Jan. 4, 2011 - repairs start...

Update: Check my blog here for more progress reports.

Tuesday is the regular "Boat Night" at the Nordhaus Boatwerks, so I had plenty of company (and help) with repairs.

Prepping the holes in the bottom skin...I decided to start attacking the holes and gouges in the bottom. The first step was to feather out all the edges and make plugs for the access holes through the cockpit floor so I could fill in all the damage around them.

Holding down the first set of patches while the epoxy curesAfter cutting and feathering the edges on some small pieces of plywood, everything was slathered with WEST epoxy and held in place with clamps and weights.

Comments

Hindsight

In light of your recent mishap, I wonder if you have an opinion on whisker stays? I think you would have just transferred the damage to the springboard, but I'm just guessing here.

rolley

Whisker stays...

I don't think they would have significantly altered the outcome of a crash like mine. Even if they held the boat together, I'm not sure that would be a good thing. As it was the plank ripped off and I stayed in the hull sliding down the ice to a (relatively) smooth stop. If the plank had held on and the boat come to a fast halt at the crack, I'd probably have gone flying out and hit the boom, mast, and various other hard things, not to mention the ice when I landed.

Personally, I'm kind of a fan of pieces (esp. the plank) being able to separate in extreme circumstances. Sort of like ski-boot bindings. There are times when things can be "too strong".