Techniques for boat repairs for ALL users of TRC boats
[MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS ARE EMBOLDENED. Emphases are in italics]
It is useful if as many users of boats as is practiable learn how to repair small scratches in boats with the objective of surveying and repairing all such boats at approximately weekly intervals. The target is to try to get every single club boat without any scratches, painted and polished. This will then;
a) enable any new scratch readily to be discovered after each outing
b) and, thus, allow for responsibility to be allocated to the crew that caused it
c) inculcate a sense of care, pride in users and the protection of our fleet - singularly absent at present - similar to that of most car owners on purchase of the new car. This is more likely to be developed in those who have just spent several hours repairing and painting the boat they are using.
Method
1. Wash the boat hull and 'canvas' with detergent and thoroughly rinse
2. Allow to dry.
3. Identify all the scratches and damage; these normally fall into three categories
a) light scratches in the paint that have not penetrated the paint and can be made good with 'T' cut - possibly supplemented with a fine paint spray
b) scratches in the paint or through the paint that require FILLING with a fine marine epoxy resin filler [resins are normally composed of even quantity mixes or ratios such as 1:2. (Dink stick is one trade name) and are available at most Chandlers] OR A SUITABLE poly ester [you can tell a polyester by the fact that it has a LARGE bulk material set off by a small amount of hardener normally a peroxide - ratios of 99:1 or less. Halfords has a hard black bumper repair resin that is great – it is black and sets off quick and sands well]
c) deep scratches/holes that have penetrated the outer skin revealing the inner honeycomb /closed cell or even through the whole hull
(4.) If not obvious, mark with a pencil / tape etc outside the area of application of paint or resin.
5. For "2 a); " EITHER rub with 'T' cut [a rubbing compound for car paint work available in accessory shops such as Halfords] as instructed on the can OR VERY lightly with a sanding block using 1000 grade 'wet and dry' [obtainable in builders' merchants, Halfords or similar] sand the scratch and adjoining area of paint to 'key' it in for a spray. IF you KNOW HOW TO [and only if] you may lightly spray with a paint to be supplied by NGH, J Russell, Alan or an authorised person - not one bought by you - in accordance with the guidance of an experienced user of such paint. Do not attempt to spray on your own. It will normally take four or five coats of paint - each one being very thin - and half an hour or so between coats. After a week, 'T' cut hardened paint.
6. For "2 b)" lightly key with 400 grade 'wet and dry' with a sanding block. Feather in paint edges. Apply filler to the hole in the paint such as to bring it up to and just above the surface of the paint. One useful trick is to cover the scratch with clear tape [preferable not Selotape but similar tape to duct tape but one that can be seen through] and manoeuvre the resin through this tape to the position desired. This can be done with a plastic spatula or similar non-scratching, straight object. Allow to set [1 -2 hours], remove the clear tape and sand with 400 grade 'wet and dry' followed by 600 or 1000 grade. Keep filling and sanding until the patch is so smooth that you cannot feel where it is when your eyes are shut. Then paint as described above.
7. For 2 c) Prepare for resin repair by undercutting sides of hole with sharp Stanley or other knife. This to be done UNDER INSTRUCTION only. Key in with 400 grade as above. The actual repair is to be done either by Neil Grennan- Heaven, Alan, J Russel Chris George or under a suitably experienced person and will consist of application of a liquid resin and reinforcing material such as glass fibre. Once this has set, carry out all remaining filling operations as in 6 above.