REPAIRING

REPAIRING

FIBERGLASS CANOES

CAUTION: Wear rubber gloves and eye protection.

KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN.

WARNING!

After hardener has been added to gel coat or resin, any material left in container can get very hot as it sets up (becomes hard). The container must be placed in an area where it cannot cause a fire.

1) With coarse sandpaper, sand area over and around the break at least 4" larger than the break area on the inside of the canoe. Now clean the area with a cleaning solvent or soap and water. Allow time to dry thoroughly.

2) Tape over the break on the outside of the canoe to keep resin from running thru the break.

3) Cut one piece of 3/4 oz. mat (non-woven fiberglass material) 2" larger than the shape of the broken area.

5) Tear a piece of 3/4oz mat 2" - 3" larger than first piece of 3/4 oz mat. DO NOT CUT THIS PIECE OF MAT WITH SHEARS, YOU WANT THE TORN EDGES TO MATCH THE INTERIOR OF THE CANOE.

6) If more than one place needs repairing, prepare and cut material for all breaks.

7) Pour resin into paper cup or appropriate container and add hardener, following the instructions on the chart below, mix thoroughly.

9) Place first piece of 3/4" oz mat over the break. Using brush and resin thoroughly saturate mat.

10) Lay woven roving over saturated mat and again, using the brush, saturate the woven roving with resin.

11) Lay the piece of 3/4 oz. mat with the torn edges over the woven roving and continue, in the same way, to saturate with resin.

12) The inside patch is now complete. The resin will "set up" (harden) quicker if patch is exposed to sunlight - But, DO NOT REPAIR THE CANOE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.

1) Use a Rat-Tail file or a coarse sandpaper wrapped around a wooden dowel to cut loose any broken fiberglass away until it forms a groove.

2) Cut narrow strips of 3/4" mat the same width or slightly wider than the groove.

3) Mix a small amount of resin and paint in the groove. Then lay in the strips of 3/4oz mat. Saturate each layer and place them so that they are level with the surface of the canoe.

4) Take some *Peel Ply (release fabric), and lay it on the wet resin. With the brush used to apply the resin to the strips, thoroughly wet and smooth the *Peel Ply over the repair. Leave the edges of the Peel Ply loose. When the resin has hardened, peel the *Peel Ply off of the repaired area. If you choose not to use Peel Ply, wax paper or Suran Wrap taped down will help. provide a smooth surface.

3) Mix gel coat with hardener and brush a thick coat over the break area. Apply *PEEL PLY over wet gel coat and smooth down. Using a brush apply gelcoat to the *PEEL PLY.

5) Sand gel coat area with fine sandpaper. Be careful not to sand thru gel coat.

*PEEL PLY IS A RELEASE FABRIC SOLD AT MOST MARINE STORES TO HELP OBTAIN A SMOOTH FINISH TO HAND LAID MATERIALS.

IT IS A NYLON FABRIC TREATED WITH A RELEASE AGENT. WHEN USED, IT WILL PROVIDE A SMOOTH TEXTURED SURFACE READY FOR BONDING OR FINISHING.

TABLE SPOONS
1 TABLESPOON =	3 TEASPOONS
1 TABLESPOON =	15 MILLILITERS
1/2 TABLESPOON =	7.5 MILLILITERS

TEASPOONS
1 TEASPOON =	5 MILLILITERS
1/2 TEASPOON =	2.5 MILLILITERS
1/4 TEASPOON =	1.25 MILLILITERS

QUARTS
1 QUART =	.9464 LITERS
1QUART =	946 MILLILITERS

LITERS
1 LITERS =	1.057 QUARTS
1 LITERS =	33.8 OUNCES

OUNCES
1 ONCE =	29.6 MILLILITERS

CUPS
1 CUPS =	8 0UNCES
1 CUP =	236.6 MILLILITERS

DROPS
12-15 DROPS	1 MILLILITER

EXAMPLE FOR MIXING 4 OUNCES OF RESIN

4 OUNCES RESIN =	118.4MILLILITERS
1% HARDENER=1.18 MILLILITERS= APROX. 1/4 TSP

EXAMPLE FOR MIXING 1 QUART OF RESIN

1 QUART RESIN =	32 OZ. = 946 MILLILITERS
1% HARDENER =	946 MILLILITERS =APROX. 2 TSP