# Repairing damaged front lip of skiff - basic 'how to' help? thx



## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

Since you’re not in a rush, watch Boatworks Today on YouTube. Andy has plenty of videos that will show you the proper methods.

Grind, clean with acetone, glass a few layers, fair, sand and then paint


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

You can try what I did on my customer’s CS. After it set I then put a layer of 1708/CSM from the backside. I then put some CSM on top for cosmetics to match the rest. Cut that broken piece out. You will never get a strong repair trying bind it back.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Cut out the busted bits and feather the edges out from the defect‘s edge. I’d use modeling clay or plaster to make a mold of the space under the rolled edge on the opposite side of the hull. Cook it or let it set and then sand it to fit ”close enough“ under the area that needs repair. Once it fits the curve of the rolled edge, cover the face that will touch epoxy with masking tape (simple mold release film) and shim/painters tape the mold in place. From there, build up a couple layers of epoxy/FG, remove the mold, continue to add layers until it is flush and then fair it in. 

I would use whatever scrap FG cloth or tape or mat I had lying around, but as you likely don’t have a scrap supply, just buy a roll of 12 oz biaxial tape to build it up. Whatever fabric you use, make damn sure it is made for epoxy resin, not polyester or vinylester. Chopped strand or mat would definitely fill the defect quicker, but for that small of a repair, I’d just use the tape to limit the amount of supplies I needed to buy. You’ll learn a lot about fairing using the biaxial, but it ain’t that bad😎. I’d buy biax tape, resin, medium hardener (for this time of year), flumed silica (keeps the epoxy mix from trying to run down vertical surfaces better than wood flour) and microballoons (makes the final fairing coats easier to sand). Silica makes the fairing coat hard to sand if you add too much, but you still need enough to keep the fairing coat where you put it. Regarding blending the repair into the original gel coat, I have no idea. I paint my stuff. Gel coat is not my jam yet.

Boatbuildercentral has How-tos and YouTube is full of videos.

Document you work with pics and we’ll tell you how you screwed up. Actuall, don’t be nervous. Epoxy is easy to work with and you can always grind out any fugliness and start over.

Nate


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## ncmarsh (Oct 29, 2021)

Thanks all! @jonny that repair looks like exactly what I need to do.

So stupid question -- I watched the 3 part video "There's a hole in my boat" on boatworkstoday.com. The guy talks about 'laminating polyester resin.' @WhiteDog70810 you're saying I should use epoxy, though? And just masking tape is fine a release? I'm wondering if I can shape a piece of 2x4 to work as a temporary backer, instead of using modeling clay...


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

I had to do that board because CS have a lip. And the rub rail has to have that lip to fit good. Yours looks straight up and down. If so just drape some 1708 over it and let it hang down. Once it sets in about 15 minutes. Then you have a base to work off of. Any extra you just grind away. If you use epoxy you will have to paint. Or go thru a few more steps to get the gelcoat to stick.


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## EbMaps (11 mo ago)

After you go down the amazing rabbit hole that the boat works today channel provides, some of the questions you're asking, or will soon come to can be answered in the epoxy maker's libraries - for example one of the nerdier ones - West System (Gougeon Bros) - Projects being a good pile of info especially on the how & why of different materials and approaches. Can't sleep? Start reading about epoxy structure engineering & chemistry.

They're all in biz to sell their stuff, but there is useful info to be gleaned in between the marketing. 

Any boat repair or builders near you? People who like the smell of resin and acetone frequent both. In a pinch - especially for finish work full service car body shops (the ones that repair stuff) work with bunch of the same tech. 

PS - I could have listed a bunch of other brands, and that isn't a recommendation, just an example - ask the Google for more. Now I have to go back inside before the rotten tomatoes start flying.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

ncmarsh said:


> Thanks all! @jonny that repair looks like exactly what I need to do.
> 
> So stupid question -- I watched the 3 part video "There's a hole in my boat" on boatworkstoday.com. The guy talks about 'laminating polyester resin.' @WhiteDog70810 you're saying I should use epoxy, though? And just masking tape is fine a release? I'm wondering if I can shape a piece of 2x4 to work as a temporary backer, instead of using modeling clay...


I spoke about epoxy because epoxy is very user friendly, you already mentioned it in your first post and I only know how to work with epoxy. Polyester resin is basically Bondo. You could use it also, but then you have to make sure all your mat/fabric/tape is compatible with polyester. Your boat is probable made with polyester resin because most boats are; it is cheap. Epoxy is a premium product. Do a search of polyester vs epoxy on this site for a more in-depth description of the merits of each.

Epoxy doesn’t form a chemical bond with plastic; it just forms a very week mechanical bond. You can use cling wrap, masking tape or Visqueen to keep epoxy from sticking to forms and molds. Once the epoxy fully sets, you just pop it loose with the heel of your hand. Before it sets, it will stick to every thing like caramel, so don’t try to pop the mold out until the epoxy is hard, usually after having set at least overnight.

Honestly, you could use aluminum window flashing or any fairly flexible sheet plastic you have around (e.g. fillet of 3 liter Coke bottle) to make the dam behind the repair now that I think about it.

Nate


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## Trevor_Faulkner (9 mo ago)

jonny said:


> You can try what I did on my customer’s CS. After it set I then put a layer of 1708/CSM from the backside. I then put some CSM on top for cosmetics to match the rest. Cut that broken piece out. You will never get a strong repair trying bind it back.
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