New project "Some TLC" and advice needed. Vivacity 20

[capnjustin]

I just got a sweet old project sailboat made in the early seventies I'm guessing. I've been looking curiously at the sides and how to tackle the repairs. I think I know how to go about the rest of the repairs needed. I have done some small fiberglass and epoxy work in the past but I'm not sure the best way to go about repairing the sides on boat. She has a lot of pitting or previous damage on both sides of her. I'll upload a picture because it's hard to describe. Structurally it feels fine to me and I think it is just cosmetic. I was thinking the best way would be to just grind it all down smooth and then start filling with fiberglass etc. Any advice would be most appreciated! I'm already anxious to get this old beauty sailing again.

[keelbolts]

A lot of this site is about fixing up your new dream. One good place to start would be Tim's Glissando site: Triton381.com.
Pull down "Projects" and start with his restoration of his boat, Glissando. Remember, as you look at his work, he's an artist and there are many people in this forum whose work is very nice, but not like his. Don't be too discouraged by an inability to reach boat work perfection as Tim seems to do regularly.

Is she a twin-keeler?

Check out: minibluewatersailing.com

[Oscar]

I was thinking the best way would be to just grind it all down smooth and then start filling with fiberglass etc.

IF, and that's a big IF it is indeed structurally sound that would be the way to go. Some of that looks pretty deep though, and the hull may be thin there, can't tell how thick it is minus the gouges. Some lamination (building of layers of cloth/resin) may be needed there to make sure you have integrity. Just filling it will not return strength to the thin spots.

The approach may be to look at it from a distance instead of close up. Grind it down, fair it with a thickened epoxy and then build up the chine from stem to stern with a few layers of glass/epoxy. Then fair and paint.

Hard to see on the picture.

[capnjustin]

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I will start with the easier stuff first, like the topsides etc. and continue reading and learning from my mistakes to tackle the sides.

This Vivacity is actually a single keel boat. It is the only one I have seen from looking around at others on the internet that is a single. Another unique feature is that she has an inboard tiller, all the other I've seen are hung on the transom. I don't know why it's the only one like that but she's a very unique Vivacity indeed. Supposedly this old girl sailed accross the Atlantic back in the day to make it to the U.S.

I have better pictures but had to shrink them down to upload here.

[Rachel]

Welcome capnjustin, and congratulations on your new Vivacity :)

Can you show some closer photos of the areas in question? It's hard to tell for sure what's going on from a distance.

Just to keep things from getting confusing here, the area you are showing is the topsides. That is, the sides of the hull from the gunwale down to the waterline. (The surface that you walk on [exterior of boat] is the deck.)

Rachel

[Quetzalsailor]

Boy, those gouges look deep! What so you suppose did it, ice? Moored next to some floating junk?

My usual taste in preparation for repairs is to remove everything anybody else has done, down to the original layup, or into the original layup if it looks damaged, resin starved, voids or whatever. If there's, say one layer of well-bonded filler, I will occasionally leave it (and particularly if it's original). Once you've got your trusty 4 1/4" grinder and a stack of 50, or even 36 grit discs, things will happen soon enough. Even rough discs will fill quickly with paint, thus you may be better off starting with paint remover. With a very careful hand, you may try a heat gun and a scraper; gel coat and polyester softens, too, but a little more slowly than paint. Get the paint off the glass and you'll get a better feel for what the project is and it will look sooo much better, too.

[capnjustin]

Yeah, it looks rough! I have no idea how it happened, I have been wondering the same thing myself. Looks like it got damaged at a dock maybe and someone just threw some crappy paint on top of it, like it would cover it up.

[capnjustin]

Here is some more photos I just took http://picasaweb.google.com/capnjustin/ ... 2354624546. I didn't get any close up of the damage but I'll try to get some. As you can see it goes all the way around, very strange. I pressure washed the hull and deck (thanks rachel) and it looks much better already.

I have been looking at some epoxy and fiberglass and misc. materrials at West Marine and it's going to cost a fortune! Is there any place cheaper than West Marine? I basically need everything so a starter kit would be ideal.

[Oscar]

I just bought a bunch of stuff from these guys....helpfull and reasonable. They have kits.

http://www.raka.com/

[Capn_Tom]

Is there any place cheaper than West Marine?

The more appropriate question is, is there anyone that's not cheaper than West Marine.

If your going with one of the three name brands of epoxy Jamestown Distributors, Hamilton Marine, and Defender are all good choices. You can also use Google Shopping to search for lowest price. Jamestown just started a VIP Buyers Club which is $30 for a year but it includes free shipping.

[kendall]

Looks like cold damage.

Seen a few (had one) boats that were like that in smaller sections, there's a zone just above the water line during cold weather, below that it's close enough to the water that ripples keep it from freezing, above it it's dry enough that there's no problem, but IN that zone where it gets an occasional splash, especialy in late or early seasons there are so many freeze-thaw cycles that it opens up any crack and will peel the gell coat right off.

Normally it's restricted to the gell coat so the glass should be good, check it though

Ken.