Repair a hole in the hull

[Guest]

It has all come out quite nicely, but a small oversight at the beginning of laying out the final coat of FG has cost me another step.

Perhaps in the way deer hunters get buck fever, I suppose I had patch fever as I was 2 minutes into mixing up the epoxy. Earlier that day I had determined there was sufficient carbon powder on hand to add to the epoxy and give me UV protection and no need to paint.

However, the carbon powder came to my mind after the hull had been painted and the cloth wetted out.

I think we’ve probably all had buck fever while working on a boat or outfitting.

I recall a friend who regunwaled an asymmetrical tandem and reversed the bow and stern seat positions. Another friend (or maybe the same one, I’m not telling) who installed a contoured kayak seat facing in the wrong direction. A Canoe Tripping poster who got as far as posting photos of his newly truss hung seats before realizing the trusses were all upside down.

Not that I myself have ever done anything like that. Nooooo, not me. Although, the last patch photo looks a lot like some of my fiberglass patch installs.

I often use a Sharpie to mark cut-out shapes on glass cloth and the last photo looks very much like some of my own work, especially when epoxying odd shaped cloth patches or pads. The visible Sharpie lines are easy to see when I am cutting, and not an issue if I am black pigmenting the epoxy, adding graphite powder or top coating with paint. But I gotten buck fever and left those Sharpie marks on unadorned cloth, to remain a forever fugly reminder under the resin.

If I am cutting a rectangle or square along the weave I can get away with lightly using a #2 pencil, which leaves little trace, but that pencil imprint is barely discernable when marking/cutting more complex shapes and tugs at the fabric along the bias areas.

A question for more experienced fiberglass cloth cutters. How do you mark your cloth for cuts and shapes?

Related question, how the heck do you mark carbon fiber?

 

[Guest]

Stenciled over the repaired hull, this pattern will be applied after I finish up.

Willie, Is that the Slacker Boatworx Gogetch?

If so, what does it represent?

A water skeeter who has lost his two front legs?

Maybe an obscure reference to Leviticus 11:20 “All the winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. Yet you may eat among the winged insects which walk on all fours”.

One supposes they had some weird bugs back before the flood.

 

[pblanc]

I use a sharpie as you can make marks with light pressure that does not disturb the weave of the fabric. I am usually feathering the edge of patches and then painting over the end result, or using graphite powder mixed into the epoxy.

If you want to make a near transparent interior fiberglass patch with no perimeter marks, mark the fabric outside of where you plan to cut, and cut the marks off.

As for how I cut fabric, I use the cheapest scissors I can, usually purchased from Harbor Freight for no more than a couple of bucks, and throw them out when they dull.

 

[Will Derness]

Willie, Is that the Slacker Boatworx Gogetch?

If so, what does it represent?

It is a Fleur de Lis. A graphic with French associations. Since this canoe is a Swift Yukon, (1998), and Swift being Canadian, and in Quebec French is spoken, it seemed the right choice.

The repair on this canoe involves some stem work. The Fleur de Lis will cover the stem wound as well - red over the black skid plate

As to whether it is the Slacker Boat Works icon, I suppose not. I'm merely using it but might just adopt it as a shop signature. Otherwise I'd have to create something - too much work for the slacker in me.

 

[Will Derness]

Having forgot to add carbon to my epoxy mix, the inside patch needs to be painted. 3 coats semi gloss enamel.




After painting it I happened to find a decal that fit it perfectly. The decal, as well as the 3 Fleur de Lis I've painted at wound repair locations, will be a surprise for the canoe owners. They have no idea I've used their canoe as a canvas.

 

[Alan Gage]

Very nice looking work you've done there and good job hiding the patches. I think the owners will be pleasantly surprised.

While you're surprising them maybe you should pull that yoke, check the ends for rot, and give it some varnish.

Alan

 

[Jim Dodd]

Tricky ! A Mark of a true artist !

I try and put my license stickers, where they cover up the runs in the varnish.

Have to agree with Alan, that yoke looks pretty dry, and it wouldn't hurt to look at the seats too.

Jim