailering


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