Should i be worried over these scratches and if so what would be a good repair?

[Bman2895]

I just got my first boat the other day and its a decent boat considering it was basically free. but along the bottom most section of the hull i got scratches and what looks like repairs. should i be concerned about these? or are they superficial? and what could i use to fill them in and re-seal up that bottom section of the boat? Currently it looks like the boat was coated before. because where my runners on the trailer rub the boat its smooth white. which you can kinda see under the black coat elsewhere.

1990 Javelin 353. Fiberglass.

 

[jbcurt00]

A better queation would be whats under the black paint and why was it painted.

There appears to be pinkish bondo like stuff under the black in one of the pix and a long bulge that looks like a filler/patch that wasnt faired smooth in another.

Bondo isnt a good choice for below the water line.

Why was it patched, what happened that the hull required patching?

How was it patched?

Did water get thru the damage before it was 'repaired'?

How about some pix showing the hull and the boat in general.

Those are all taken real close

 

[Bman2895]

well i just found something not so great. while i was taking more pics i noticed a water drop under the hull so i poked it... and discovered where it had been repaired there is a small hole. so what are my options here? i have some JB Waterweld and some E6000 marine sealant. would just using the waterweld work? its a small hole and i could push the waterweld into it to fill it and then sand it and re paint?

 

[jbcurt00]

The short answer is no, not likely a plug the hole and repaint. As I said, bondo isnt a good choice below the waterline, and if water is dripping out, there is more work ahead. Probably a lot of work.

 

[Woodonglass]

Yup, I agree^^^. The PO has already attempted a "Quick and Easy" repair and you're seeing and living with the results. If you want to do it right you're going to have to invest some time and effort. We'll be happy to instruct you as to the methods and materials needed to get the job done but... don't be surprised if, once you start sanding/grinding off the old stuff, you begin opening up a lot more issues. Boats of this vintage usually have lot's of em. Have you done a "Bounce Test" on the motor to ensure there's NO FLEX" in the Transom???

 

[fishin98]

There are products available to repair those scratches and deep gouges, notably from 3M. Looks like a nice boat from what I saw, sand down the painted area, make the repairs, sand smooth, then repaint...just my 2cts.
You will get A LOT of great advise from people on this forum, that are more knowledge than me.

 

[Bman2895]

Transom is solid as a rock. The hole was tiny. about the size of a tick tack probably even smaller. With the repair that had been done right next to it i was worried about sanding that repair off and getting into a whole new can of works. so i did use the water weld and forced it up into the tiny hole as much as it would take then i put alittle around the exterior of the hole. its such a small spot i really didnt want to sand into it and develop a bigger issue. so we'll see how it turns out. like i said the boat was free. and all thats really wrong is the hull being a bit scratched up. Ive seen great results with jb weld and this stuff is completely workable. so if it doesnt hole i just go and sand it and go with something a bit better.

 

[jbcurt00]

A small hole isnt the problem, nor are the scratches.

See my questions earlier, the answers to those are necessary to determine the problems this hull may have.

 

[Bman2895]

A small hole isnt the problem, nor are the scratches.

See my questions earlier, the answers to those are necessary to determine the problems this hull may have.

I have no factual answers, but this is what the PO told me. i was told by the PO that the patch where the hole is was done for beaching purposes, but i doubt it. looks like someone ran it into rocks and then notched it out and filled it with a repair epoxy of some sort, i prodded around the rest of it pretty thoroughly and the rest is solid. not softness or flex. The PO also said it was painted due too it having been scratched up before.

 

[jbcurt00]

The pix I commented on indicate otherwise.

You boat's hull is foam filled inside a good portion of it.

If water is leaking out of a small hole, there is likely more water trapped inside then would be good. Lots of wood inside a boat to go bad w trapped water.

Ignore it if you wish, but its at the peril of the boats integrity. Wear a PFD and require anyone else aboard to as well.

 

[harleyman1975]

To answer your question I would definitely be worried. I can tell that it has been repaired and repaired poorly (what I would call home ownered to death). The bottom of that boat looks to have been either run up on the rocks or fell off the trailer. If it was mine I would at the very least flip it over and fair the bottom and then re gelcoat but most likely it will end up going much deeper than that.

 

[Bman2895]

When I say it leaks water I mean there's a tiny drop of water just sitting there. I had it out all day the other day and the boat didn't take on much water. And the water it I've found came in from a leaking live well hose and leaks around the pumps themselves. ill see how it holds up. I've seen down inside the boat and last looked it was very dry. it does look rough, but I don't have alot of cash as a broke college student. I know its likely ill advised. But could I coat over what I already have? I know its not proper, but will it hold awhile?

