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Reply to: NACRA 5.8 - large hole repair (looking for techniques/advice)

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[quote=Edchris177][quote]but how about making a mold on the 'outside' of the port hull that is directly opposite from this hole. then afix it to the 'outside' gelcoat surface of the starboard hull (over the hole) and build from the inside, starting with gelcoat, then fiberglass, etc as yurdle describes?[/quote]
That works very well, & will give a mor professional finish, BUT, the first layer,(gelcote) is the hardest. Fibreglass is pretty easy to work with, gelcote takes more skill.
It comes down to whether you want the boat out of commission, but end up with a better,(from a cosmetic point of view) repair.
With the deck off, you could tightly secure "backing" to the outside of the hull.(Be sure to apply a good coat of wax or release agent to the surrounding gelcote) then begin work from the inside. The backing can be any flexible material, even 1/4" plywood. Lay Saran Wrap on the inside to provide an airtight barrier for the gelcote.
Apply gelocote, then start the structural glass work. If you go this route, you need to do some research on gelcote application, that is the portion that is easy to screw up if you have never done it before. It might be possible to get it formed & prepped, then drive the hull to a shop & have them shoot it & apply 1-2 layers of cloth. IIRC you need to place resin/cloth on the gelcote while it is still tacky.
The actual glasswork is pretty easy & goes quick. Ditto for reattaching the deck, then sanding the gelcote flush.
The quick & dirty fix is to do the glasswork, then paint the patch, I guess it comes down to how much time/money you have, & how important are the final cosmetics.[/quote]

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