Did you know that there are more than 25 million boats in the United States alone? Boating is one of the most popular hobbies, whether you’re using your boat for fishing, travel, or leisure. But once your boat takes damage, you should know how to patch fiberglass properly.
If you’re curious about fiberglass repair, we’re here to help. Read on for a quick guide on fixing your fiberglass boat.
Prepare the Area
The first thing you’ll want to do is prepare the area where the damage is. An uneven, jagged surface is more difficult to repair. Also, having jagged holes in boats is a hazard for anyone to hurt themselves.
To prepare the area, cut away the damage. While it may feel counterintuitive to make the damage larger, you’re actually making it safer and easier to fix!
Dewax the Damage
Another core part of preparing the area is to dewax the boat. Wash the area around the hole as thoroughly as possible with a dewaxing solvent. Doing this will remove the wax that surrounds the damage.
The reason for this is that otherwise, you’ll struggle to get a good bond with your repair. Your boat hull will need grinding, which will mix that wax in, later on, undoing your progress.
Work from the Inside
In many situations, you’ll want to work from the inside of your boat. The most simple reason for this is that it allows you to back the hole with a polished surface on the outside of the boat. In doing this, your finishing will require significantly less work than it otherwise would.
Working from the inside also gives you less surface to finish later on. Using fewer materials will help keep the cost of the repairs down! You should also consider looking into boaters insurance to help pay for the repairs.
Grind to Smoothen
Once you’ve cleaned away the wax and cut the hole, you should use a grinder to smoothen the hole. Make sure that you’re wearing proper safety gear to avoid having dust or fiberglass launched into your face. A mask, long sleeves, and eye protection are all crucial to wear during this time.
Apply Fiberglass
Depending on the specifics of your boat’s hull, fiberglass repair isn’t always the same method. You also may have different methods depending on your use of polyester or vinylester resin. Epoxy is also a perfectly fine choice, depending on the damage.
Look into the best method for your use case to see how best to apply the patch to your fiberglass. While boat repair can vary, many methods have similar techniques that you can apply!
How to Patch Fiberglass
Learning how to patch fiberglass can take some practice. Make sure that the first time you patch fiberglass isn’t to repair your boat hull. Instead, practice for a while on spare fiberglass repair sheets to make sure you know what you’re doing.
If you’re interested in reading more blog posts, feel free to visit the rest of our website for more informative blog posts!
