Hull Damage and how to repair

On the way home from kayaking today a nimrod in a Ford pickup rolled off the brakes and into the back of our Shearwater Doubleon its trailer. The impact shoved the kayak forward 6 to 10 inches and put a crossways crack across hull panel#2 and a puncture on hull panel#3 just forward of the starboard hip brace.

The first picture is the inside of the front cockpit, the dark rectangle in the upper right is the hip brace.  Second picture shows the puncture from the outside.

Can I clean up the edges of the cracks and punctures to the point the panels can be realigned and epoxied together, before sanding a fiberglassing both sides? Or do I need to cut out enough of both panels to bridge the cracks and punctures and insert new pieces, wire tie and fillet together, then fiberglass both sides.  What would be the best way to repair?

                                                                 Thanks, Steve


5 replies:

« Previous Post       List of Posts       Next Post »

RE: Hull Damage and how to repair

 Steve my hear hurts for you. I spend a lot of time looking at the rearview when transporting, hoping that nimrod's not behind me.

 Can you post the photos on a photo site and give us a link to them? I know photobucket is free.  I'm shooting from the hip but would think that if you can re-align the wood you can probably salvage her.

RE: Hull Damage and how to repair

I'll try again tonite.

RE: Hull Damage and how to repair

It's unfortunate that it is so difficult to post photos on this site, but here are some thoughts while we wait to see the damage.

Most of the strength in your hull comes from the epoxy-saturated fiberglass. The wood gives it shape and color, and acts as a web between the fiberglass layers that contributes strength much as the web of an I-beam.

Your biggest concern is to restore proper alignment of the hull so that it continues to track straight after repair. Once you get everything in line, clean up any rough edges, fill the cracks with thickened epoxy, and apply new glass on both sides of the seams. Don't use fiberglass tape; cut the cloth on the bias for maximum strength.

Hope this helps - Wes

RE: Hull Damage and how to repair

RE: Hull Damage and how to repair

I give up on linking photos. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.Toofotartist, thank you for your comments, I know what I can do tto make the repair.

                                                                             Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

toofoot artist

« Previous Post     List of Posts     Next Post »


Please login or register to post a reply.