too big to repair soft spot?

I recently bought my first Hobie Cat on ebay. It is a 1975 Hobie 16. I found two large soft spots on the hulls.

The first is roughly 10" x 18" on the deck of the starboard hull directly in front of the front pylon. Is this too large of a spot to repair by drilling holes along the perimeter as breather holes and then fill the epoxy from the center hole until it weeps out of the perimeter holes? OR should holes be drilled every square inch? I've read numberous ways to repair.

The other soft spot is on the interior side (not the deck) of the port side hull between the two pylons. It is roughly the same size (10" x 18"). Should I be as concerned about this one structurally because its location does not take as much stress as the deck soft spot does? Does it require repair before sailing?

Finally, what product has had the best results for these repairs? The two-part epoxy from West Marine? Are there products for a smaller price but do the same job with the same results?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. It is my first Hobie purchase and can't wait to get it out of the water!

_________________
Ryan

Repairable? It can be done. The deck delamination is critical. Do not sail without fixing. You can do it in stages if the size is large.

I have personal experience with the Git-Rot method I describe in the FAQ section of the forums. The resin is specifically a penetrating resin that also cures a bit soft (as laminating resins do) to be a little flexible.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)