Best repair filler?

I'm starting to prep the boat for this season and need to know the best material for repairs to the hull and daggerboards.

My boat is a '88 H18 that I bought back after a 12 absence. The other owner banged her up a bit. She needs repairs around the daggerboard wells top & bottom, amd along the gunwales, where first I need to grind out sloppy patchwork.

Also some poor edge patches to the daggerboards themselves.

The hulls are white so color matching is not an issue.

Thanks!

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

FWIW, I like the West System Epoxies.... I usually use 105/205 with the 404 filler. If it's hot or I need a lot of pot time, I go to the 206 hardener.

Brian C

IMHO, I've used epoxy and polyester based product plenty of times. For anything non-structural I've resided to the fact they're overkill. That is IF your not looking for an original finish i.e. gelcoat.

Thanks to MBounds for suggesting Formula 27, (it's grey in color but can be tinted) and Kenny McIntosh for suggesting Marine Tex (it's white). Both products are EASY (compared to epoxy) to sand/finish and available at West Marine or Boater's World.

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

The boat is made from polyester resin and fiberglass, so unless there is some overriding reason (major structural repairs) to use epoxy, I'd stick with polyester.

Epoxies "stick" better than polyester, but develop an amine "blush" when curing that must be completely removed before adding another layer or covering with gel coat (which is polyester).

For most cosmetic repairs, use Evercoat Formula 27. It's a polyester resin based filler that has a peanut butter consistency. That lets you slather it on thick. It's a light gray, but you can spray it with gel afterward to match.

Marine-Tex is great stuff, but it's epoxy and it's a little greyer than the white gelcoat. It gets very hard when cured and is a little tougher to work with than Formula 27.

Hi Chris,

Metuchen NJ you say ... would your boat happen to be a "Shore Acres" boat? If so, I mostly likely knew the origonal owner and raced against them. What is your sail pattern and number? I've had my boat since June 85' when I purchased it from a Shore Acres YC member. I sailed there many times in the past.

I have alot of experience fixing daggerboards and trunks on H-18s and I am willing to help you. But because of your local "out-of-control" cops I only attend a few events in your state anymore, and I try to stay out of NJ as much as possible because the protections of the US Constitution does not seem to apply to out-of-state residents that come to your state to visit. Your local law enforcement seem to see us as "Cash Cows " to be milked for their financial/proffesional gain, whether then are we actually guilty of some sort of legal infraction (or not). I even know of local NJ citizens that have been ticketed because their Co car has out-of-state tags.

I live in Delaware County outside of Philly, you are welcome to contact me , come and see my boat, take pictures, ask questions etc ... But the reality is I can not come to you, you have to come to me because I just can not afford your CROOKED cops !!!! ... again. My E-mail address is listed in my profile here and on CatSailor. Please feel free to contact me and we will get you fixed up.

Have you considered attending any of the Hobie Points Regettas held near you??? There are (5) this coming year: Sandy Hook Sailing Club/June, Spray Beach YC/June, Barneget Bay(Berkley County Park)/ July, Wildwood (@ Morey's Pier)/Aug, and SHORE ACRES YC/Sept.

I may be actually attending several of these events ( I'm currently working on a "Cloaking Device" ...)

Hope to Hear fom You
Sail Flat, Sail Fast
Harry

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.
Sounds like Formula 27 for cosmetic repairs and polyester for anything structural I find.

Harry,
well I'm an old NJ racing dog. I cut my Hobie teeth at Shore Acres beginning in '79 on my 16' with Reed Hayward and Mark Schlecsher.

My 18' I bought new in '88, sold in '94 because my daughter was too little for us to enjoy it. I stumbled across it last summer, bought it back from a young fellow in Mantoloking who had bought it from the guy I sold it to in Lavalette.

