Nobody wants to see their boat get damaged, but it happens. Hull repairs are often quick and easy with a fiberglass boat. Your boat has a durable "gelcoat" finish, then the underlying layers of fiberglass fabric. Those are then saturated with a resin made from either epoxy or polyester. When cracks develop in this coating, you can often patch them using the method described below.

If your fiberglass boat needs professional repairs, don’t hesitate to contact Ellis Marine. Our experienced technicians can handle all your repair needs. You can find us in Brunswick, GA.

To determine the extent of the damage to your hull, tap the handle of a plastic screwdriver along the laminate. A delaminated area of the hull will produce a duller sound. When starting the repair process, make sure there is nothing in the way on the inside surface of the boat where the repair needs to be made. Then, cut away the damaged portion of the laminate using a small, sharp blade.

If the damaged area is located above your boat’s waterline, you can repair it by washing the cut area with a dewaxing solvent to remove any residue that could weaken the bond you are trying to create. Then you can employ a disk sander with 36-grit sandpaper to sand a bevel around the perimeter of the hole. Use a cloth rag dipped in acetone to wipe away the dust. You should be left with a smooth, dull surface.

Coat the area around the hole with paste wax, and mask the area below the hole so that resin doesn’t run down the hull. Now, cut a piece of smooth laminate or acrylic that is about a foot larger than the hole. This will serve as your backer for the repair. Spray it with polyvinyl alcohol mold release, then screw or tape the backer to the outer hull. If you need the material to adhere to a curve, you can soften it up using a heat gun first.

Spray gelcoat onto the waxed backer. When the gelcoat starts to set, dampen it with polyester resin. Now you can start to apply layers of mat and fiberglass fabric. Layer these a few at a time, and make sure that each layer is about one inch smaller than the last. Use a resin roller to smooth things out. The number of layers will depend on the thickness of your hull, so just continue to add layers until the repair is flush with the inside surface of the boat.

Cut a rectangular piece of mat and a slightly larger piece of cloth. Apply these over the patch and smooth them out with your resin roller. Seal these layers with PVA and allow them to cure, then remove the waxed backer from the outside and fill in the gelcoat paste. Let this cure, then sand or polish as needed to achieve a smooth finish.

That’s all it takes to repair your fiberglass hull! Of course, not everyone has the time or the inclination to tackle such repairs at home. If you need a little expert help, you can always count on Ellis Marine to have your back. We proudly serve the boating community in Brunswick, GA.