Gebr Ihel Bruchsal ,,, dingy type boat

[A.Neely]

I found a little boat it's a 4x8 dingy type boat made by Gerb Ihel In Bruchsal Germany... has any one ever heard of this guy or this boat?
I would like to do a complete restoration of this boat but not sure where to start.This will be a first time project of this type for me and I could really use some help.

 

[Chris51280]

They used to make bumper cars or very early frames for automobiles. Probably a rare item. got any pics?

 

[A.Neely]

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[A.Neely]

[No message]

 

[A.Neely]

the above emblem is still on the boat...
.

 

[A.Neely]

the seats and top were cut out. the hull as a couple of patches. i have started taking it down to the fiberglass. the gel coat is thick but most of the fiberglass is good, Someone had put a plywood floor in... that's out now... I've never done anything like this before but would really like to get her seaworthy at least for the lake.

 

[A.Neely]

Come on guys help a girl out. I really want to do this for my grand kids.

 

[Chris51280]

They are still in business i think. Wonder if you could contact them. Wonder how it made it into the us

 

[chevymaher]

What are you wanting to do with it? Paddle boat or small outboard. Just put a couple stringers in it and 2 benches.

 

[sphelps]

Are you going to re-gell it or paint it .. If paint You might not want to take all the gell off ..
Welcome aboard ! :welcome:

 

[A.Neely]

there is a pretty good gash in the hull that wasn't repaired very well and it's weak around that area. i would like to fix that and and some more layers of fiberglass. Because of the age of the boat i'm not sure what was used to make it originally, Polly or epoxy? and because i'm a first timer at this I'm also not sure where to start. I have taken it down to the fiberglass at the bow area and it's solid. I'd like to go back with paint or tinted resin maybe, All this is new to me so any advice would help.
The boat was last tagged in Texas 1995. Don't know how it got here or any other history. only that it's mine now and just the size I was looking to find. Her name will be Rose's Hope after my two daughters middle names.
she will be a little fishing boat and something for my grand kids to learn the basics of boating on.

 

[A.Neely]

the gel coat is very weathered and deeply cracked throughout the boat.
I would like to make her look new again, maybe not quit like the amusement park boat pic, but a short deck and 2 side by side seats with a trolling motor set up in the rear' a few extras to make her a comfortable functional little lake/river boat. She
is small enough I can load her in my pick up and launch just about any where.

 

[Scott Danforth]

thats a lot of work for a small boat. more so than the re-gel I would have had to do to my wooster hellion that i had.

the upper hull was all cut away, so you will have to build all that from scratch.

 

[sphelps]

Post a few picks of the damage and some close up pics of the gell defects .. if it’s just spider cracks they can be V-grooved and filled .. If it’s more craizing over the whole surface then sanding down to glass may be the best way to fix ..

 

[A.Neely]

If you look at the pic of the emblem... that's the better part of the present coating. I'm feeling i"m gonna have to take it down to the fiberglass and start there. I've been reading lots of forums and watching videos,
my biggest Question is can I use a polyester resin of fiberglass over the glass that's already there and get it to bond since i don't know for sure what was originally used.
I want to keep it light weight... since i'm only 5ft and 105 lbs myself,...lol
I'm thinking ... down to the fiberglass, then a thin coat of bondo , then re-fiberglass on the hull??? inside and out.
Still not sure whether I want to do a new gel-coat or paint.
i know its lots of work but im up to the challenge,sand, sand, and sand so more and clean clean and clean.for a good finish i have to do a good prep. I want strong and lightweight... i need the advice and i can teach myself the rest.

 

[Chris51280]

No bondo. Bondo bad. It was to 99% done with polyester resin.
if you go with polyester resin, the you can gelcoat or paint like woodonglass has done before. dezmond will also paint his boat.
if you go with epoxy which is stronger but more expensive, you will neex to paint. Gelcoat will not stick to epoxy.
if you gelcoat, you can do this over the existing gelcoat. Rough it up with 240 grit and wipe down with acetone. Then paint what you want.

Read the sticky notes on the top. There will still be some questions but thats why this site is awesome and people help since they have been through the same. Like me.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Im in the process of a 5 color gel coat.

Bondo is for cars, not boats.

Use 40 grit to get thru all the gel

Use CSM to add a layer or two to the boat

Fair as needed with marine fairing

Paint or gel coat

 

[Chris51280]

Scott Danforth . sounds interesting. Are you posting how you do it? I haven't seen that here yet

 

[sphelps]

With th way the gell looks around the emblem I agree with Scott on how to proceed.
but the damaged fiberglass will need some 1708 or woven for strength at those spots ...

 

[Scott Danforth]

Scott Danforth . sounds interesting. Are you posting how you do it? I haven't seen that here yet

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