BTW, my boat is white with white sails that has the horizontal rainbow panel.

you're a fleet 54 sailor? isn't that Elk Neck? I've been to that regatta many years ago.

not sure yet how quickly I'll get back into racing. First off, I already have a ride as bowman on a J-109, handling a 110 square meter spinnaker, which is about as fun as flying a Cat. (except when it really blows, it'll pull your arms outta the sockets a lot harder than any Hobie ever could) Second, I have to acclimate my daughter, now 16, to Hobie sailing... she's stoked about it.

need to get the boat all tuned back into sturdy racing form, and practice!
When I dissect the boat, I get in touch.

Thanks.

_________________
Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

Hi Chris,

I was looking last night at some dusty trophies I have and I found myself looking at one in particular: 1991 Area C AlterCup Eliminations @ SHORE ACRES !!! Its a picture trophy with all of us standing over where the cats were on the launch beach. You mentioned some names I haven't heard in years , who's faces I was looking at last night. Mark & Carmel Schlecksher, Reed Hayward w/ his famous straw hat, Ed Tullby & girl friend, Dan & Barb Kulkowski ... etc. What was the name of Reed's golden retriever, he is in the picture of course also. GREAT TIMES !!!!

I too have been away from Hobiedom for a number of years, I had taken my H-18 apart and stored it behind the shed in the backyard for 8+ years. ( I was sailing "open" class on the Chesapeake) I started sailing with my niece several years ago when she was 10 yrs old, on my P-19mx, which is a little TOO much boat for her at the time. So we put my H-18 back together and have been back on the "Hobie Circut" for the last two years. We did the H-18 NAs last year !!!! That was great.

There is a very nice group of H-18 sailors in Div11 currently, there is usually 6-8 at any one regetta and sometimes more at the bigger events. There is also a group of Juniors sailing, H-16s, at most events. So you got to come on out. There are (3) Open events on the Chesapeak that are perfect to get your "feet wet" w/ your daughter. All of them are on the eastern shore w/ camping held by YCs'.

When you are ready please contact me, I have a system "down pat" for repairing daggerboards. MarineTex is an Ok filler but you need to "re-skin" it or else the filler can crack out later. It doesn't do well on thin repairs, I think it is too thick of a consistcy to do thin repairs. You need to use WEST Epoxy w/ fillers for those kind of repairs, Ok.

My E-Mail is listed in my profile, I will be happy to help ( I may even venture into NJ for you )

Oh, that sail pattern was called "White Prism" and they were VERY GOOD! Mark & Carmel had a set of them. FYI: The new sails from Hobie are Excellent currently, I bought a set last year and I am very pleased with them. But if you do buy a set, the mast tuning is completely different, forget Phil's 12/24/36 tuning guide.

Oh, I am going to have to pentalize you (1) beer for .... Sailing on a SLOW LEADMINE MONOMORAN !!! I have a "big boat" ride also .... a 43' TRI called TripleThreat !!!! In the NASS race last year we started 5 min behind the PRF A0 boats ... we ran down (3) of the four competing. It was AWESOME when we climbed ZARRAFFA's wake, it is huge and we then passed her !!! We hit 20.3 knots under chute and later we did 19.8 knots beating to weather !!! It was our first time sailing the boat, next year DONNYBROOK !!!

Keep in Touch
Harry

_________________
HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

Harry,
this past season, I was invited out for the 200 mile long Race Rock distance race on a 40 some odd foot Tri called 'Falcor' out of Atlantic Highlands, near the Fleet 250 beach. I declined 'cause it was right after Block Island Race Week and couldn't spare the time, but also 'cause I didn't want to get broken in on a new boat and crew on an overnight offshore race.

I do remember Dan Kulkowski, 'Gentleman' Jim Glanden, Wally Meyers, Bob Dees and the rest of the Div. 11 circuit guys. Did you ever sail with us in Barnegat at any Fleet 452 regattas or the 'round the island' (LBI) race? That's where I wound up after Shore Acres.

_________________
Chris
'88 H18SE Arís