Today while under our new 1998 26x I noticed a hole in the hull It looks like someone took a hammer and hit it I can see the wood has been broken and dented in 1/2 inch the size of the hammer head. How would you repair it? I was going to put several layers of fiberglass resin in and then several layers of fiberglass, smoth sand and paint. help with sujestions if you can. thanks
Yes, pics please, inside and out if out can get'em. It will help a lot in offering suggestions on repair.
If you can get to it from the inside, that's your best repair angle. Make up a mold for the outside using plywood and plasticene (modelling clay) - or if you're really wanting a good one you can make a mold using fiberglass by casting off a similar spot on the hull. Then after you've trimmed back the damaged area, place the mold on the outside and do all your work on the inside - gel first, then glass layers.
(please let me know if the link doesn't work-first time using photobucket)
The damage is about 6 1/2 feet from the back of the boat, starboard side. The damage cannot be seen from the interior so I'm assuming it's under the water ballast.
Hmm. Looks a sudden drop onto a jack stand or the end of an unpadded 2x4 bunk. Anyway, that is a serious damage needing repair.
To help you effect repair we need to know where the damage is located, exactly.
Please measure from the center of the damaged area to the boat centerline of the bottom. And either from the transom edge to the damaged area, or the aft or forward edge of the centerboard slot to the damaged area. That way we can access your options much better by referring to our own boats.
I would recomend a local Fiberglass repair company, Pictures indicate a black line beneathe the cut and a horizontal (Bow to Stern) crack away from the main crack. Looks to me there was some large impac that hit that area and did more damage than just the crack you see but this is only judgeing from pictures.( a boat stand will do this kind of damage if to much impac loading)
The crack also appears closer to your bottom centerline of the boat than 19 inches and I assume the crack is located 2-1/2 inches aft of head sink drain 90 degrees right angle.
Dave
I read the article that was mentioned a few messages back.
This is an excellent article and I have patched quite a few holes this way.
The only thing I do different is, If I paint the bottom I don't try to match gelcoat I just apply bottom paint.
2 If I camn get to the hole from the inside I clean the hull sand it and then put a layer of cloth on the inside also.
3. If this hole goes into the water ballast area, I would allow the water to drain before I completely pulled the boat from the water thus reducing any downward pressure on the patch.
patching a hull is a frightening thing , take your time and do it right and it will be as good as new.
Hi, once I clicked your link, up came the 4 thumbnail pixs. Underneath are shown 4 diff. copying options. Left click the bottom option.......IMG CODE (click within those 2 words) and briefly a mini box will come up saying "copied".
Back in this site right click within the message body then hit paste when it shows. I do this transfer one at a time, I don't know whether all 4 could be transferred in one go
It looks like someone took a hammer and hit it 
I can see the wood has been broken and dented in 1/2 inch the size of the hammer head. How would you repair it? I was going to put several layers of fiberglass resin in and then several layers of fiberglass, smoth sand and paint. help with sujestions if you can. thanks
