Synopses & Reviews
A fiberglass hull's seamless nature leads many boatowners to conclude that repair must be difficult. Wrong. Here, clearly and abundantly illustrated, is all you need to know to seal joints, bed hardware, replace portlights, locate leaks, fix cracks and even holes, restore your hull's gloss, renew nonskid decks, and much more. You'll wonder what you were worried about.
Review
``The reader can almost feel the hand-holding this book provides--if [Casey's other books] are only half as clear as this one, I would want to own them all. -- Dockside
About the Author
Don Casey credits the around-the-world voyage of Robin Lee Graham, featured in
National Geographic in the late 1960s, with opening his eyes to the world beyond the shoreline. After graduation from the University of Texas he moved to south Florida, where he began to spend virtually all his leisure time messing about in boats.
In 1983 he abandoned a career in banking to devote more time to cruising and writing. His work combining these two passions soon began to appear in many popular sailing and boating magazines. In 1986 he co-authored Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach, an immediate best-seller and the book responsible for pushing many would-be cruisers over the horizon. He is also author of This Old Boat, a universally praised guide that has led thousands of boatowners through the process of turning a rundown production boat into a first-class yacht, and of Sailboat Refinishing, Sailboat Hull & Deck Repair, Canvaswork & Sail Repair, and Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, all part of the International Marine Sailboat Library. He continues to evaluate old and new products and methods, often trying them on his own 30-year-old, much-modified, Allied Seawind.
When not writing or off cruising, he can be found sailing on Florida's Biscayne Bay.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Leaks
Choosing a Sealant
Rebedding Deck Hardware
Preparing a Cored Deck for New Hardware
Sealing Chainplates
Sealing Portholes--A Temporary Solution
Rebedding Deadlights
Replacing Portlights
Mast Boots
Hull-to-Deck Joint
Centerboard Trunks
Through-Hull Fittings
Pressurizing to Find Leaks
Restoring the Gloss
Buffing
Sanding
Scratch Repair
Deck Repairs
Stress Cracks
Voids
Crazing (Alligatoring)
Renewing Nonskid
Teak Decks
Laminate Repair
Understanding Polyester Resin
Grinding Is Essential
The Basics of Fiberglass Lay-up
When to Use Epoxy
Core Problems
Delamination
Wet Core
Damaged Core
Reinstalling the Skin
Strengthening
Stiffening a Skin
Hull Repairs
Gouges
Blisters
Impact Damage
Keel and Rudder Damage
Weeping Keel
Keel/Centerboard Pivot Problems
Hull Damage Around Fins and Skegs
Damaged Rudder
Blade/Shaft Movement
External Ballast
Index