Fiberglass Repair: DIY (or Not)

Unless your boat lives her life dockside cuddled up to a couple of fenders, she’s going to get a few scrapes and bruises. And almost every fiberglass boat, even the most mollycoddled, eventually suffers the heartbreak of spider-web and/or stress cracks. These scars of a life well-lived are unsightly, but usually are just cosmetic. Generally, repair of minor damage is within the mechanical aptitude of most skippers. DIY’ing these small, but time-consuming, jobs will save big bucks at the boatyard, too.

But what about bigger, more serious injuries? I strongly advise against DIY if there’s a hole punched through the side of your boat, a deep impact crater revealing torn fibers or, even worse, coring, or any serious damage to the laminate itself. These are, I’d say, jobs for the pros. Take the time, fork over the cash and have it done right. My rule of thumb is,