basic boat repair advice

Good evening.
I am a new member and am looking for some basic advice on a boat repair.
The boat in question is a small (8') fibreglass dinghy that I bought recently for fishing. As you will see from the pics, it is no thing of beauty. It has done me just fine all season, but has developed a leak from the bottom and needs some TLC, which I hope to get on to this winter. Any advice on approaches and kit needed would be much appreciated.
As you will see, the previous owner patched the base and cut through the central protective runner (apologies for my ignorance of terminology), which I assume once housed the keel. Due to pressure on the base, the patch has now hollowed and split through. I am looking to mend this and refit the runner along the base. However, I have never attempted anything like this, so thought I'd ask the experts. Obviously I dont want to spend a fortune and dont require an immaculate finish, just something that is sound and tidy.
Many thanks for your help.

Re: basic boat repair advice

Hi nug402,

Welcome to iboats.

I will let the experts fill you in on filling that in, but I don't think the pictures came out too clear, at least not for me...they kind of look like a really bad psychedelic acid trip from the sixties...

Check them out and if I am wrong then I apologize, otherwise try and re-post them...

Best regards,
GT1M

Re: basic boat repair advice

hi....welcome to iboats.

as gt mentioned ....the pics are kind of fuzzed.....lol//// love the acid trip thing.

in pic 2.....it looks as a rubber piece has been screwed to a lifting strake ???? not sure why.

however.....im guessing that the repair failed because someone used an automotive product on it.

a basic thru hull repair works as follows.

grind both the inside and out side of the hull down to the bare fibreglass. what you want to do here is expost the glass around the breach so your new layers of glass have a good clean glass to glass bonding surface.

after the grinding.....(please read this....http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=235651)

clean area with acetone.

on the inside.....fill area with peanut butter (a poly resin and filler mixture). here is how you make it..http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=507690&highlight=sooper+dooper

after the filler is trowled in, lay a small patch of 1.5 oz csm over the area.....and smooth out the air bubbles.....let cure till the top is tacky and some of the heat has gone out of the cure. then add another layer of 1.5 csm.....and a layer of 1708 bi axe.....another larger layer of 1.5 and another layer of 1708.....do that three times till you have 3 layers of 1708. add some wax to your resin and add a final layer of the chopped strand matt to finish. wait till cure..... sand smooth and paint or gellcoat.

on the outside of the hull.....using waxed resin.....lay one layer of 1.5 oz chopped strand matt.....one layer of 1708 bi axe and one final layer of csm....lay them all at once, working out all air bubbles layer after layer.

where to get the stuff?......http://www.uscomposites.com/

you need one yard of 1.5 oz csm.
one yard of 1708 bi axe.

a little milled fibers
small 1/ inch chopped strand fibers.
a resin roller...
1 quart of laminating resin (unwaxed)
1 small airdry (wax)

after you are done the repair......then you can just sand the fiberglass and paint it with rustolium if you wish

cheers
oops

Re: basic boat repair advice

by the way.....if you need step by step instructions on how to do anything i have posted....

frisco boater has some vids.

and this has all the information you will ever need....first few pages should cover it http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=234392

Re: basic boat repair advice

Many thanks for such a prompt and comprehensive response. I have since updated the images so hope these are now clear. I should have mentioned that access from the inside is limited as the boat has a central fibreglass column which I guess once housed a keel? In view of this, can all the repairs be done from the outside? Furthermore, I am keen to replace the protective strip/runner along the entire length of the base to avoid stones etc making this a weak point again. Can these be purchased commercially, what material is best and should it be screwed in or stuck on? Thanks again

Re: basic boat repair advice

lol.....that repair was doomed form the get-go. no surface prep.....just gob and go !

the repair can be done from the outside only.....but it is something i advise against, except by someone that has done repairs a few dozen times.

however.......grind area to glass all around the hole......get rid of the automotive gook on there....lol
remove the rubber rail....get rid of it.
fill holes with peanut butter.....and do 3 layers of the 1708/1.6 oz csm sandwich. with the csm being closest to the hull, between each layer of the thicker knitted fabric, and a final outer layer.

great care must be taken, as the thicker knitted fabric will not want to bend around that radius very easily....

you could do the entire repair with a bondo fiberglass kit form wallmart.....but you will need several layers...(like 10) of matt.thin cloth matt) the problem is that the kit contains wax in the resin....you would only be able to do about 5 of these sandwiches before the resin started to cure....thus, getting the laminate too hot during the cure and a weak reapair will ensue. you would need to do 5 layers...let cure......grind off the top layer of wax in the resin...and then do another 5 layers.

as far as a keel strip.....there are several methods...a keel gaurd...stainless steel.....tefelon...but the thing that works the best......is keeping the yacht off the rocks !