12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

Looking good so far newbie ...... before you know it you'll be putting things back together.

thanks Jon! yeah thats the part i really gotta get right ha, its kinda exciting though

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

more questions



found this crack under some old layers

its like this on both sides, this will all be fine after all the new layers are put on right? or should something else be done?

wonder what i'd find if i grind all this down. not sure if i should or not?

does the rest of the boat get sanded down or just left alone before painting?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

You need to get ALL of the old stuff the other guy put down OFF. How are you mounting the 36 grit to the grinder if you don't have a rubber back-up pad. The rest of the boat should be sanded with your RO sander with 180 grit but not until you have all the patching done. You won't need to make patches like you have drawn. Get all of the Old stuff off and then we can/will work on how to patch everything.

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

How are you mounting the 36 grit to the grinder if you don't have a rubber back-up pad.

put the grit sheet over the grind pad that came with the it

and yep, workin on it

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought. You are really putting some "Wave" gouges in the hull that are gunna be a problem. I'd advise you to stop until you get the backer pad. It needs to be smooth.

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

then thats what i'll do

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

update!

alright here is what i got so far!

bottom of the transom/back

around the very middle

the front bottom. i'm going to chip that out with my finger cause its all one big long crack

so other than some sanding around cracks to expose more fiberglass from the actual boat, for the new glass to grip onto, do you think its ready to start laying the new glass?

another thing i was thinking about. Oops mentioned "one other thing......if you wish......you could grind out the entire hull.....and add a full layer of 1.5 csm....and a layer of 1708....if you did this......the boat would last for decades."

i'm not sure if i want to take out all the benches right now.
i know they need some work, which is fine and i don't mind doing but i just assume leave the middle one and front one in if i could for now. maybe cut a piece out of them to remove the old foam and and put new foam into them. take the back bench out and just add a piece of wood going across as the seat. kinda like the back of this one - i have to post the picture in the next reply, scroll down to see it, got to many pictures in this one

(do you think the two benches filled with foam would be enough to keep it afloat in case of emergency?)


so if i did this. what would be the best thing to do in terms of still making the boat last for decades? lol

what if (on the outside patches) instead of adding the csm, csm, 1708, csm, 1708, csm, 6 oz roving. as all small pieces - i did the first 5 layers as the patch work size, then after that a full layer of csm and 1708 over the whole bottom and some up the sides?

kinda like this guy did http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=317761&highlight=fiberglass+gamefisher+jon+boat+12

would that help with the bulking problem?

the guy said he did it because there are a lot of cracks and nicks and ...cracks... all over the bottom of the boat and he didn't trust it. which is exaccttllyy where my head is at right now. but you guys would know what is best. he mentioned just glassing the inside and "gelling" the outside, i'm not sure what that means but i thought i'd mention it lol

would it be better for me to glass the inside of the hull on the sections that are in between the benches ?
on the inside floor after i take out the back bench - from the back to the middle bench, skip over the bench, from that to the front bench.
and just patching the parts on the outside that need it and leave the rest of the bottom/outside alone?

i know at some point i am probably gonna wanna take the middle bench out (but not the front, that one is fine) and build a nicer looking one out of wood as oops suggested, just right now i'm wanting to get her out on the water / be safer then prettier.

or should i just go ahead and take the middle bench out right now too.....lol
that would still just be glassing from the back up to the front bench, not the all of the hull.
which would still leave me feeling worried about the bottom anyway.

sorry if none of this made any sense or seems out of order, kinda just threw it all out there.


all thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

i'm not sure if i want to take out all the benches right now.
i know they need some work, which is fine and i don't mind doing but i just assume leave the middle one and front one in if i could for now. maybe cut a piece out of them to remove the old foam and and put new foam into them. take the back bench out and just add a piece of wood going across as the seat. kinda like the back of this one - i have to post the picture in the next reply, scroll down to see it, got to many pictures in this one

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

I guess you did not understand. The surface must be smooth. All of those dips and gouges you made because you did not have the back up pad have pretty much messed up your hull. You're gunna spend a fortune on filler to get it back to where it needs to be. I'm not sure what you tell you. This is not good.

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

no i didn't dang. whats the filler called?

