hi all new to this forum
had boats for 20 years i have a 4m searider at the moment i do a lot of fishing and sking from it had it for years just come back from barmouth and found out that running up the beach at full speed has took it toll on the front of the hull over the years theres a split about 12 inch right at the bottom of the bow i have turned the boat over and cut the crap out any ideas how to repair this as most say from the inside and i cant get at it without destroying the boat there looks like a beam that runs the lenth of the boat inside this is ok can i fill it with bridger and then use matt over the out side its not structual as the hull floods any way many thanks
On mine there is a crack along the shine (first one up from the keel) that runs from front to back. I have ground it back with a grinder until it was as thin as paper and there was no glass only gel coat/resin. so have roughed up both sides and glassed over with tissue and CSM, then the sun came out, the resin went off and all work stopped.
it seems to have made a rigid repair but need 2 more layers of csm and gel coat before it goes on the water fo testing.
If your hull is not flexing i would be tempted to fill it with proper gel coat filler (not car bodge, as sea water dissolves it.) and gel coat over.
I'm no expert on the construction details on these boats' bow, however there will be structural requirements- if nothing else to hold the rest of the hull together when it is smashing through waves. The water ballast just keeps it stable when at rest - once you're on the plane the hull is like any other deep V.