 

[Woodonglass]

It's your boat and you can do what you want. We're speaking from years of experience working on fiberglass boats and seeing these kinds of things. There is NO WAY to know how compromised the substructure of your boat is. The Foam could be totally water logged and the stringers total mush which could severely compromise the hull. OR it could be a minor thing and your Quickie repair could be just fine. We ALWAYS err on the side of Caution and Safety. We think Everyone Should. We've given our opinions Now...It's up to you to make your decision. If you don't ensure this leak and all others are completely sealed and no more water enters the hull, I can assure you you WILL have major issues in a very short period of time!!!

 

[Bman2895]

yeah i understand it could make things much worse, but i looked and it does seem pretty dry. and the hole is not through, its just through the first layer of glass. so hopefully it will work. Im not questioning your experience. Hell i know your right,but this boat is most likely going to be a one year long fling. Though i do intend to sand the baddest areas and re-coat with an marine epoxy paint. any suggestions?

 

[Bman2895]

Okay, So i've thought a bit about it. and i think i got some ideas. 1. I could buy a good epoxy-sealer paint or other coat of something? i dont know what kind or where to get though so suggestions are welcome. 2, So most of the scratches and repairs are right down the center of the boat. So maybe (ive read it will work. and people do use it to toughen up the hulls) i can use bed-liner just down the center of the hull to seal it up and really strengthen the boats hull. I know it adds x amount of weight and drag, but in all reality i want function over performance so i don't mind losing some speed if it means i have a much tougher hull.

Ive also thought of a bit of a combination. Bed line just the particularly bad areas then coating it over with paint to kinda smooth it off.

What do yall think? paint it, bed line it, or a combination of both?

also. really need to know what paint i would need and where i can buy it. Heres some stuff i saw at the local wal-mart. i went ahead and bought the spray on bed line because theres some sprayed on the shelf and it looks like really decent stuff. so i plan to use it over just the worst spots right now. i know im completely a newb to this so take some mercy as i make silly suggestions and ideas.

 

[jbcurt00]

Its still a suspicious repair w a big ugly patch over it and that doeant match what you've relayed as the story from the previous owner.

I believe thats what he told you, but I don't believe that his story is accurate. Hundreds of boat rebuilds documented here, strongly suggest otherwise.

Theres a big long blob on the hull. Theres no reason for that if there were scratches from beaching.

Covering it, tidying it up and etc, IMO, is a waste of your time and money.

Fix it. You cant do that w out uncovering it, which you already said you didnt want to do.

Unfortunately I cant tell you it will fail but you cant tell me it wont either.

 

[nurseman]

If all you want to do is throw a bit of paint on it, then use Rustoleum oil base paint. If you want it to be a little harder finish, go to Tractor supply and add the Majic hardener to it. You should not expect truck bedliner to add any strength to your hull. It might give you some abrasion resistance, but you will not see any strength gains, IMO. Good luck with her!

 

[Bman2895]

Oh i agree, That big long blob is definitely not due to scratches. But if i go and sand it all down i may find things that i cant so easily repair once uncovered and i should have just left it well enough alone. I know just bed lining and painting over is gonna be a bit shody looking, but it will definitely help to seal and recover the hull rather than to just leave it be.

I mean do you think i can actually repair those spotty repairs properly? would i be better off sanding around them and fiberglass repair over it with resin and fiberglass cloth? i know that the materials for fiberglass repair are not actually that expensive either. I dont know quite how to do it though. so how would i do the repairs with fiberglass instead?

And i really do need to know what paint i should buy and where to buy it because im absolutely clueless on that.

 

[fishin98]

As I mentioned before it seems like a nice boat topside. Since you got it basically free, why not do proper repairs. Do you research, 3M makes a poly filler for scratches and gouges your hull has. Sand it down do your fill in's, sand smooth and repaint, I have had boats in the past I tried to do a EL CHEAPO repair, in the end I ended up redoing and completing a PROPER repair. Its your boat, do what YOU think is right, just my 2cts.

 

[jbcurt00]

Based on the blob on the bottom, I am suggesting that there is a lot more work to do then fishin98 does.

Brian, you have no idea the underlying reason for the shoddy repair. I suspect you are correct, sand that area down, and its a whole different can of worms. Simply sanding and fairing doesnt resolve that, it masks it at best. At worst, it gives you a false sense of security.

Until you know the extent of the problem and what all is hidden beneath that patch and all that paint, there is no way to know what repairs are necessary.

Sounds like you can do the glass and resin work if you need to, but that patch and the paint have to come off 1st.

Based on the scratches, 'quality' of repair and the pix you posted, I dont think you'll have any trouble getting the paint off to see whats beneath it.