Boat Repair Help

[blueskyracer]

End of last season a boat spun into the path of this boat and our boat decided to climb up and over.

The hole in the sponson is no big deal but the air trap damage in not good. I know how it should be repaired by removing the bottom and splice in new pieces but I was hoping some body had a quicker and easier way of fixing the damage without adding a ton of weight.

I say chain saw and replace the sucker with a new MJR but I was told that is not an option and I have to many other boats to finish. Building new is much easier

[ZUL8TR]

boat repair

For the air trap I would make strips of wood that will clamp on each side of the trap as forms and finish out flush with the original top line of the trap. Put some plastic wrap (like used in kitchen for food wrap) on these wood strips before clamping to prevent epoxy stick. Pre wet the wood to be repaired with an epoxy mix with no thickner to wet the surface. Then prepare an epoxy mix thick with cabisil like mayonaise and puch in and level with top of strips. When epoxy sets remove form and sand to final shape and paint.

As far as the splinters on the trap area to be repaired just remove the loose material and leave the rough surface for a better mechanical bond.

As for the sponson you have that covered.

[Jack Stotts]

I've had airtrap like that and fixed it by taking out the damaged area by first cutting the area out and the using an air driven rotary tool take that portion below the surface of the bottom much like a dentist would do. When vertically cutting the trap, cut on a 45 degree angle so the patched in piece also cut on a 45 will have more surface to bond with. Fasten new pieces in with West System. Jack

[Trihedral_1]

Think small tools: Dremel, router, chisel, nailpunch, etc... I've had to do these exact airtrap repairs.

for the back airtrap, cut out the damaged area and sand flat with the boat bottom, then jig up a 1/4" router & make a nice strait 3/8" deep grove to accept the new airtrap section. and yes, make a nice 45 where the old trap meets the new. there's plenty of wood here to support your new piece on all three sides (sounds so easy on paper, but it took me forever). If your in a hurry, sand it flat and screw on a piece of aluminum channel (like most guys).

For the meatier part of the airtrap up front, cut out the damaged area, add some backing strips if needed, and glue in some finish pieces. this is almost a cosmetic repair.

take yer time & you won't need any cloth or fillers.

Jimi O (305-R)

[pro350hydro]

then jig up a 1/4" router & make a nice strait 3/8" deep grove to accept the new airtrap section.

Yep, what he said...works great!

[johnsonm50]

As a wood cutter, nail shooter, ex auto body dude, boat builder, stuff fixer, epoxy mixer.. I say- all are right. The router jig idea is the most 'like new' way aside from tearing it apart & doing all new but the epoxy sandwich is the easiest. Id use wax paper to separate the forms & since its painted... Its got to be strong e-nuff to run but in a crack up all bets are off. Good Luck.

[5-A]

I concur wax paper "forms"

[Dave M]

One More Option

I have done this to a 850CCMH (FEH/SEH). I hit somethingon a race course one time, debris, and tore a chunk out of the air trap.

Here is what I did. I cut it off just beyond damage by maybe 1/8". Flush with curre bottom. Then I chiseled out some material to make it slightly below the bottom. I then clamped on two pieces on each side using visqueen so the epoxy did not stick to my forms/clamps. I then put a peanut butter like mix if West System Epoxy. Here is the trick, use 404, the high density stuff. Cabosil is not very strong and also weakens the expoy strength. High Density 404 stregnthens it more than just epoxy alone. Lots more. I then cram all that mix in making sure the voids are filled, and all the possible cracks down there are filled. I even leave some of the splintered stuff below the bottom, kind of think it adds some structure. Probably doesn't but it made me feel better about it. Let it cure for a day and then sanded it to final shape. Worked great. Oh someone mentioned 45 angles, yes, cut the air trap off using a 45 degree angle. Put the angle so the new part can't push out with force, not sure if that makes sense.

I ran this for around 7 years on my hydro.

Any of the methods mentioned above work great too.

[johnsonm50]

"Put the angle so the new part can't push out with force, not sure if that makes sense."
That does make sense, In a turn the force will push together, not apart. Structurally sound thinking matters when counting on glue, regardless of its strength.