 

[newbie19]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

if my next step is to get filler and smooth everything i've done out then thats ok.

just lemme know the products i need to get and if you have any tips for any of it

not gonna be disheartened if its still repairable

...is it? lol

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

Here's the deal, you've got at the very best a $200 boat and to fix this thing you're gunna spend at least that much. Like we said at the beginning, Is it really worth it?? With this new problem I'm seriously doubting you should go forward with the repair. Thats my opinion others may chime in with another opinion.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

Like Woody said, you need to look at this project and see if it makes sense. Almost every portion of this boat has issues, can it be fixed and turned into a OK boat.....yes...will it be worth the time and money you put into it...not really. At this point you could stop, buy yourself an aluminum boat and be on the water tomorrow, or spend $500 to $1000 on this one, plus many weeks of work.

 

[oops!]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

hi....just got my puter back.....

the above points are valid.

it will cost a minimum of 500 bux from where you are right now.
(5 gals of poly, 10 yards of 1708 20 yards of csm and filler, plus the rollers, buckets, acetone sand paper. and then you have to paint)

due to the gouging caused by the grinder disc, you will need to a structural filler then fully encase the boat in a csm 1708 layer.
(we use a rubber backing pad, because it flattens out when grinding,,,,thus it makes the surface more smooth, and not as dimpled)

The amount of work suggested above is also correct. It would take me three full days to repair the out side of the hull. This would mean several weeks at a few hours here and there for a novice.
as well,,,,,this boat will be heavy when done.

so....it is your call.

we can guide you to a sucessful repair....and we will if you choose to fix this boat.
used aluminium row boats can be purchased for cheap.....you might have to add some gluvit or hammer some reevits.
but you can be on the water next weekend.

let us know what you wish to do...

cheers bud.....keep your chin up.
oops

 

[wpalmisano]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

hi....just got my puter back.....

the above points are valid.

it will cost a minimum of 500 bux from where you are right now.
(5 gals of poly, 10 yards of 1708 20 yards of csm and filler, plus the rollers, buckets, acetone sand paper. and then you have to paint)

due to the gouging caused by the grinder disc, you will need to a structural filler then fully encase the boat in a csm 1708 layer.
(we use a rubber backing pad, because it flattens out when grinding,,,,thus it makes the surface more smooth, and not as dimpled)

The amount of work suggested above is also correct. It would take me three full days to repair the out side of the hull. This would mean several weeks at a few hours here and there for a novice.
as well,,,,,this boat will be heavy when done.

so....it is your call.

we can guide you to a sucessful repair....and we will if you choose to fix this boat.
used aluminium row boats can be purchased for cheap.....you might have to add some gluvit or hammer some reevits.
but you can be on the water next weekend.

let us know what you wish to do...

cheers bud.....keep your chin up.
oops

I think all of you are missing the point. First off its a great thread. Second and most importantly, its a Sears Gamefisher. These are tri hulled well built stable boats built by the MFG corporation FOR SEARS. These are sweet boats. I have a 12 footer from 1970, 42 years ago, which I use on the local lake ( Quannopaug ) which has a 6 hp limit. I use my bigger boat for large bodies of water. They are much quieter for fishing as the fiberglass absorbs noise, and no rivets. Aluminum boats have their own limitations.
As for the cost, yes, for 500 you can pick up an aluminum boat. I got my Gamefisher for free off Craigslist. I bought a 350.00 boat trailer from Northern Tools and Equipment, a 5 hp Coleman from Wal mart, and my son and I have a good time in it.
In fact, I was so impressed I purchased the domain name gamefisher.org and I intend to get folks to restore them. They are a sweet boat.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: 12"gamefisher fiberglass repair help (pics)

These were actually low cost mass produced boats that were poorly designed and built. The type of glass, resin and build method resulted in a boat that fell apart after a few years and since it was such poor quality to begin with, rebuilding it consisted of redoing almost everything on the boat and reinforcing what wasn't thrown out. There may have been a few built over the years that were better, maybe even good in quality, but I've never seen one.

If someone really likes the design and understands they will have far more time and money into it than it's worth, then fine, go for the rebuild. But as a project when someone just wants to get out on the water and fish for not much money, its not a good starting point.