Crack? Or an old patch?

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by Jimmy J, Nov 1, 2020.

  1. Jimmy J
    Joined: Nov 2020
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    Location: Ontario

    Jimmy J Junior Member

    Picked up a cheap 1978 Lucraft Bass Finder X-17, just gonna be using the boat to putt around on for fun.

    Looks like its in decent shape except one ugly spot underneath front right-side of hull. Its different color then the rest of the boat.

    Could it be a crack? Or an old patch? 20201019_082558.jpg 20201101_221510.jpg 20201022_175535.jpg
     
  2. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Give it a good whack with a rubber mallet around the area, to test the soundness. And yes, rubber !
     
  3. Jimmy J
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    Jimmy J Junior Member

    what kind of sound or vibration should I be getting back?

    Thanks
     
  4. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    I'd be looking for any difference in sound, than say, from the same area on the other side of the boat. And especially if it sounds less solid.
     
  5. ondarvr
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    ondarvr Senior Member

    It looks like a terribly done repair.

    Are those cracks running all around the different colored area?
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2020
  6. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    If you can access the inside of the boat at that area, it might reveal something. A lot of glass boats get damage up under the bow area from incidents when retrieval onto a trailer goes wrong, but is usually more localised.
     
  7. Jimmy J
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    Jimmy J Junior Member

    Here's a better picture
    Screenshot_20201102-081556_Gallery.jpg
     
  8. Jimmy J
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    Jimmy J Junior Member

    I managed to get the live well out above that side of the boat and found this. Looks like somebody may have already went inside, its kind of above that area? Or is that original.? 20201020_171915.jpg 20201020_171915.jpg
     
  9. ondarvr
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    ondarvr Senior Member

    If they'd done a good job on the inside the outside wouldn't matter, it would only be cosmetic.

    The problem is it looks like the inside was done poorly too.

    The glass shouldn't be white.
     
  10. Jimmy J
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    Jimmy J Junior Member

    That definitely worries me a little, nothing worse that a half *** job. I was hoping to get a season or two out of this boat, I live in ontario Canada and can only use it 5 or 6 months a year.

    Do you think it will last a year or 2 without opening a can of worms? Thoughts?

    Thanks
     
  11. ondarvr
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    ondarvr Senior Member

    The outside is already cracking a great deal. If all they did was put one layer of roving on the inside, then didn't wet it out with resin correctly, no, it doesn't have a good chance of surviving.

    But from just a couple of pics, and a 1000 miles away, it's hard to determine the exact condition of the damage and attempted repair.
     
  12. Jimmy J
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    Jimmy J Junior Member

    I'm gonna try tapping it with a rubber hammer tonight, ill see what it sounds like.

    Let's say its is cracked on boat surface. Should i dig through inside of boat to patch and of course outside as well? I've been watching lots of videos of patch work.

    Or should just take my losses and scrap
     
  13. ondarvr
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    ondarvr Senior Member

    It's not a difficult repair, but check all the wood in the stringers and transom before doing anything else.
     
  14. Jimmy J
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    Jimmy J Junior Member

    Any ideas of the best way to check those?

    Thanks
     

  15. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    It appears someone has tried to reinforce the area from the inside (I would say the boat appears to have hit a Dugong, or a Manatee, except they are scarce in Ontario !) but did a rather slip-shod job, and only made doing it properly, more difficult. Properly reinforcing it from the inside seems the way to go, once you have identified the size of the affected area, which needs to be well over-lapped.
     
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