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I drilled a few exploratory drain holes as Don Casey suggests, and I see no evidence that water has penetrated the core. So, it seems to just be some frayed matting.
Any advice on how I go about fixing the worn leading edge?
Sand it.. Cover it with a couple of new layers of fiberglass and then cover and fair with thickened epoxy. Then paint with bottom paint. For additional abrasion resistance, use a couple layers of kevlar and then a layer of fiberglass. Don't use kevlar by itself, as you won't be able to sand it to get a smooth finish... kevlar doesn't sand nicely.
Epoxy is better than Polyester/vinylester resin for this because it is stronger and more resistant to osmosis.
Epoxy would also go a long way in keeping water out of your rudder. I just epoxied and put 12 inch Fiberglas "tape" along the edge of my rudder and faired thickened epoxy as sailing dog said. Wet out the fiberglass well and use and old credit card to smooth out air bubbles.... It was not a hard job to do but the prep work takes time, as you need to sand grind away the lose fiberglass. I also like to remove as much paint as I can.
ChicagoNewport27, I want to know where you bought that folding bench ? Been looking for one.
Freesail: The folding bench was just an old directors chair that I removed the back and armrests from. Very easy to do (it takes about 5 minutes of your time and a philips screwdriver) and the resulting folding stool is very handy!
Sand it mostly fair, but leave enough rough spots for the new glass to "grip" to.
Use fibreglass tape here. The Kevlar idea is good.
When your glassing is done (and I think you might want to put a Kevlar strip down the centerline and then fibreglass tape strips "lapped" to either side), consider applying a two part epoxy barrier coat or two over the entire job. Then anti-foul over the whole thing.
I have found that it pays to double up the anti-foul coats on the 'leading edges" of the keel, rudder and bow.
Good luck...It's a messy, tedious job, but the results are gratifying.
If you can take off the rudder and get the work area flat on a bench with vises, the job is a lot easier and quicker, because under a boat is typically a cool spot whereas doing this in a garage means you can use lights to warm the epoxy so it kicks faster. Also, a LOT fewer drips and "tape slide" if you've got the consistency a little off.
Freesail-
You can find folding stools and seats like that at Campmor-Your Quickest Link to the Outdoors, if you don't mind black aluminum tubing with nylon tops. Several shapes and sizes, $15-20 or so.
BTW, it is really important to put a layer of fiberglass cloth over the kevlar, as the kevlar is almost impossible to sand and get a smooth finish with.
If I remember correctly, kevlar isn't all that great for abrasion resistance and impacts. Where it excels are it's very light weight/strength ratio and puncture resistance. With impacts, the fabric is compressed to the point where it deforms and the resin that holds it cracks away. In the world of kayak and canoe building, they use products like dynel fabric which is much easier to work and supposedly is better for things like skegs, keels, and rudders (not to mention a lot cheaper than kevlar). The beauty with dynel is that since it is a "fuzzy" fabric with lots of hold on points for the resin, there is a lot less cracking and deforming going on. Yes you will see kevlar sewn into fabrics and stuff as abrasion resistance, but I guess soft structured kevlar is different from it's resin coated counterpart.
Kevlar is not something I would use for this repair and at $39.00 a yard why ? I also found Jamestown Distributors to be much higher in prices then the link I posted.
I will just be using layers of fiberglass and epoxy, but no Kevlar. Kevlar is MUCH too expensive for my budget. With the age and condition of this boat, and the fast-approaching splash date, that money is better spent elsewhere.
Thanks again!
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