Years ago when we trucked TRADITION from Cincinnati Ohio, we suffered a crush point on the hull. It was not a real serious blow, but it clearly had to be fixed. I routed out the crack and literally filled the entire area with a large chunk of polyester. Along with a fiberglass cloth wrap and finish job, this repair has lasted 12 or more years without a hint of a crack or any water intrusion, blister, etc.

Now I'm looking at a gouge out of the bottom aft edge of my 20' fiberglass Sea Skiff keel, thanks to a previous owner or careless yard handler. I had a broken engine stringer, and I also have a place on that keel that took quite a shot. I am wondering if both things happened at the same time, maybe in the boat yard? In any case, I have delayed fixing this because I didn't believe this could be the source of water intrusion into the inner hull, but now I know differently. I have never seen water leaking out of this location when the boat has been pulled onto the trailer, but clearly, this is a way water gets in as the boat settles further into the water and the level seeks another pathway.

In any case, it will be fixed today.

I am planning on roughing up the surface to be sure it is free of oil and or wax. Then I'll do a wrap with fiberglass cloth and epoxy. Once that initial closure is solid, I will drill a hole into it, and then I plan on pumpng epoxy or polyester (I have both in the shop) into the hole until it flows laterally down the keel and helps plug and reinforce any holes. The mix will depend upon how far it flows. Once I assess the volume I'll need, then I'll decide on that gallon of polyester versus the quart of epoxy as the filler.

I have a box of disposable vinyl gloves, Jerry would be proud ! I'll post a few photos of the operation later today.

Regards,

Paul

Upon closer look today it appears the damage didn't warrant the technique I planned on. Therefore I donned three layers of disposable gloves and mixed up a nice healthy mix of PC7 industrial epoxy paste. This stuff stays right where you put it, with little or no sag. I then reached in and pulled out a golfball size of the glob and worked it into the damaged area, pushing it up into the opening as far as I could. As I applied more and more of the stuff, the glove became laden and more difficult to use.

Off comes one layer and bingo, I'm still in action. And so it went, one layer at a time, more and more epoxy. As it was faired out as well as possible under the circumstances I pulled off the last glove, clean hands, came in for a beer.

A short while later I went back with a wetted rag and slicked up the epoxy surface and faired it out more nicely, saving on the sanding when it finally set up. Now I'm back for that second beer.

I highly recommend the glove-on-glove-on-glove technique for tasks like this. It works great. So now even before doing any more finish work, I'm allready back in business and ready for the water. Naturally I'll do some sanding and put on a protective layer of paint. At some time in the future when I have the boat in a more advantageous position, perhaps I'll take a sander and go back in to take a look, and to a nicer profile job.

For anyone not familiar with PC7, it is a thick paste industrial epoxy, cures out very hard with a little elasticity, and it is even suitable for repairing fuel tanks, which I would NOT recommend on a boat but it sure seemed to do a nice job on that Massey Ferguson tractor tank.

Regards, clean hands and all,

Paul

Not cheap, but it is very useful for certain type jobs, and it seems to be ideal for what you are using it for. It has a lot of body and you can form it as you noted. Between that and JB Weld, you pretty well got the mending type epoxy covered. JB is way too thin for packing into a hole. Hope you got the leak thing fixed. Many years ago I packed a reamed out water pump stud into a small block Ford motor with JB, let it cure up, and that old work truck is still running fine (with the same water pump lol).

Roy