Shearwater plywood panel repair

I need to repair a hole in one of the plywood chines on my boat. Made by getting to close to an alligator.  I have the entire wood core however I can not get it to flush out with the rest of the panel.  It is located along the water line just forward of the front bulkhead.  I have tried applying pressure and proper alignment and toothing in of the wood to the original location.  However the pressure just flexes the panel.  hole is 2"x 3".  Any suggestions?

5 replies:

« Previous Post       List of Posts       Next Post »

RE: Shearwater plywood panel repair

I'd just cut a clean patch around the tear and replace it entirely, rather than trying to use the original piece.  You'll end up with a much cleaner repair if you use a new piece, and it will most likely be less of a headache. 

Just cut a rectangular hole slightly larger than the tear-out and then put a patch in to fit it.  Epoxy, glass, and varnish that section, and you're done.

Or you can go fancy and put an alligator inlay design there as a memento of the occasion.  You can start collecting them, though I don't think I'd want to many like an ACE pilot or anything...

FrankP

RE: Shearwater plywood panel repair

Hmm, if it is on the chine, crossing two panels, this might be difficult. Similar to Frank's suggestion, here is a recommended way to repair a hole in a panel, but using a backing piece:

 http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Building/index.cgi/noframes/read/172511

Does the hole actually cross the chine so that more than one panel is involved? Perhaps this approach might still work, usiing two separate backing pieces, filleting and taping the new inside seam, then cutting two pieces to fit the hole along the chine. How's the alligator doing?

--

Ogata (eric)

RE: Shearwater plywood panel repair

What........no pics of the alligator bite holes????????

RE: Shearwater plywood panel repair

Yeah, I was gonna say....

If not pics, at least this sounds like a pretty good story. And please feel free to embellish a little in case the raw facts aren't already quite interesting enough!:)

--

Ogata (eric)

RE: Shearwater plywood panel repair

I had to double-check the calendar to see if it was April 1st.

Wordsmith

« Previous Post     List of Posts     Next Post »


Please login or register to post a reply.