In this publication10 photos
Getting aboard means bringing the boat against land or another boat. Called ‘berthing’, it often becomes a little adventure. If lucky, just a fright; if not, deep scratches in both memory and hull. Last year, for instance, I fell overboard, leaving the yacht to the wind, which happily rubbed her against a steel ferry. That soured my mood for the whole season.
Why do chips matter?
Most yacht hulls are made of epoxy resin reinforced with many layers of glass cloth, sometimes with a plywood core. Osmosis lets water enter, causing fibreglass delamination and rotten plywood. A protective layer, such as two-part gelcoat, keeps it out. Scratches and chips damage that protection and expose the hull to the elements.
A quick repair
As soon as the scratches appeared, I tried to fill them with gelcoat. But its runny consistency doesn’t suit vertical surfaces: it flows like thick honey. It also needs over 15°C and takes one or two weeks to dry. Almost impossible in cold weather. How does anyone manage? This winter, I decided on a proper repair, paying extra to keep the yacht in a dry shed.
Preparation
First, open out the damage and deepen it by a millimetre. I bought a Dremel 4250 rotary tool for €90. Excellent, though a light and air blower would help.
Filling
Because of the cold, I used €26 Hempel epoxy filler instead of gelcoat. It dries in two days at 5–10°C, suits vertical surfaces, but needs Hempel Light Primer afterwards. Very thick: my flat Japanese filling knife filled the grooves well, but lifting it pulled material away, exposing the edges. I had to overfill, leaving little mounds.
Sanding
Once dry, level with 180–240-grit paper, keeping the whole sander disc flat. Dust can envelop you like fog, so vacuum extraction, goggles and a filtered mask are essential.
Mistakes and lessons
1. The yard pointed out that groove edges should taper gently for even filling. Mine had vertical walls, making everything harder. They drew it on a piece of wood, and I immediately saw my mistake.
2. I hadn’t mixed the epoxy and hardener thoroughly enough. Two consequences:
– the mixture was too thick, creating bubbles that opened during sanding
– little unmixed ‘rice grains’ broke away during sanding
Who knew mixing epoxy components could be so difficult?
Despite the flaws, valuable experience. The yacht improved, and I learnt plenty.
#maintenance
Why do chips matter?
Most yacht hulls are made of epoxy resin reinforced with many layers of glass cloth, sometimes with a plywood core. Osmosis lets water enter, causing fibreglass delamination and rotten plywood. A protective layer, such as two-part gelcoat, keeps it out. Scratches and chips damage that protection and expose the hull to the elements.
A quick repair
As soon as the scratches appeared, I tried to fill them with gelcoat. But its runny consistency doesn’t suit vertical surfaces: it flows like thick honey. It also needs over 15°C and takes one or two weeks to dry. Almost impossible in cold weather. How does anyone manage? This winter, I decided on a proper repair, paying extra to keep the yacht in a dry shed.
Preparation
First, open out the damage and deepen it by a millimetre. I bought a Dremel 4250 rotary tool for €90. Excellent, though a light and air blower would help.
Filling
Because of the cold, I used €26 Hempel epoxy filler instead of gelcoat. It dries in two days at 5–10°C, suits vertical surfaces, but needs Hempel Light Primer afterwards. Very thick: my flat Japanese filling knife filled the grooves well, but lifting it pulled material away, exposing the edges. I had to overfill, leaving little mounds.
Sanding
Once dry, level with 180–240-grit paper, keeping the whole sander disc flat. Dust can envelop you like fog, so vacuum extraction, goggles and a filtered mask are essential.
Mistakes and lessons
1. The yard pointed out that groove edges should taper gently for even filling. Mine had vertical walls, making everything harder. They drew it on a piece of wood, and I immediately saw my mistake.
2. I hadn’t mixed the epoxy and hardener thoroughly enough. Two consequences:
– the mixture was too thick, creating bubbles that opened during sanding
– little unmixed ‘rice grains’ broke away during sanding
Who knew mixing epoxy components could be so difficult?
Despite the flaws, valuable experience. The yacht improved, and I learnt plenty.
#maintenance
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