Restoring a homemade plywood duck boat

[Richards1590]

So a friend of mine built a duck hunting boat a few years ago and never used it. It is an all wood construction with fiberglass on the seems. It appears to have been left an unfinished project. I acquired it for the low cost of a round of beer at the local pub. I was thinking of fixing it up to use as a fishing boat in some of our streams and smaller lakes here in western Montana. I tried to see if it would hold water, and it doesn't. It leaks on all the seams. I have been doing some research to see what would be a good option to seal it and I was thinking of trying gluvit on the entire outer hull. Has anybody ever used this stuff on a wood/fiberglass boat before? All the threads I have found on here are of people using it on aluminum.

 

[gm280]

:welcome: aboard RIchard1590...

The best way to get good ideas and suggestions is to post some pictures of this home made boat. Then we can see what you are dealing with and offer ideas and such to help you out. I am leaning towards using polyester risen and CSM to seal the boat. But I have to see it first to recommend that. JMHO!

 

[jbcurt00]

GluvIt is epoxy, but by the gallon, its fairly expensive epoxy. There would be other, probably better, epoxy choices.

If theres fiberglass tape and resin over the seams, are the leaks THRU the resin and glass or around it coming out between the wood and the resin/glass?

Yep, pix would be great

 

[Woodonglass]

Also depending on how long these leaks have been occuring the plywood may or may not have been severely damaged. Again Pix will help us to help you make necessary determinations about the condition of the boat and what the necessary steps are for it's proper restoration.

 

[Richards1590]

Thanks guys ill try to post pictures tomorrow, I'm away from my house for Easter. The leaks are through the small amounts of fiberglass on the lower seams. What epoxy would you recommend instead of gluvit?

 

[Woodonglass]

This will work just fine
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/2213760...&ul_noapp=true

If the plywood is OK you'll still need to grind off the Old Glass tape and lay down new.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fiberglass-...789314?hash=item35ca268742:g:5oIAAOxyXTRR91br

 

[Grub54891]

It may be cheaper and better to use the boat for patterns, and built it with new wood. You will have less old wood to deal with and possibly think of better ways to seal it and strengthen the hull.