Stanchion Fiberglass Repair

[yournamehere]

Hi All,
One of our stanchions was under a great deal of pressure and damaged the fiberglass its attached to -- pics attached. The hull is glass with vinyl ester. During the purchase survey the surveyor noted that some of the stanchions would need some reinforcement and had recommended G10.

I can get some G10 backer in there, but what materials should I use to repair the cracked area? I've read quite a bit online and there seems to be some differing opinions about repairing with vinyl ester. I'll be cutting out the damaged glass and grinding back the surrounding area to apply new glass.

Thanks

[psk125]

The easiest fix will likely be with epoxy and fiberglass cloth after you have ground out the cracked and damaged material. The hard part will be getting a gelcoat finish over the repair that matches the color of the rest of the bulwark.

[JPA Cate]

@yournamehere,

Please, if you can, tell us what kind of a boat you have and what size it is. What I am seeing in your pictures is that something bears very hard (or bore very hard) on one of the forward stanchions, which may have been tried to have been repaired previously [the white caulk that shows], but it's peeling the gelcoat off, and lord only knows how much moisture has been going in there. Also, it looks as if there is a gelcoat crack from aft to forward, quite a way. Expect a seething worm sack.

Imho (and I'm experienced, but would not call myself expert), I think you are going to feel shocked and saddened when the guys that know more than I do tell you what needs to happen. But before we get all the way there, go to sailboatdata.com and see what you can learn about the structure of your hull to deck join, with reference to what does the caprail conceal.

Ann

The upper right hand picture

[neilpride]

Nasty place to make a repair, I imagine you have access to the interior, I also wonder if those screws have a nut behind in some backing plate or just held with a washer?

It would be a matter of grind all the damaged area, the g10 piece is a good idea, glue it on the inside, wider than the damaged area, if the original laminate is vinylester or poly I would be inclined to glue it in vinylester or poly, a mixture with silica, and then laminate back on the outside and finish in gelcoat, if it is gelcoat what you have on the deck.

.Once finished it is a matter of reinstalling the stanchion, but this time it will be supported by a good piece of g10 fused to the back of the stanchion.

[yournamehere]

Originally Posted by psk125

The easiest fix will likely be with epoxy and fiberglass cloth after you have ground out the cracked and damaged material. The hard part will be getting a gelcoat finish over the repair that matches the color of the rest of the bulwark.

Thanks. Any recommendations on resin type for this if the hull was built with vinyl ester?

[yournamehere]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

@yournamehere,

Please, if you can, tell us what kind of a boat you have and what size it is. What I am seeing in your pictures is that something bears very hard (or bore very hard) on one of the forward stanchions, which may have been tried to have been repaired previously [the white caulk that shows], but it's peeling the gelcoat off, and lord only knows how much moisture has been going in there. Also, it looks as if there is a gelcoat crack from aft to forward, quite a way. Expect a seething worm sack.

Imho (and I'm experienced, but would not call myself expert), I think you are going to feel shocked and saddened when the guys that know more than I do tell you what needs to happen. But before we get all the way there, go to sailboatdata.com and see what you can learn about the structure of your hull to deck join, with reference to what does the caprail conceal.

Ann

The upper right hand picture

This was not repaired before and there are no other cracks. You might be seeing some debris. The hill was also thoroughly moisture tested.

[yournamehere]

Originally Posted by neilpride

Nasty place to make a repair, I imagine you have access to the interior, I also wonder if those screws have a nut behind in some backing plate or just held with a washer?

It would be a matter of grind all the damaged area, the g10 piece is a good idea, glue it on the inside, wider than the damaged area, if the original laminate is vinylester or poly I would be inclined to glue it in vinylester or poly, a mixture with silica, and then laminate back on the outside and finish in gelcoat, if it is gelcoat what you have on the deck.

.Once finished it is a matter of reinstalling the stanchion, but this time it will be supported by a good piece of g10 fused to the back of the stanchion.

I do have access from the interior. I’ll grind things out and see if there is a backing plate.

Thanks for the feedback! The silica is used for strengthening the resin, correct?

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by yournamehere

I do have access from the interior. I’ll grind things out and see if there is a backing plate.

Thanks for the feedback! The silica is used for strengthening the resin, correct?

The silica is to make a mixture with the resin with the consistency of mayonnaise, maybe a little thicker, and with that mixture if you have sanded and cleaned the inside a little then generously apply that mixture on the piece of g10 and from the inside you glue it, cover it and makes a mold and reinforcement to be able to laminate the hole from the outside.

[Spot]

(Neil answered my question above, thanks!)

YNH-Fumed silica is used as a thickener/anti-slump, glass spheres are used to lighten and make sanding easier, milled fibers are to add a little strength to a resin mix. There is a series by West System Epoxy and Sail (?) magazine on basic epoxy repairs that was a pretty good rundown of the basics, here is a link to the YouTube playslist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zq_pqstU-0Yefi

[Scubaseas]

Repair with vinyl or epoxy. Personally I would use Reichhold Vinylester. G10 backer is good. Gel coat can be tinted to match. Or get paint to match. If you have a piece of the boat that is removable you can get the color scanned at most autobody supply stores that have optical scanners or at least tell you what tint colors you need. If using epoxy resin make sure you remove the amine blush before applying paint or gelcoat.

Another option might be to make G10 pads or bases for the stanchions on the outside. Round over the edges with a router and paint white to to match the wood?

[yournamehere]

Originally Posted by Spot

(Neil answered my question above, thanks!)

YNH-Fumed silica is used as a thickener/anti-slump, glass spheres are used to lighten and make sanding easier, milled fibers are to add a little strength to a resin mix. There is a series by West System Epoxy and Sail (?) magazine on basic epoxy repairs that was a pretty good rundown of the basics, here is a link to the YouTube playslist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...zq_pqstU-0Yefi

First time I've seen that YT channel -- thanks, that's real great content.

[massnspace]

I don’t think you can use gel cote over epoxy…..so you must use poly or vinylester resin….

[yournamehere]

Originally Posted by massnspace

I don’t think you can use gel cote over epoxy…..so you must use poly or vinylester resin….

I'm pretty confident it is Awlgripped.

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by massnspace

I don’t think you can use gel cote over epoxy…..so you must use poly or vinylester resin….

I don't disagree with you which is why I prefer vinylester for repair work. If you clean the epoxy well the gelcoat sticks OK or at least that's been my observation over the years. Unfortunately vinyl gel coat is gray so you're limited to white gelcoat or paint. Gelcoat sticks better if the wax is left out until the last coat or leave it out all together and air entrain another way.

Gelcoat will chemically bond with either poly or vinyl. With epoxy it's strictly a mechanical bond so surface prep is critical. If using epoxy resin with gel coat on top if you don't clean and then sand well then clean again the bond might fail.

I have a rubber hose that has hardened gel coat on it for about 8 years now. I have painters pants that still have gelcoat on them after 4 years use.

[s/v Jedi]

I don’t see the G10 working as a backing plate inside. It looks way too narrow I think.

I would probably do this on the outside, like Scubaseas mentioned. Grind the turn glass away, fill it up with patches of woven cloth with epoxy, largest patch first, until about flush. Then mix some epoxy with colloidal silica filler and use a drywall mudding knife to make it flush with the surrounding surface.

After cure, sand it, then glue the G10 over it, covering the complete repair. Make radius corners and use a 45 degree router bit to bevel the edges.

Paint with Awlgrip 545 primer and color matching topcoat.